Bio
I completed my B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Calgary with an emphasis on aerodynamics and alternative energy systems in 2011. Following my undergraduate studies, I started working on my doctoral thesis under the supervision of Prof. David Wood at the University of Calgary. My doctoral thesis focused on Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the wake of sharp-edge flat bodies representing wind loads on Photovoltaic (PV) modules. This study looked at the fundamentals of the formation and interaction of vortex structures in the wake of flat panels at high angles of attack, and evaluated the implications of vortex dynamics on surface pressure variations and aerodynamic force fluctuations. I also worked on several experimental and numerical studies related to wind turbine tail fins, insect flight aerodynamics, vehicle aerodynamics and wind engineering. Upon completion of my PhD, I joined the Gas Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to work with Prof. Lex Smits. My research at Princeton focused on the development of the next generation of propulsors with higher efficiency and thrust than conventional systems using inspiration from fish. In collaboration with biologists at partnering universities, I used IBM integrated to DNS to investigate the hydrodynamics of various tail fin shapes, oscillatory motions and their implications on the performance of propulsors and energy extractors. This project, and my collaboration with the Gas Dynamics Laboratory, is ongoing with the objective of preparing a realistic high performance energy extractor prototype.
