Dr. Zhijin Wang is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath. His research focuses on experimental fluid dynamics, flow control, unsteady aerodynamics, and fluid-structure interactions, with particular emphasis on load control of large wind turbine smart rotor blades. He leads and collaborates on projects such as 'Investigation of pop-up spoiler loads alleviation performance' and 'Three-dimensionality and instabilities of leading-edge vortices,' supported by grants from UK industry and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). His work bridges fundamental fluid dynamics with practical applications in aerospace and renewable energy systems. Key research themes include aerodynamics of finite wings, vortex dynamics, and flow separation control. Recent studies explore the use of compliant surfaces, leading-edge flags, and spoilers to enhance lift and reduce loads in post-stall regimes. His experimental investigations often involve high-fidelity flow visualization and numerical simulations. Dr. Wang has supervised doctoral students and actively participates in grant peer-review for EPSRC. His lab, affiliated with the IAAPS research group, emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to fluid mechanics challenges.
Oliver Kruse is a Professor of Perception and Design Theory at the Peter Behrens School of Arts, Hochschule Düsseldorf. He teaches foundational courses in perception and design across three semesters in the Bachelor’s program and offers specialized seminars in the Master’s program. His work integrates theoretical and practical dimensions of design, with a strong emphasis on spatial awareness, materiality, and cultural context. His research interests center on perception, design theory, spatial composition, and material culture . Through both teaching and artistic practice, he explores how individuals experience and interpret designed environments. His pedagogical philosophy emphasizes learning as a valuable gift rather than an obligation, inspired by Albert Einstein’s educational ideals. The recent creative outputs of Oliver Kruse, spanning from 2012 to 2023, reflect a deep engagement with spatial structures, material transformation, and perceptual dynamics. His works—ranging from large-scale sculptures in marble, concrete, and aluminum to intricate pencil drawings and 3D-printed forms—demonstrate a consistent thematic focus on spatial composition, materiality, and abstraction of natural and architectural forms . These outputs bridge art and design, often exploring looping systems, floral geometries, and structural unity. Oliver Kruse has held significant institutional roles, including membership in the University Council (2018–2023), Faculty Council (2010–2019), and Senate (2006–2010), reflecting his long-standing commitment to academic governance. While no formal scientific awards are listed, his extensive exhibition history and public installations indicate professional recognition. He mentors teaching assistants and collaborates with associate lecturers such as Katharina Jahnke and Neringa Naujokaite. No specific grants are mentioned in the provided text. His artistic practice functions as a research laboratory, where concepts of space, form, and material are tested and expressed. Works like All in all (marble, 2016) and meridian flower (aluminum, 2022) suggest a trajectory toward monumental and public art, while smaller pieces in polyamide explore micro-scale formal investigations. This body of work constitutes a significant contribution to practice-based research in design and visual arts.
Dr. Andrew Harris is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography at University College London (UCL), where he also serves as Co-Director of the UCL Urban Laboratory and convenes the interdisciplinary MSc Urban Studies programme. His academic work bridges urban geography with art history, engineering, urban sociology, and architectural history to explore contemporary urban transformations. Dr. Harris earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cambridge in 1999, followed by a Master of Science from University College London in 2001, and a Doctor of Philosophy from UCL in 2005. He also completed a Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at UCL between 2008-2010. As an urban geographer, Dr. Harris's research primarily focuses on the role of art, creativity and culture in urban restructuring, and vertical geographies of contemporary cities. His work centers on recent transformations in London including art districts, high-rise urbanism, culture-led regeneration, and suburban landscapes, while maintaining long-standing research interests in Mumbai examining mill-land redevelopment, heritage districts, and transport infrastructure, particularly elevated roads and walkways. He characterizes his approach as 'creative experiments with comparative urbanism,' working across Mumbai and London to contest Eurocentric assumptions in urban theory and developing work around urban verticality across London and Paris. Dr. Harris's publication record demonstrates a sustained engagement with vertical urbanism, transport infrastructure, and cultural dimensions of city life. His most recent work continues to explore luxury vertical landscapes while maintaining his longstanding interest in Mumbai's urban transformations. A notable trend across his publications is the interdisciplinary approach that bridges geography, architecture, engineering, and cultural studies to examine how cities are experienced and transformed across different vertical planes. Member of the ESRC Peer Review College Visiting fellow at LATTS in Paris (2021/22) Visiting fellow at USI in Antwerp (2025) Dr. Harris actively supervises PhD students, currently mentoring seven doctoral candidates while having successfully guided eleven students to completion. His research has been supported by major funding bodies including the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Royal Geographical Society (RGS), and the Leverhulme Trust. He has also held professional roles including Events Coordinator for the Royal Geographical Society's Urban Geography Research Group (2009-2013) and participation in the conference 'Global Urban Higher Education: the challenges and potentials of internationalisation' (2015). As Co-Director of the UCL Urban Laboratory and co-lead for the Global Urbanisms research cluster in the Department of Geography, Dr. Harris contributes to institutional frameworks that foster interdisciplinary urban research. His work with the Urban Laboratory connects academic research with urban practice, supporting projects that address sustainable development goals related to sustainable cities, reduced inequalities, and industry innovation.
