Others

Chenming Zhen (2023 Sep-Dec)
I studied Applied Mathematics and Aerospace Engineering during my undergraduate studies in Florida Institute of Science and Technology, and now I started pursuing my Ph.D. in Applied Math in OIST. The study of fluids has been around my academic career, and I would like to dig deeper in this area of research. I like to play soccer, Flag Football and video games in my spare times, and I look forward to participating in more water sports to enjoy beautiful Okinawa.  

Tatsuo Izawa (2023 May-Aug)
I am a Ph.D. student at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Before starting my Ph.D., I graduated with an M.Sc. in Physics from Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. While at Memorial, I experimentally investigated the effect of salts on foam stability at different spatiotemporal scales. After completing my M.Sc. work, I switched my research field to study animal behavior at OIST. Although my previous research experience has always been focused on experiments, I like the close interplay of theory and experiment that characterizes a physicist’s approach to scientific problems. I hope to gain experience in theoretical and numerical approaches to studying fluid mechanics problems during this rotation. I like hiking and driving around in Okinawa.

Igors Dubanevics (2023 May-Aug)
Raised in Latvia, I've spent most of my life in a small Baltic city. After high school, I pursued Natural Sciences in York (UK) for four years. Initially interested in chemistry, my focus shifted to Physics for its versatility and engaging faculty. At York, I conducted computational research on protein dynamics affected by thermal fluctuations, studying biomolecular information transfer in noisy environments through principles of Statistical Physics. Since then, I underwent a slight change in direction and scale, delving into a new research question: the evolutionary dynamics of bacteria in confined geometries. At CFFU, I want to numerically simulate growth of bacterial cells by adapting the unit’s software package Ball0x which computes dynamics of particles and fibers by the discrete element method. Outside of my research endeavors, I seek solace in books, and I find great joy in music. Since my arrival in Okinawa, I have been actively exploring the island on foot, by bicycle, and even with swimfins, relishing in the opportunity to discover its hidden gems.

Mauricio Andres Rios Maciel (2023 Jan-Apr)
I finished my MSc in Biotechnology in ITESM, Mexico, with a project focused on evaluating the effect of hydrogels as an extracellular matrix and cell culture on a microfluidic device. After this, I did an internship at OIST under Prof. Amy Shen supervision where I focused on microfluidic biosensors. I decided to join the CFF unit to further my understanding and interests on fluid mechanics. During this rotation, I will be working with elascoviscoplastic fluids and get experience about rheology and numerical approach. Besides research I enjoy working out, cooking/baking, watching movies and roaming around Okinawa.

Jiangming Wu (2022 Sep-Dec)
I completed my BEng degree in Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, mainly studying thermal fluid and droplet dynamics. Then I joined OIST remotely as a PhD student in January 2022. Now I am doing my third rotation here in CFF unit. I don’t have much computational research experience so I really value this chance to explore fluids by code, hopefully I can learn some useful knowledge that can boost my research later. Outside work, I enjoy reading, photography, playing games and exploring the island. Okinawa is such an interesting place that just walking around randomly or simply enjoying the beautiful ocean view can make me very happy. I also want to try various sea sports, but I guess I will have to learn how to swim first.

Arisa Yokokoji (2022 Sep-Dec)
I received my BSc degree in Chemistry and MSc degree in Macromolecular science from Osaka University in Japan under the supervision of Prof. Tadashi Inoue.
After two internships in the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit at OIST in 2020 and 2021, I joined OIST in May 2022 as a Ph.D. student. My experience with Rheology and microfluidics motivated me to join the Complex Fluids and Flows Unit to learn the numerical approach as a second lab rotation. During this rotation, I will work on the rotational behavior of nanofibers under shear flow and get experience in computational work. Besides the research, I enjoy cooking, playing Japanese archery and Karate, and exploring Okinawa’s nature by snorkeling.

Fabian Hillebrand (2022 Jan-Apr)
After completing my first year in university studying Physics at ETH Zurich, I switched to Computational Science and Engineering completing both my bachelor's and master's degree specializing in Chemistry and Physics, respectively. In my master's thesis I implemented an algorithm for simulating high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy (HR-STM). At OIST, I want to broaden my understanding of fluid mechanics. I hope my background in HPC will be useful for my lab rotation in the Complex Fluids and Flows unit.

Ilhem Nadia Rabehi (2022 Jan-Apr)
I am interested in sustainable and green energy generation and storage, I also like sewing and hiking.

2020 Arab Program for Sustainable Energy Youth intern , RCREEE, Egypt
2019 RE system modelling research intern, CDER, Algeria
2017-2019 Master in energy engineering, Pan African University PAUWES , Algeria

Morie Koseki (2021 Sep-Dec)
I majored in mechanical engineering at Akita University and studied the deformation of long flexible structure in the space. My current interest is the interaction of flexible structure with fluid, so working in this unit will give me some points of view for my future PhD thesis. I am also looking forward to snorkeling in Okinawa.

Jean-Paul van Woensel (2021 Sep-Dec)
I was born and raised in Nuenen, the Netherlands. I completed my master's degrees in Applied Physics and Science Communication at the Univeristy of Technology in Eindhoven. For my master thesis, I developed a tracking algorithm which I used to get statistics on the flow of droplets in dense binary emulsions. Besides this, I also did work on the electric response of superfluid helium and its reversibility. I have a broad interest in many physics topics, but I specialized in fluid mechanics in my master. I hope my time at the CFF unit will help me find what research I really want to do the upcoming years at OIST. In my spare time, I enjoy speedrunning video games and hiking.

