Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics launches in January

A new cross-disciplinary institute to study fluid dynamics will launch on January 30th.

The Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics (LIFD) will build on more than 50 years of expertise at the University of Leeds, where more than 90 academic staff are actively involved in the field and many more PhD and postdoctoral researchers.

An ESPRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fluid Dynamics has already been established at the University, and it is anticipated that the new institute will enable new and strengthened research collaborations, relationships with industry partners and cross-faculty training models. A new annual UK-wide conference for fluid dynamics will also held by the institute.

While fluid dynamics is commonly associated with mathematics and physics, it is relevant to many different areas of study. The Schools of Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Process Engineering, Computing, Biomedical Sciences and Earth and Environment are all expected to use and contribute to the new institute, making it a truly interdisciplinary centre of knowledge.

The institute will be supported by a wide range of programmes and infrastructure, including:

  • International PhD exchange programmes
  • Centre-to-centre funding
  • A university-wide seminar series
  • Technical short courses focused on practical and industrial applications
  • A laboratory for fluid dynamics
  • User groups for peer-to-peer support and coordination

LIFD will be directed by Steve Tobias, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the School of Mathematics, and Catherine Noakes, Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings at the School of Civil Engineering.

The launch event will be held at the University of Leeds on Wednesday January 30th, comprising an afternoon session from 2pm to 5pm, followed by an evening session from 5pm to 7pm. A keynote address will be given by special guest Howard Stone, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University.

What is fluid dynamics?

Fluid dynamics uses physical and mathematical concepts to study and describe the flow of liquids and gases. It is a wide-ranging discipline with applications in physics and astrophysics, meteorology and oceanography, biomedical science and many subdisciplines of engineering.

From the atmospheres of other planets to the blood flow in the human body, fluid dynamics is a constantly evolving field of study with many unsolved questions.

Links

Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics (@FluidsLeeds)

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fluid Dynamics

LIFD launch - Watch the talks online