Inaugural Professorial Lecture – Professor Sarah Wakes

Where the wind blows: The turbulence of fluid dynamics modelling.

About Professor Sarah Wakes' research:
Sarah is an applied mathematician and engineer. She has been Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics since 2020. She researches aspects of engineering design, fluid dynamics and sustainability. She is an expert in computational fluid dynamics with a particular focus on applications of flow simulation to engineering design and wind dynamics over complex coastal geomorphology.

Sarah is part of a MBIE project with Plant and Food designing an innovative open ocean aquaculture structure. Other work includes developing a dynamic model for the effect of vegetation roughness on dunes. Sarah also conducts research on engaging students in distance teaching through active learning, based on the teaching she does on the sustainability of materials and mathematics for scientists at Summer School.

Sarah was made a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand in 2021, in recognition of her contribution to engineering education and research, and is a chartered engineer through the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

Refreshments will be served after the lecture.