I am a scientist working in the field of fluid mechanics, in the Fluid Dynamics group, at the Applied Mathematics Research Centre, at Coventry University (UK). My research concerns turbulent flows and flows under the influence of magnetic fields and background rotation. Turbulent flows are highly erratic and difficult to predict. Since in natural and industrial processes, flows are more often turbulent than not, they pose both a major hurdle and a fascinating challenge to whomever needs to understand or optimize these processes. Examples include predicting the weather, optimizing heat exchangers, wind turbines etc... Magnetic fields and background rotation (those of a planet, for example) have in common an ability to spectacularly change the way in which turbulence transports heat or chemicals, but also its ability to dissipate energy. This typically happens in the blanket that extracts heat from future nuclear fusion reactors, in the Earth liquid core, in planetary atmospheres and oceans. Understanding or controlling these effects is therefore key to such challenges as building efficient fusion reactors, understanding how our planet sustains a magnetic field, or the dynamics of oceans, weather and climate...