Ricardo Eiris is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University's School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. His research integrates emerging technologies to enhance human performance in construction workforce training and education. Education Ph.D. in Design, Construction, and Planning, University of Florida (2020) M.S. in Digital Arts and Science, University of Florida (2020) M.S. in Construction Management, University of Florida (2016) M.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Florida (2016) B.S. in Civil Engineering, Universidad Metropolitana - Venezuela (2013) Research Focus His work spans three interconnected domains: (1) AI-Enabled Metaverse for workforce education transformation, (2) Extended Reality (AR/VR/MR) for hazard visualization, and (3) Drone Operations for inspection training. He develops immersive environments like iVisit and DroneSim to address safety and training gaps. Scientific Contributions 2024: 360-degree digital twins for task detection 2023: Social equity in PPE accessibility 2022: Multiuser VR site visit frameworks 2021: Drone flight visualization systems 2020: Comparative VR vs traditional safety methods Honors & Awards ASC VDC Faculty Boot Camp Fellowship (2024) ASC International Best Conference Paper Award (2023) ASC Mechanical & Electrical Faculty Fellowship (2022) ASCE ExCEEd Fellowship (2021) National Academies STEM Education Competition Winner (2020) Teaching & Leadership He teaches courses in construction technology and advanced research methods. Leads the Human-Centered Technology in Construction (HCTC) Research Group, focusing on technology-driven safety and workforce development.
Prof. F. Scarano serves as Professor in the Department of Aerodynamics within the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology. His research focuses on experimental fluid dynamics with emphasis on advanced measurement methodologies for complex flow phenomena. Scarano's primary research domains include Aerodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, and Particle Image Velocimetry, with specific expertise in vortex dynamics, drag analysis, and measurement engineering. His work develops cutting-edge optical diagnostics for three-dimensional flow visualization and quantitative analysis in both fundamental and applied contexts. Recent publications demonstrate consistent innovation in volumetric flow measurement techniques, particularly in adapting Particle Tracking Velocimetry for complex geometries and transient flows. His research bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with practical applications in wind energy, aerospace propulsion, and combustion systems. Scientific recognition includes: ISPIV 2017 Best Paper Award for contributions to particle image velocimetry Prof. Scarano has supervised 41 graduate students and maintains active editorial roles for Measurement Science and Technology and Von Kármán Institute publications. His research group generates significant open datasets through TU Delft's research repository, supporting reproducibility in experimental fluid dynamics. Public engagement includes media contributions on fluid dynamics aspects of COVID-19 transmission during 2020-2021. The research program operates within Delft's advanced experimental facilities, utilizing laser diagnostics laboratories and collaborating with international partners across six continents as evidenced by his publication network.
Peter J. Olver serves as a Professor in the School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota . His office is located in Vincent Hall 302 at 206 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. With an active research program spanning multiple mathematical disciplines, Professor Olver maintains a significant presence in both theoretical and applied mathematics. His primary research interests encompass Lie groups, differential equations, computer vision, applied mathematics, differential geometry, mathematical physics, and anthropology. These diverse interests reflect his interdisciplinary approach to mathematical problems, connecting pure theory with practical applications across multiple fields. An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on foundational mathematical concepts with practical implementations. His work shows particular emphasis on symmetry methods, differential equations, and computational approaches to mathematical problems. The integration of anthropology with mathematical analysis through the AMAAZE project demonstrates his innovative cross-disciplinary research. Professor Olver has developed extensive educational materials including numerous lecture notes covering topics from calculus foundations to advanced differential equations. His teaching resources include Mathematica programs for courses like Math 5587 and 5588, featuring interactive visualizations of mathematical concepts such as wave equations and heat diffusion. His research program includes the AMAAZE project (Anthropological and Mathematical Analysis of Archaeological and Zooarchaeological Evidence), which bridges mathematical techniques with anthropological research. This initiative demonstrates his commitment to applying mathematical methods to real-world problems beyond traditional academic boundaries.
