Keynote speakers


                                     




                                                                              


                                                                               Pedro Garcia

Pedro is currently working as the Head of Aerodynamic Performance for the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team and has more than 16 years of experience in Formula 1 and in aerodynamics in particular working across track, wind tunnel and CFD. As a senior engineering manager, he leverages his experience from working in multiple racing teams to make data-driven decisions in high-performance environments. His keynote will present the aerodynamic challenges of working in a highly competitive racing series.


                                     




                                                                              


                                                                             Dr Nicholas Oettle

Nicholas is the Technical Specialist for Aeroacoustics and Experimental Aerodynamics at JLR. He leads a team of experts in developing methods, tools, and processes to create quieter, more efficient vehicles. Nicholas is responsible for the aeroacoustics technical development strategy, the development and application of both virtual and physical aeroacoustics techniques, and research in experimental aerodynamics. He also oversees the training and development of his department and the wider organisation in these areas.

His research interests and publications span automotive aeroacoustics, unsteady aerodynamics (particularly the onset flow unsteadiness experienced by vehicles on-road), computational aeroacoustics, beamforming, and psychoacoustics.

Nicholas graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MEng and recevied his PhD from Durham University, focusing on the effects of unsteady on-road flow conditions on automotive aeroacoustics and aerodynamics. During his PhD, he spent time working at FKFS at the University of Stuttgart. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.


                                     




                                                                              


                                                                             Rémi Grégoire 

Rémi Grégoire graduated in 1986 from the École Centrale de Nantes, where he specialised in naval engineering. He then obtained a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in fluid dynamics from the Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble. He began his career as a hydrodynamicist, before moving across to the rail sector, initially working for SNCF, before moving to Alstom Transport in 2002, as the head of the key competencies network in aerodynamics. He currently works at Alstom's headquarters in Saint-Ouen, France, as part of the "AeroX" team, bringing his aerodynamic expertise and innovative solutions to all types of train and rail system projects.

Throughout his career, Rémi has supported the development of international standards for railway aerodynamics, having led various work packages on national and multi-national projects, such as TRANSAERO. He has also overseen the successful achievement of aerodynamic requirements for the introduction of numerous trains into traffic across France and Europe. From 2005 to 2007, in close collaboration with his counterpart at SNCF, he participated in the development of all aerodynamic studies related to the V150 project; this project resulted in a new world speed record on rail in April 2007 (575 km/h).

Finally, Rémi Grégoire provides internal training in aerodynamics for young engineers joining Alstom. For the past 15 years, he has also enthusiastically taught railway aerodynamics courses to final-year students at ESTACA (an engineering school located in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, near Paris), who are preparing to work with various players in the global railway industry.

Contact us

Event Management Team, Great Hall, Aston Webb Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 2TT

E: academic.conferences@contacts.bham.ac.uk