Interview with Dr. Elaine Oran: Computer Simulation - Past, Present, and Future
This week, it is my pleasure to present to you my interview with Dr. Elaine Oran.
Elaine has over 40 years of experience working with computer simulation in the engineering industry. She is an author of an engineering textbook “Numerical Simulation of Reactive Flow” and a prestigious researcher at the Naval Research Lab.
In this interview, she shares with us her views on computer simulation and gives important advice to engineers thinking of becoming more involved with computer simulation and modeling. Listening to what this veteran expert has to say on the subject, is a MUST for any engineering professional.
First, Dr. Oran’s Bio:
Dr. Elaine S. Oran is the Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics at the Naval Research Laboratory. She has received her Ph.D. from the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Yale University in 1972.
Her work involves designing numerical methods to simulate complex fluid dynamics, and then using these methods to solve a wide variety of scientific and engineering problems. Her current areas of interest and research include combustion and propulsion, rarefied gases and microfluidics, fluid turbulence, materials engineering, high-performance computing and parallel architectures, computational science and numerical analysis, biophysical fluid dynamics, wave equations, and astrophysical phenomena such as supernova explosions and jets. She has published over three hundred technical papers, written many review articles, given almost two hundred invited lectures, and coauthored the book Numerical Simulation of Reactive Flow.
Dr. Oran is a Fellow of the American Institue of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a former Vice President of Publications. She is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), for which she is a past Chair and founding member of the Division of Computational Physics. She is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
This is a 25 minute interview with Dr. Elaine Oran. Simply click on the Play button or the URL link to listen.
http://mvpmodelingsolutions.com/Full_Interview.mp3
(If you have any problems listening, you might have to install a Quicktime plug-in for your web browser. I promise this interview will be worth it! I realize this is a clunky way of hosting an audio file, but i am still getting used to working with WordPress. If anyone can suggest a better way, please let me know!)
Enjoy! And as always, we wlecome your comments!
Masha
Tags: CFD, combustion, computer modeling, computer simulation, computer software, Dr. Elaine Oran, Dr. Oran, engineering modeling, Naval Research Lab, reactive flow, reactive flows
Dear Masha,
It had been really insightful to listen to what Elaine Oran has to say about the present art of computational-fluid-dynamic simulations. Your pointed queries had been able to set-up a perfect coffee-table talk about the intricacies and efforts involved while modeling complex flows with available simulation tools and methodologies.
These kind of conversations are pretty much restricted within the Academic and the Industrial Elite, and it doesn’t get out those confines.
It was heartening to see you, pursuing an unique initiative while making available the deep underlying thoughts, motivations and philosophies of CFD community out in the open.
Would be waiting for more such posts in future. I guess, the challenge in them would be, how to unravel the subtle technicalities that a computational simulation entail.
Thanking you again for such a novel initiative and bringing the best of the people talk in an user-freindly way.
Saurav
Dear Saurav,
Thank you so much for your kind words! It is always very encouraging to hear that what you are doing is helping people.
I know that there are still plenty of researchers unaware of our mission here at MVP Modeling Solutions. If you know of any colleague who you think might be interested in our efforts, please let them know about the blog.
Best,
Dear Masha,
This is a great interview. I met Dr. Oran several years ago and her views are always insightful.
Thanks and best regards,
Patrick Hanley, Ph.D.
http://www.hanleyinnovations.com
Dear Dr Elaine,
The audio interview is quite inspirational for those who already know a bit about CFD as well as those who aspires to venture into this exciting field.
I did my master’s dissertation on multiphase flow and I quite appreciate the functionality of numerical tools. Though I do not use CFD software a lot these days but I have this delicate task of inspiring a young graduate of applied mathematics who plans to take up master’s studies in Computational Fluid Dynamics. Going through the modules on offer for the MS, I do not doubt how well they match some of her first degree courses.
I crave your indulgence to share your thoughts on the prospects and possible pitfalls in CFD as an area of specialization. Though this young Lady has indicated strong preference for CFD, she has also received offers to study Chemical Engineering with Design as well as Petrophysics. It is time to take a decision and she looks up to me for advice and insights. I have done my bit but my experience is limited to the Oil and Gas industry.
I look forward to reading from you regarding this subject.
Best Regards,
Ademola Adeku
It gives insight on the potential of computer simulation in accelerating the development process in engineering industry. It’s worth listening…
Dear Ademola,
Thank you for your kind remarks and response to Dr. Oran, as well as for sharing with us your story. As Dr. Oran pointed out in this interview - proper education of new engineers is extremely important if we hope to make progress in engineering simulation.
Best,
Masha
Great interview on computer simulations and modeling, worth listening!