Nimish Pujara

Nimish Pujara serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering within the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with additional affiliations in Mechanical Engineering. His research laboratory investigates fluid mechanics phenomena critical to environmental processes through integrated experimental, theoretical, and numerical approaches.

His academic credentials include a PhD from Cornell University (2015), and dual BA Hons and MEng degrees from the University of Cambridge (2010). These qualifications underpin his expertise in complex fluid dynamics across multiple environmental scales.

Dr. Pujara's research program focuses on environmental fluid mechanics, with specialized investigations in nearshore hydrodynamics, turbulent multiphase flows, flow-biota interactions, water wave mechanics, and coastal processes. His experimental methodologies bridge fundamental physics with practical environmental challenges, particularly examining how fluid motion influences ecological systems and coastal morphology. Current projects explore microplastic transport mechanisms, wave-particle interactions, and biological responses to turbulent flows.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant themes in coastal fluid dynamics and environmental transport phenomena. His work consistently connects laboratory-scale experiments with real-world environmental systems, demonstrating particular innovation in modeling wave-driven particle transport, microplastic sedimentation, and biological adaptations in turbulent flows. The research portfolio shows strong interdisciplinary collaboration across fluid dynamics, ecology, and environmental engineering.

His scientific recognition includes these major awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2024)
• National Academies Gulf Research Program Early-Career Fellowship (2023)
• U.S. National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Hughes Fellowship (2021)
• Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence Fellowship (2018)

Dr. Pujara actively mentors graduate students through thesis supervision (CIV ENGR 990, M E 890) and research courses, with his NSF CAREER award providing significant research funding. His teaching portfolio spans undergraduate fluid mechanics (CIV ENGR 310) to specialized graduate courses like Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer (CIV ENGR 775).

His experimental laboratory employs advanced wave tanks and turbulence facilities to investigate phenomena from microscopic flow-biota interactions to large-scale coastal processes, supporting both fundamental research and practical environmental applications.