Balestra Gioele

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