Hans W. Liepmann Lecture

 The study of fluid mechanics has been my path to understanding the complexity of nature. My journey has taken me through many interesting projects including the development of new visualization tools, scrutinizing the rhythms of the human heart, observing flow vortices and studying the dynamics of soap films. Throughout my career, I have maximized the joy of discovery in environments that were greatly influenced by legendary mentors like Liepmann and Roshko and countless other great teachers at GALCIT.

My mentors showed me how to be fearless in undertaking research that could have easily been dismissed as too   difficult or criticized as useless science. Fluid mechanics, in its inherent non-linear beauty, has been its own laboratory, testing our perseverance and dedication to a branch of science that, despite its perceived maturity, still has many surprises to offer.

I devote a substantial part of this lecture to a recent example of my research that I believe Hans Liepmann would have enjoyed exploring: an experiment where light and fluid physics interweave to present an intriguing multi-physics show that reminds us again of how fluid mechanics is able to reveal nature's complex beauty.