Manuel Torrilhon

Manuel Torrilhon serves as Professor and head of the Research Lab for Applied and Computational Mathematics (ACoM) at RWTH Aachen University, where he has held a full professorship since 2010. He currently leads the Department of Mathematics as its elected Speaker for the 2024-2026 term, overseeing academic strategy and research initiatives within the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences.

His academic foundation includes:

• Diplom-Ingenieur in Engineering Physics from TU Berlin (1994-1999)
• PhD in Applied Mathematics from ETH Zurich (2004)
• Postdoctoral research at HKUST (2004/05) and Princeton University (2005/06)
• Research Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich (2007-2010)

Professor Torrilhon's research pioneers mathematical modeling in continuum physics and kinetic gas theory, with seminal contributions to the Boltzmann equation, rarefied gas dynamics, and magnetohydrodynamics. His work develops advanced numerical methods for nonlinear hyperbolic systems, particularly entropy-stable high-order schemes and multi-scale time integrators. The ACoM lab under his direction bridges theoretical mathematics with engineering applications through computational frameworks like fenicsR13 for moment equation solvers. His methodologies enable high-fidelity simulations of micro-flows, plasma instabilities, and electron transport phenomena critical to aerospace and materials science.

Analysis of his 2025-2024 publications reveals dominant trends in entropy-conservative numerical schemes for kinetic equations, multirate time integration for stiff systems, and moment-method extensions to polytropic gases and shallow flows. These works consistently address computational challenges in rarefaction effects, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and high-enthalpy regimes, demonstrating cross-cutting applications from microfluidics to plasma physics.

Scientific recognition includes:

• EURYI Award (Pre-ERC) from European Science Foundation (2006)

As director of ACoM, Professor Torrilhon secures research funding for computational mathematics projects and mentors graduate students in numerical analysis and kinetic theory. His lab maintains strong collaborations with engineering departments for applied validation of mathematical models, particularly in micro-flow devices and plasma containment systems. Current grants focus on adaptive solvers for multi-scale kinetic problems and inverse methods for electron probe microanalysis.

The Research Lab for Applied and Computational Mathematics (ACoM) operates as an interdisciplinary hub developing open-source computational tools like fenicsR13. The team specializes in tensor-based numerical methods for moment equations, with ongoing projects in X-ray emission modeling, Richtmyer-Meshkov instability simulations, and thermodynamically consistent electrolyte solvers. ACoM maintains strategic partnerships with aerospace research institutes for hypersonic flow validation and with materials science centers for nanoscale transport studies.