Sid Becker

Sid Becker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He has held this position since June 14, 2010 and will assume the role of Associate Dean for Postgraduate Research under the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research on March 24, 2025. His research spans multiple disciplines within thermal and fluid sciences, with significant contributions to micro-combustion, heat transfer, and multiphase flow phenomena.

Becker's primary research interests include:

• Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics
• Mathematical modelling of thermal systems
• Building Services and HVAC systems
• Combustion engineering, particularly micro-combustors using hydrogen and ammonia fuels
• Fluid dynamics and multiphase flow, especially drop vaporization and breakup
• Biological media transport phenomena

His recent publications (2023-2025) show a strong focus on sustainable energy systems, particularly micro-combustion technologies using alternative fuels like hydrogen and ammonia. His work often incorporates thermodynamic analysis, entropy generation studies, and computational modeling approaches. A significant portion of his research investigates the fundamental physics of combustion instabilities, drop dynamics, and thermal actuation in microsystems, with applications ranging from energy conversion to biomedical engineering.

Becker has received notable recognition including the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2008-2009), valued at over 50,000€, which supported his research on thermodynamically based models of skin electroporation.

As an active supervisor, Becker has mentored numerous graduate students across a diverse range of projects from energy systems to biomechanics. His professional activities include committee memberships on the Faculty of Engineering Academic Board and Graduate Research Committee, as well as extensive grant assessment for organizations including DFG and EU Marie Curie Actions.

His international collaborations span Germany, Slovenia, and the United States, reflecting the global impact of his research in advancing sustainable energy solutions and fundamental thermal-fluid science.