Dr.-Ing. Markus Heß serves as Senior Engineer at the Institute of Mechanics within Faculty V - Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems at Technical University of Berlin. He has been with the System Dynamics and Friction Physics group since April 2015, building on over 20 years of academic experience at TU Berlin. His position involves significant teaching responsibilities across multiple engineering mechanics courses and leadership in the institute's research activities. Dr. Heß specializes in contact mechanics and tribology, with particular expertise in the Method of Dimensional Reduction (MDR) which he pioneered in 2007. His research spans fundamental theoretical work in contact mechanics to applied research in biotribology, including electrovibration in surface haptics (electrodynamic control of friction between fingers and touchscreens) and contact mechanics in endoprosthetics. His work bridges theoretical mechanics with practical engineering applications across multiple disciplines. His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to contact mechanics, with a clear evolution from foundational theoretical work on dimensional reduction methods to current applications in biotribology and haptic interfaces. The research shows strong continuity in contact mechanics while expanding into new application areas like medical implants and human-computer interaction technologies. GfT Prize 2011 by the Society for Tribology for his distinguished dissertation As an experienced educator with over two decades of teaching, Dr. Heß is responsible for organization, leadership, and implementation of exercise and examination operations for fundamental mechanics courses. He serves as reviewer for numerous international tribology journals and co-edits special issues, including the current "Dry Friction: Theory, Analysis and Applications" for the journal Machines. His work at Rolls-Royce Germany during his studies demonstrates industry experience that informs his practical approach to mechanical engineering problems. Dr. Heß works within the System Dynamics and Friction Physics group at TU Berlin's Institute of Mechanics, contributing to the institute's reputation in contact mechanics research. His development of the Method of Dimensional Reduction has created a significant research direction within the group, with applications spanning traditional engineering systems to cutting-edge biomedical and human-computer interaction technologies.
Jennifer Nauen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware, part of the College of Arts & Sciences. She serves as Undergraduate Program Director, focusing on curriculum development and foundational biology education. Her research expertise spans experimental design, biomechanics of aquatic locomotion, and marine biology. Education : B.A. (Double Major in Biology and English Literature) from Mount Holyoke College M.S. and Ph.D. (Marine Biology) from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego Postdoctoral training at University of California, Irvine and Harvard University Teaching : Leads courses including Introductory Biology (Honors/Regular), Human Heredity, and Physiology. Supervises undergraduate teaching assistants in laboratory settings. Research Focus : Investigates hydrodynamic forces in fish locomotion, crustacean escape mechanisms, and bioluminescent responses in marine organisms. Recent work emphasizes application of biomechanical principles to educational curricula. Awards : National Academies Education Mentor in Life Sciences (2011–2019) Professional Activities : Served as mentor in national education initiatives and contributed to fisheries impact studies. Active in developing innovative flow visualization techniques using bioluminescent organisms.
Morteza Gharib is the Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Medical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), holding the Booth-Kresa Leadership Chair in the Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST). He serves as Director of the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories (GALCIT) and CAST, overseeing research in autonomous systems, fluid dynamics, and biomedical engineering. His academic roles include Vice Provost at Caltech (2010-2016) and leadership in institutes like the Linde Institute (2014-2015). Education: B.S. from Teheran University (1976), M.S. from Syracuse University (1978), and Ph.D. from Caltech (1983). His career has spanned roles from Assistant Professor (1992) to his current named chair. Research interests focus on biofluid dynamics, biomedical device innovation (e.g., heart valves, cardiovascular monitoring), and autonomous robotics. He develops technologies inspired by biological systems, such as aquatic propulsion and aerial morphing robots. His lab also advances flow diagnostics like real-time PIV systems and machine learning-driven pressure waveform analysis. Key achievements include the Ronald J. Adrian Award (2023) for contributions to flow visualization. His work bridges aerospace and medical engineering, emphasizing cross-disciplinary solutions. Current projects involve bioinspired robots, turbulence control, and non-invasive health monitoring systems. Labs/Teams: Directs GALCIT and CAST, leading interdisciplinary teams in robotics, fluid dynamics, and biomedical engineering. Collaborates with industry and academic partners on advanced systems like the ATMO morphing robot and cardiovascular device prototypes.
