Graduate destinations

The EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Future Fluid Dynamics and its predecessors (from 2013 and 2018 respectively) have had a positive impact on the whole fluid dynamics community across the University of Leeds (UoL). The PhD funding (~£14M from EPSRC plus co-funding from the UoL and over 30 end-user partners) has supported over 100 students (rising to >160 by 2028) all of whom have worked with supervision teams from two or more different Schools (across Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Chemical & Process Engineering, Chemistry, Earth & Environment, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine and Physics & Astronomy). In many cases this has led to new interdisciplinary collaborations that have grown into larger research projects.

So far PhD students have generated >100 publications and been involved in outreach, patents and consultancy. CDT graduates have a wide range of destinations, 70% of our graduates are now working in roles that make direct use of fluid mechanics, 44% in the private sector for employers including BAE, Hydrock, RWE OffShore Wind, First Light Fusion; 37% in academia; and18% in the public sector including Health & Safety Executive, Met Office, STFC.

LIFD PhD graduates have been awarded 3 EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowships, 1 Isaac Newton Institute-Simons Foundation postdoctoral fellowship (2023-2024), 2 UKFN Thesis Prize winners (2020-2022), and 2 Margaret Steel Innovation Awards (2020).

 

Case study: CDT Graduate, Dr Alexander Edwards

What attracted you to fluid dynamics and Leeds?

Following my undergraduate degree in mathematics at The University of Manchester, I developed an interest in fluid dynamics and applied mathematics more broadly. The vast range of applications of fluid dynamics to real-world scenarios encouraged me to study this topic further. The University of Leeds is renowned for its teaching and research excellence and the programme style of integrated PhD and Master of Science was attractive as it allowed for flexibility in my studies, developing a further understanding of fluid dynamics before finalising my PhD topic. Also, Leeds is a great city!

What did you specialise in, and what did you learn? 

Besides undertaking an intensive training programme through the Master of Science degree, cementing the fundamental techniques and applications of Fluid Dynamics, I selected a PhD topic focused on airborne transmission of respiratory infections. This was very topical at the time given the COVID-19 pandemic, and the applied nature of the research area appealed to me. Throughout my PhD, I used a combination of mathematical techniques, numerical modelling, and airflow simulations to explore airborne transmission risk on respiratory wards in the UK, with many of these techniques being totally new to me prior to starting on the Fluids CDT. I also had the opportunity to engage closely with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trusts, which taught me a lot about the importance of impactful research, adding emphasis to the applications and usability of my work.

How did the CDT impact your career, and help the work you do now? 

Since graduating from the CDT, I have started a new role as a Lecturer in Aerosol Science at the University of Bristol and as a member of the core team of the CDT in Aerosol Science. The format of the CDT enhanced my PhD studies, with continued professional development and training opportunities to further advance my research skills and shape my academic career. The CDT funding provided me with the opportunity to attend many conferences, both nationally and internationally, and to undertake research visits to supplement my learning. Additionally, the supportive environment of the CDT, through both its staff and students, offered help and advice on how to get the best out of your studies. I believe my experiences would have been more limited had I not chosen to study with the CDT.  Through my new role, I can put my own CDT experiences into practice, helping to shape the studies of students on the CDT in Aerosol Science at the University of Bristol.

How do you think fluid dynamics will evolve in the future?

Fluid dynamics research already uses a wide range of advanced computational modelling, and I think as we look to the future, more emphasis will be put on developing novel techniques and finding innovative ways that fluid dynamics can better utilise artificial intelligence, machine learning and high-performance computing to further enhance its research capabilities.

Which industries or technologies will benefit from a better understanding of fluid dynamics, and how?

We saw the importance of fluid dynamics in helping to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, informing key decision making and providing important modelling. This renewed our focus of the importance of our indoor environments, and I foresee fluid dynamics playing a significant role in improving indoor air quality and reducing occupant exposures in indoor spaces in the coming years. For example, modelling ventilation and indoor airflow, the transport of indoor aerosols, disease transmission and infection risk, and innovation in thermal comfort, building design and energy efficiency.

Do you have any recommendations or advice for people following in your footsteps in fluid dynamics at Leeds and around the world?

There are often many different methods involved with solving problems in fluid dynamics, and I think as a researcher in this field it is important to be flexible about the approach you take. The interdisciplinary nature of fluid dynamics demands the collaboration of researchers from many different academic backgrounds, and I believe that utilising this is crucial to successfully advancing and maximising the potential of fluid dynamics research.