Thijs van Druenen

Thijs van Druenen is a researcher and Assistant Professor in Building Physics at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His research combines experimental and computational approaches to study urban wind flows, sports aerodynamics, and building ventilation. He holds an MSc in Building Physics from TU/e and is completing his PhD on aerodynamic optimization in cycling.

Research interests include:

• Pedestrian-level wind comfort in urban environments
• Aerodynamic performance optimization in cycling
• Wind tunnel testing and CFD validation
• Building ventilation systems
• Heat transfer and pressure drop in 3D-printed structures

Recent publications demonstrate innovative applications of CFD in sports engineering, particularly cycling aerodynamics and drafting strategies. His work integrates wind tunnel experiments with computational models to optimize athlete performance and urban airflow.

Dr. van Druenen manages TU/e's atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel facility and contributes to projects including NudgeFlow (residential ventilation) and ERIES (European research infrastructure). He received the ANSYS Hall of Fame award in 2019 for outstanding CFD research.