Callum Atkinson

Dr. Callum Atkinson is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Monash University, specializing in turbulent flow dynamics and experimental fluid mechanics. His research focuses on understanding and controlling turbulent shear flows in pipes, boundary layers, jets, and rocket engines, combining high-fidelity numerical simulations with advanced optical diagnostics like holographic PIV and tomographic techniques. He has developed novel methodologies for 3D velocity and density measurements, contributing to drag reduction studies, heat transfer analysis, and flow control in aerospace and mechanical systems. His work addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals related to energy efficiency and sustainable transport.

Current roles include leading collaborative projects on adverse pressure gradient boundary layers and flow mixing, and he actively participates in peer review for journals like Journal of Fluid Mechanics and Physics of Fluids. He supervises PhD students in topics such as hybrid rocket engine optimization and turbulence modeling, leveraging Monash's engineering research infrastructure. Notable contributions include one of the world's largest adverse pressure gradient simulations and pioneering volumetric flow visualization techniques.

His experimental toolkit includes laser diagnostics, tomographic PIV, and background-oriented schlieren systems. Recent work has explored superhydrophobic surface drag reduction, thermal jet behavior, and the dynamics of high-speed jet flows. He maintains a strong focus on bridging experimental and computational fluid dynamics to advance fundamental understanding and industrial applications.