Dr. Philipp Vieweg is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Walter Benjamin Fellow at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Mathematics, working under Prof. Colm-Cille Caulfield. His research focuses on fluid mechanics, particularly thermal convection and turbulence, leveraging direct numerical simulations and machine learning. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Fluid Mechanics from the University of Technology Ilmenau (2023) and prior degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Thermodynamics. Education: 2020–2023: PhD in Theoretical Fluid Mechanics, University of Technology Ilmenau 2018–2020: MSc in Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, University of Technology Ilmenau 2014–2018: BEng in Mechanical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Hof Research Interests: Philipp investigates pattern formation and heat transport in horizontally extended convection systems, with applications in geophysics and astrophysics. His work explores mechanisms like inverse cascades, self-organization of flow structures, and the role of boundary conditions. He employs machine learning (e.g., Lagrangian particle analysis) and high-performance computing (e.g., 131,072 CPUs) to study large-scale turbulent flows. Awards: Walter Benjamin Fellowship (University of Cambridge) Advising & Grants: While no students are listed, his research has been supported by high-performance computing resources. Collaborations include work on shear-driven turbulence and stable stratification. Labs/Teams: Active in the Fluid Mechanics and Numerical Analysis research groups within the Faculty of Mathematics.
Baafour Nyantekyi-Kwakye is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Memorial University of Newfoundland since August 2018. He holds a PhD (2016), MSc (2011), and BSc (2005) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manitoba, Canada and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. His expertise spans thermo-fluids, turbulent structures in separated/reattached flows, atomization in gas turbines, river ice processes, and ice jam stability. Educations: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba (2016) MSc in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba (2011) BSc in Mechanical Engineering (Thermo-fluids & Energy Systems), KNUST, Ghana (2005) Research Interests: Dr. Nyantekyi-Kwakye focuses on experimental fluid mechanics, particularly in turbulent flow structures within offset jets, river ice dynamics, and hydraulic engineering applications. His work combines advanced measurement techniques like PIV and acoustic Doppler velocimetry to study flow behaviors in complex environments, such as ice jams and rough surfaces. Key themes include mitigating riverbed scouring at hydropower stations and understanding border ice formation through turbulent transport mechanisms. Publishing Trends: His recent articles emphasize river ice engineering (e.g., ice jam stability) and 3D turbulent offset jet dynamics. He has contributed to journals like Journal of Hydraulic Research and Journal of Turbulence , with a focus on experimental methodologies and numerical model validation. Awards & Honors: University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (2013-2015) International Graduate Student Scholarship (2012-2013) Best Poster Presentation (Thermo-fluids Division, 2011) Advising & Grants: Supervised graduate students at the University of Manitoba's Hydraulic Research and Testing Facility (HRTF). Active reviewer for the Journal of Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics and member of ASME and CSME. No explicit grant details provided in text. Labs & Teams: Associated with the Energy and Combustion Laboratory (University of Manitoba) and Hydraulic Research and Testing Facility (HRTF). Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on fluid dynamics and environmental engineering challenges.
Professor Mike Meylan is an applied mathematician at the University of Newcastle 's School of Information and Physical Sciences ( Department of Mathematics ). His work bridges differential equations, wave scattering, and hydroelasticity, with applications to ocean engineering, ice floe dynamics, and railway infrastructure. He has received multiple Australian Research Council grants and collaborates internationally with institutions like the University of Cambridge and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. Research interests include Wave propagation in ice shelves and marginal ice zones Wave energy conversion using piezoelectric plates Fluid-structure interactions in marine environments Mathematical modeling of railway ballast scour Development of eigenfunction matching and singularity-respecting numerical methods Recent publications focus on Time-domain vibration analysis of cracked and circular ice shelves Acoustic-gravity wave dynamics in compressible oceans Wave scattering by porous barriers and heterogeneous plates His work has been published in Nature , Journal of Fluid Mechanics , and Proceedings of the Royal Society . He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the ANZIAM Journal and Associate Editor for Wave and Tidal Energy at Frontiers in Energy Research . Awards include the 2012 Teaching Award at the University of Newcastle.