ELuke Collyer-Hoar (2020 Sep-Dec)
As part of my Mathematics Masters at Imperial College London, my thesis focussed on finding solutions to the Dirac equation in the presence of abelian BPS monopoles using the Nahm transform. I also undertook a project in which I attempted to find solitary waves in an inviscid fluid between two horizontal plates with an electric field passed between. At OIST I hope to develop my work on fluids and as such my first lab rotation in the “Complex Fluid and Flows” unit is concerned with producing a numerical simulation of a fluid between two elastic solid boundaries with a periodic pressure difference. In my spare time I enjoy reading history and philosophy, playing and watching football, and in general keeping active.

Hideyuki Yoshimura (2020 May-Aug)
I studied computer science at the University of Electro-Communications, and my thesis was focused on computational model of neural circuits and their numerical simulation. At OIST, I hope to acquire a broader knowledge that I can use in my specialty. Although fluid mechanics is out of my field, I believe that working in this unit will give me a good experience, because physics is often related to neuroscience through several areas, such as information theory.

Patrick Clark (2020 Jan-Apr)
I studied in the University of Sheffield, with a thesis focused on modelling aneurysm formation at the terminus of the basilar artery-posterior cerebral artery junction. I looked at the formation of wall shear stress at the walls adjacent to a bifurcating flow; considering changes to the rheology of the blood mimicking fluid, the geometry of the physical model plus steady and unsteady state flow regimes. I undertook several smaller fluid mechanics project including a 2D study of airflow over a step, looking at the properties of recirculating flow in front of the step and calculating the reattachment point of the flow downstream from the step. At OIST I hope further develop my work on the mechanics of fluid flows, and as such my first lab rotation in the “Complex Fluids and Flows” unit is concerned with producing a numerical simulation of a turbulent fluid flow over an oscillating cylinder aligned perpendicular to the flow direction. In my spare time, I enjoy playing and watching football, as well as playing other sports and keeping active.

Angel Ricardo Jara Jimenez (2023 Jun-Sep)
¡Hola!, my name is Ricardo and I am from Mexico. I am a grad student at the Technical University of Denmark at the major Earth and Space Physics and Engineering. My main topic of research is atmospheric and lightning physics. Great, part of what I do is studying the lightning phenomena through numerical simulations, which involves considering lightning as a fluid. Hence, I decided to come to OIST to learn from the CFF unit and improve my skills in this fascinating area. When I am not studying, I love swimming, playing volleyball, cooking, taking photographs of nature (especially the sea) and hanging out with friends. Det er hyggeligt at møde dig!

Lorenzo Piana (2023 Mar-May)
Ciao, my name is Lorenzo and I am from Italy. I am a grad student at the University of Genova (Italy), currently working on my master thesis in collaboration with OIST. In the CFF unit I am working on the computational modeling of an atmospheric boundary layer. When I am not working, I like doing sports, like weightlifting, and to explore new places particularly by hiking.

Adrian Corrochano Calcerrada (2023 Feb-Mar)
Before coming to OIST, I studied finished my BSc in Aerospace Engineering and my MSc in Applied Mathematics at the Technical University of Madrid. I started the PhD in 2021 in Madrid and as part of it, I am doing a research stay at OIST. My PhD is focused on data analysis in complex flows using different data-driven approaches. In this research stay, I am improving my knowledge in non-Newtonian jets, in particular an elastic jet. When I am in my free time, I enjoy sports, either working out or team sports as handball, watching series and travelling around Japan.

Giulio Foggi Rota (2021 Oct-2022 Apr)
During the last few years, earlier as an undergraduate and now as a graduate student, I have been enrolled at the Politecnico di Milano, located in northern Italy, my homeland. While attending the Master in Aeronautical Engineering, I have developed a strong curiosity towards fluid dynamics. I am currently working at my Master's thesis under the joint guidance of members from both OIST and PoliMi. Since it is almost time for me to make a choice concerning the Ph.D., I hope this experience will help me understand if turbulence and flow control truly are the fields I want to focus on in the years to come. When I shut down my laptop, I enjoy listening to classical music, hiking, swimming and sailing.    

Riya Agrawal (2022 Jul-Oct)
In August 2022, I will begin my senior year of undergrad in Mechanical Engineering at UCER in India. My curiosity for the never-ending journey of exploring various fields began while working at JINR on a project performing CFD simulation on Thermal Optimization of IPD and performing heat transfer simulations, followed by my work as a research intern at the UW-Madison where I developed MATLAB GUI of kinematic model tracing vortex wake along with using ML methods to increase the energy harvesting efficiency in tandem oscillating foils. My involvement in research projects has boosted my desire to understand science better and in depth. Aside from that, I enjoy reading astronomy related books.

Armin Shahmardi
I am a Ph.D candidate at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), in the Flow Unit of the Mechanics department and a visiting Ph.D student at the Okinawa Institute of Technology (Japan) in the Complex Fluids and Flows Unit. My research revolves around numerical simulations of multiphase flows in mesoscale, focused mostly on the capillary driven flows and contact line dynamics. Capillary flows occur in many industries from coating to energy conversion processes, droplet dynamics, two-phase flow in porous media, and microelectronics cooling. We perform the simulations using an in-house code developed in the group with the capability of modelling three-phase contact line dynamics over complex wall geometries. 

Megumi Ikeda (2019-2023)
My duties are to assist unit members with any non-science problems so that they can excel with their academic work.