J. Kim Vandiver


J. Kim Vandiver is an American university professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Vandiver is the dean of undergraduate research and a professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering. He is one of the foremost authorities on the dynamics of offshore structures and flow-induced vibration and is a member of the faculty of the MIT-WHOI joint program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering.
Vandiver is also founder and director of the , named after and honoring Dr. Harold Edgerton, which was started in 1992 to provide resources for students doing hands-on educational projects, including some in developing countries. He is the director of .
He is known for some early work he did with Schlieren photography. One of his photos, "Bullet through Flame", is at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas.

Memberships

Vandiver is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Education

He holds a B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, a S.M. in Ocean Engineering from MIT, and a Ph.D. in Oceanographic Engineering from the MIT/WHOI Joint Program. He is also a certified flight instructor for gliders.

Awards and honors

Vandiver was raised in Yakima, Washington. Vandiver earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1960. Vandiver recognizes Scouting as an important influence in his life and society. Vandiver was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2006 by the Boston Minuteman Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Selected publications