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Karen Mulleners is an Associate Professor at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Engineering (STI), the Institute of Mechanical Engineering (IGM), and the UNFOLD Laboratory (Laboratoire de diagnostic des écoulements instationnaires). She also serves in the SGM-ENS teaching department and is a member of the EDEY-GE doctoral program commission. Her research focuses on experimental fluid dynamics, particularly unsteady flow phenomena and vortex dynamics. Professor Mulleners specializes in the intersection of fluid dynamics and bio-inspired engineering, with research interests including: Unsteady vortex-dominated flow phenomena Fluid-structure interaction in flexible systems Experimental methods for flow visualization and measurement Application of fluid dynamics principles to bio-inspired robotics Aerodynamic performance optimization of wind turbine systems Vortex dynamics in flapping and rotating wing systems Her recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate a strong experimental focus on understanding complex fluid phenomena, particularly in bio-inspired robotics and renewable energy applications. Mulleners' work consistently addresses fundamental questions about vortex formation, flow control, and fluid-structure interactions, with significant contributions to understanding dynamic stall in wind turbines and undulatory swimming mechanics. Her research group employs advanced diagnostic techniques to study unsteady flows, often bridging engineering and biological principles. Professor Mulleners actively supervises PhD students and has directed multiple EPFL theses. Her teaching responsibilities include courses on Measurement Techniques and Aerodynamics, where she imparts knowledge on experimental methods for observing and measuring physical variables such as force, resistance, temperature, flow velocity, and structural deformation. The UNFOLD Laboratory, which Professor Mulleners leads, focuses on diagnostic techniques for unsteady flow phenomena, employing advanced experimental methods including flow visualization, particle image velocimetry, and force measurement systems to study complex fluid dynamics problems with applications in renewable energy and bio-inspired engineering.

• Fluid Dynamics
• Unsteady Flow Phenomena
• Bio-inspired Robotics
• +4 more

Prof. Patrick Jenny is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering and Head of the Institute of Fluid Dynamics at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), numerical methods for turbulent and multiphase flows, and reservoir simulation. He has held positions at ChevronTexaco and Cornell University, and received the National Latsis Prize 2005. PhD in CFD from ETH Zurich (1997) Postdoctoral work at Cornell University (1997–1999) Senior Researcher at ChevronTexaco (1999–2003) Research interests include: turbulent reactive flows, PDF modeling, multi-scale reservoir simulation, and data assimilation in engineering systems. He teaches courses on fluid dynamics, turbulence, and computational methods. Over 100 peer-reviewed publications span topics like fracture modeling, LES/RANS coupling, and particle-laden flows. His work bridges academia and industry, addressing challenges in energy systems, environmental engineering, and numerical algorithms. Winner: National Latsis Prize 2005 Led over 20 PhD projects and collaborates with institutions globally. His lab develops open-source tools for CFD and energy systems analysis.

• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Turbulent Reactive Flows
• Multiphase Flow Modeling
• +3 more

Tommaso Redaelli is a researcher at ETH Zürich, affiliated with the Professorship for Groundwater and Hydromechanics. His work integrates fluid mechanics with biological and active-matter systems, covering phenomena from biofilm deformation to plankton sensing and micro-swimmer propulsion. Research Interests Low-Reynolds-number hydrodynamics and micro-swimmers Biofilm rheology and mechanical response to flow Hydrodynamic signalling in planktonic organisms Stochastic models of turbulence and scalar transport Across his recent publications one observes a trajectory from theoretical turbulence studies toward biologically inspired fluid problems, combining analytical modeling with experimental relevance, notably in understanding how small organisms exploit fluid-borne signals. Contact Email: tredaelli@ethz.ch Postal: ETH Zürich, HIF D 22.2, Laura-Hezner-Weg 7, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland

• Fluid Mechanics
• Hydrodynamics
• Micro-swimmers
• +5 more

Dr. Zhilang Zhang is a Professor at ETH Zurich, holding the Professorship for Advanced Manufacturing within the Department of New Manufacturing Technologies. His research focuses on computational mechanics, numerical simulation methods (SPH, FEM), advanced manufacturing processes, and process modeling. He specializes in high-fidelity modeling of complex phenomena such as additive manufacturing, material sintering, and fluid-structure interactions. Key research areas include multiscale modeling, CFD-DEM coupling, and novel numerical methods for extreme mechanics problems. His work integrates advanced computational techniques with experimental validations, addressing challenges in manufacturing, materials science, and fluid dynamics. Recent projects involve operando synchrotron tomography for melt pool analysis and parallelized SPH frameworks for large-scale simulations. Notable contributions include developing the Direct FE2 method for multiscale simulations and improving hydroelastic modeling via meshless methods. He actively explores applications of physics-informed neural networks and surrogate models in engineering optimization. His research group collaborates on cutting-edge projects at the intersection of computational engineering and advanced manufacturing, with a focus on sustainable and high-performance materials processing.

• Computational Mechanics
• Numerical Simulation
• Advanced Manufacturing
• +3 more

Prof. François Avellan is a prominent academic at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Basic Sciences and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on hydraulic machinery, particularly Francis turbines, Pelton turbines, and cavitation phenomena. Key areas include CFD simulations, turbine design optimization, and hydropower system analysis. He leads projects like DuoTurbo (counter-rotating hydroturbines for energy recovery) and investigates fluid-structure interactions in off-design turbine operations. His work bridges experimental fluid mechanics with computational modeling, addressing challenges in renewable energy and grid stability. Education details are not explicitly provided in the text, but his extensive scholarly output indicates a strong academic background in mechanical engineering and fluid dynamics. Collaborations with institutions like the Laboratory of Hydraulic Machines (LMH) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology underscore his interdisciplinary involvement. Research interests emphasize cavitation dynamics, turbine instability mechanisms, and hydroacoustic resonance prevention. Recent studies explore part-load resonance risks, vortex rope behavior, and the integration of emerging hydropower technologies. His contributions span both fundamental and applied research, impacting turbine efficiency, energy recovery systems, and sustainable energy solutions. Publications highlight advancements in CFD validation, particle-based methods for erosion prediction, and predictive control of unstable flows. Innovations like the Y-junction hydraulic short-circuit and variable-speed pump-turbine simulations demonstrate practical applications of his research. Ongoing work includes multiscale erosion modeling and strategic hydropower potential assessments for Switzerland. Laboratory affiliations include the Laboratory of Hydraulic Machines (LMH), where experimental facilities support his investigations into turbine dynamics and fluid mechanics. His research directly informs industrial practices in hydropower plant design and operational reliability.

• Fluid Mechanics
• Hydraulic Engineering
• Turbomachinery
• +3 more