18th ERCOFTAC Da Vinci Competition 2023 - Interview with Da Vinci Finalists

Daniele Massaro

(KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden)

• What is the topic of your Ph.D. thesis?

"​Space-Adaptive Simulation of Transition and Turbulence in Shear Flows

We investigate transitional and turbulent shear flows using a numerical framework designed to spatially adapt the accuracy, reducing numerical errors and capturing all flow structures. Examples include the spatially developing boundary layer over an aircraft wing and blood flow within the aortic arch.

• What does the Da Vinci competition mean to you?

I was honoured to be awarded the Da Vinci Medal as a finalist in the 19th Da Vinci Competition, and I would like to thank the scientific committee for selecting my PhD thesis. Presenting my work in front of both young colleagues and senior researchers was a great opportunity, especially to receive valuable feedback and suggestions for further improvement.

• What motivates you in your work?

Curiosity is the driving force behind my work. The excitement of uncovering and understanding even a small piece of the complex puzzle that is turbulence is truly rewarding. Sharing this curiosity with students is equally inspiring, especially by sparking their interest through engaging real-world applications of fluid mechanics.

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’m not sure, and maybe I don’t want to know just yet. It’s hard to say whether I want to stay in academia, as there are many factors to consider. What I do know is that I like teaching, supervising, and doing research. For now, I’m just focusing on enjoying this part of the journey.

• What advice would you give to new PhD students starting in fluid mechanics?

A PhD position is a fantastic opportunity, especially with the right supervisors, as I was fortunate to have in Prof.s Philipp Schlatter and Saleh Rezaeiravesh. Just go ahead with discipline, step by step. Your primary goal should be to deepen your knowledge, develop research skills, and gain experience in teaching and, potentially, supervision. Of course, learning to write papers is important, but publications should be a natural outcome, not the main goal of your journey.

Da Vinci P​resentation available here

P​aper summary