Tudur Davies is a Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Aberystwyth University, affiliated with the Institute of Mathematics and Physics (IMAPS). He holds a PhD from Aberystwyth (2010) and is currently employed under the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to enhance Welsh-medium teaching in mathematics. Research Interests: His work centers on applied mathematics, particularly numerical simulation of complex fluids. Key areas include modeling liquid foams, studying interactions between foams and solid particles, developing quasi-static simulation models in 2D and 3D, reconstructing foam structures from X-ray tomography, and improving scientific visualization of foam dynamics. His research bridges applied mathematics, fluid mechanics, and computational physics. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2020–2021) focus on gravitational effects on particle orientation in foams, surfactant distribution in bubble dynamics, and bubble entrainment by falling spheres. Earlier works emphasize simulation techniques and visualization tools like FoamVis. The research consistently integrates numerical modeling with experimental validation and visualization. Scientific Awards: Gwobr Goffa Eilir Hedd Morgan (2018) Advising and Grants: While specific students are not listed, he has supervised PhD research and contributed to RIVIC-funded projects. His collaborative work with institutions and departments like Computer Science indicates active grant involvement. He has organized academic events such as the 13th Eufoam Conference and regularly presents at conferences, reflecting ongoing research activity and leadership. Labs and Teams: He collaborates with IMAPS and Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, particularly on visualization and modeling of complex materials. His work is part of joint projects such as those funded by RIVIC, focusing on simulation and experimental data integration.
Gregory Green is an independent research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Heidelberg, Germany, specializing in galactic evolution and interstellar dust mapping. His work combines observational data from the Gaia mission, photometric surveys, and computational models to reconstruct three-dimensional structures of the Milky Way. Key research areas include dust extinction curves, stellar dynamics, and data-driven astrophysical inference. Institution: Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Department: Galaxies and Cosmology Position: Sofia Kovalevskaja Group Leader Contact: +49 6221 528-460 | Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg Green's research focuses on computational astrophysics and galactic structure analysis. He develops novel methods for mapping dust extinction in 3D, studies the dynamics of the Milky Way's gravitational potential, and applies machine learning to stellar population analysis. His work bridges observational astronomy with theoretical modeling, particularly in understanding the interstellar medium's role in galaxy evolution. The 15 most recent publications highlight his emphasis on Gaia data exploitation, dust mapping algorithms (including normalizing flows), and galactic dynamics. Articles span topics from binary star census to radiative properties of the interstellar medium, with methodological innovations in astrometric inference and spectral analysis. Scientific Awards: Sofia Kovalevskaja Award recipient for establishing independent research group Green leads the Galaxy Evolution group at MPIA, contributing to cosmological applications of galactic dust mapping. His work informs models of galaxy formation and provides foundational data for studies of stellar populations and dark matter constraints via satellite galaxies.
Balestra Gioele is a Full Professor at the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture (HES-SO) and Co-Head of the iPrint Institute. His primary affiliations include the BSc HES-SO in Mechanical Engineering, where he teaches CFD simulation and Fluid Mechanics. He leads the ComplexFluidPrint project (since 2019), developing advanced inkjet technologies for complex fluids. His research focuses on fluid mechanics, microfluidics, and rheology, with recent projects addressing micro-manipulation via liquid plugs and composite materials for IoT applications. Research interests include thin film instabilities, droplet dynamics, and industrial applications of inkjet technology. Notable projects include the experimental validation of liquid plug-based micro-manipulation (2020-2022), funded by HEIA-FR, and a collaborative effort on multifunctional composite materials with COMATEC (2019-2021), yielding 250'000 CHF in funding. His work bridges theoretical models, numerical simulations, and experimental validation. Publications span topics like machine learning for inkjet behavior prediction (2023), karst drapery morphogenesis (2021), and instability mechanisms in curved substrates (2018-2020). Current research emphasizes inertial microfluidics, airflow visualization for inkjet systems, and advanced nozzle plate manufacturing (2024). Grants: HES-SO, HEIA-FR, COMATEC Team Collaborations: Over 20 researchers across projects, including Domae Yoshinori, Maturo Jonas, and Gallaire François Labs/Teams: iPrint Institute, ComplexFluidPrint team
