Ajay B. Harish

Ajay B. Harish serves as a Senior Lecturer in Engineering Simulation and Data Science within the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Manchester's School of Engineering. His research bridges computational mechanics with real-world applications across biomedical engineering, materials science, and quantum computing paradigms.

Education:

• Doctor of Engineering, Leibniz Universitat Hannover (2018)
• Master of Engineering, California Institute of Technology (2009)
• Bachelor of Technology, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal (2007)

Dr. Harish's research spans computational mechanics at the intersection of mechanics, materials science, and biology. His work develops advanced computational methods including finite element techniques, machine learning, uncertainty quantification, and quantum computational mechanics. Current applications focus on biomedical engineering challenges such as mathematical ophthalmology, neurovascular and cardiovascular flow modeling, tendon mechanics, and advanced materials development using tensegrity technology. His lab pioneers quantum algorithms for quantum-scale material interactions and chaotic fluid dynamics simulation.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on computational mechanics innovations applied to biological systems and advanced materials. His work demonstrates consistent integration of classical and quantum computing approaches to solve complex mechanical problems, with increasing emphasis on biomedical applications and multi-physics coupling in recent years.

Scientific Awards:

• 2024 UK-Italy Trustworthy AI Fellowship by the Alan Turing Institute
• 2022 Ramanujan Fellowship from the Government of India
• 2017 Best researcher in Mechanics by Leibniz Foundation
• 2016 Viktor-Rizkallah Award for best international researcher

Dr. Harish actively supervises PhD students and has secured approximately £2 million in competitive research funding from sources including the British Foundation, Alan Turing Institute, Innovate UK, and Impact Acceleration Account. His Fluids Research Group collaborates across multiple institutions, with recent secondments to A*STAR and Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research. He serves on the editorial board of Extreme Mechanics Letters and supports undergraduate, postgraduate, and postdoctoral researchers through hands-on projects with industry implications.

Harish Lab at the University of Manchester develops novel computing paradigms for demanding environments, focusing on continuum mechanics through computer modeling and experiments. The lab's three-pronged approach includes quantum computing for quantum-scale interactions, data-driven methods using graph neural networks for biomedical applications, and classical finite element methods for advanced materials and fluid-structure interaction problems.