For the Public

With its unique position on the historic Minneapolis waterfront, the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) garners a lot of attention from the local community and visitors to the area. Outreach is an important part of SAFL’s mission, and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our unique facility and ongoing interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research to the public.

Learn about our history
SAFL was built as a hydraulic research laboratory from 1936-1938. Over 80+ years, SAFL has evolved its research program to include overall fluid mechanics research versus just hydraulics, but the building itself serves the same function as it did when it was constructed. Many people ask us what makes SAFL unique - it is not only the space, nor the legacy of expertise, but also the ability for our research and approaches to evolve to meet society's changing needs.

Learn more about our projects
One of the best parts about SAFL is the diversity of projects that come through the door. Whether funded through the National Science Foundation, federal, state, or local agencies or the private sector, SAFL looks to address the needs of society as it pertains to the environment and energy.

Learn more about SAFL research
SAFL research generally revolves around three different categories: fundamental fluid flow research, the environment, and energy. Explore these different themes and learn more about specific projects and the researchers that conduct them.

Learn more about our outreach
Outreach is one of the core missions of SAFL, with an emphasis on training and mentoring the next generation of scientists and providing ways for researchers to connect and work with applied practitioners.