KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr.-Ing. Carsten Lenfers
Presentation Title: Challenges, capabilities and future developments at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels DNW
Carsten Lenfers has led the aeroacoustic low speed wind tunnel at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW-NWB) located in Braunschweig, Germany since 2024. His team is responsible for project acquisition and the execution of wind tunnel tests and all aspects of facility operation. He and his team are constantly pursuing the enhancement of the facility and simulation techniques. From 2016 until its reorganisation in 2024 he headed the department “Project Aerodynamics Group” within DNW. He was responsible for the acquisition and execution of wind tunnel tests at the six facilities spread over three sites in Germany. He started his engagement with the DNW foundation in 2015 as deputy head of the aeroacoustic low speed wind tunnel in Braunschweig (DNW-NWB). In 2020 Carsten Lenfers received his doctoral degree from the Technical University Braunschweig. He joined the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in 2008 and worked as research scientist at the institute of aerodynamics and flow technology.
Christopher Sheaf
Installations Aerodynamics Senior Specialist, Rolls-Royce
Presentation Title: Propulsion integration future challenges - role of wind tunnel testing
Christopher Sheaf is a Rolls-Royce Senior Installations Aerodynamics Specialist, specialising in civil intake, exhaust, and nacelle aerodynamics. He received an honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering from City University, London, and joined Rolls-Royce upon graduation. He has worked in the Rolls-Royce Installation Aerodynamics Department for over 35 years, was appointed to a Senior Specialist Role in 2023. During his career, he has been responsible for supporting intake and nacelle aerodynamic design evaluation; and wind tunnel and engine testing for a range of Rolls-Royce civil engine programmes. Christopher has extensive experience of leading and participating in wind tunnel testing, in a significant number of facilities.
His current role includes responsibilities for co-ordinating the company’s Installations Aerodynamic research. This included taking a leading role in UK (ATI) and EU R&T CleanSky2 programmes. He is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Dr Adrian Gaylard
Technical Specialist, Aerodynamics Research & Development, JLR
Dr Adrian Gaylard is the Technical Specialist for Aerodynamics Research & Development at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). He leads all research activities aerodynamics, aeroacoustics and surface contamination (exterior water management & soiling).
After a degree in Physics and Maths from Leicester Polytechnic (1987), Adrian joined British Rail’s Research Division, making early applications of CFD to trains. In 1996 he moved into the automotive sector, joining MIRA, and worked on a wide range of aerodynamics projects, subsequently joining Jaguar Land Rover in 2001.
Adrian chairs the UK’s National Wind Tunnel Facility Advisory Board, is a Visiting Fellow in Vehicle Aerodynamics at Loughborough University, a Board Member of the European Car Aerodynamics Research Association (ECARA). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Physicist and Chartered Engineer.
Adrian has a doctorate in unsteady flow, vehicle surface contamination and aerodynamic drag from the University of Warwick.
Dr Adrian Gaylard is the Technical Specialist for Aerodynamics Research & Development at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). He leads all research activities aerodynamics, aeroacoustics and surface contamination (exterior water management & soiling).
After a degree in Physics and Maths from Leicester Polytechnic (1987), Adrian joined British Rail’s Research Division, making early applications of CFD to trains. In 1996 he moved into the automotive sector, joining MIRA, and worked on a wide range of aerodynamics projects, subsequently joining Jaguar Land Rover in 2001.
Adrian chairs the UK’s National Wind Tunnel Facility Advisory Board, is a Visiting Fellow in Vehicle Aerodynamics at Loughborough University, a Board Member of the European Car Aerodynamics Research Association (ECARA). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Physicist and Chartered Engineer.
Adrian has a doctorate in unsteady flow, vehicle surface contamination and aerodynamic drag from the University of Warwick.
Dr Benjamin Leclaire
Head of Metrology, Data Assimilation and Flow Physics Team, ONERA
Dr. Benjamin Leclaire has headed the Metrology, Data assimilation and Flow physics unit at the Department of Aerodynamics, Aeroelasticity and Acoustics, at ONERA, Meudon, France since 2018. His team oversees developing and using new measurement approaches for wind-tunnel tests, based on sensors (pressure, temperature, forces) and on optical techniques (PIV, PSP and TSP, IR thermography, BOS).
Benjamin is also an assistant professor at Ecole Polytechnique, within the Institute Polytechnique de Paris. His personal research focuses primarily on volumetric particle tracking velocimetry methods, with contributions in related data assimilation techniques, as well as on mixing layer and jet flow physics. He is one of the co-organisers of the currently running 2nd Challenge on Lagrangian Particle Tracking and Data Assimilation.
Dr. Benjamin Leclaire has headed the Metrology, Data assimilation and Flow physics unit at the Department of Aerodynamics, Aeroelasticity and Acoustics, at ONERA, Meudon, France since 2018. His team oversees developing and using new measurement approaches for wind-tunnel tests, based on sensors (pressure, temperature, forces) and on optical techniques (PIV, PSP and TSP, IR thermography, BOS).
Benjamin is also an assistant professor at Ecole Polytechnique, within the Institute Polytechnique de Paris. His personal research focuses primarily on volumetric particle tracking velocimetry methods, with contributions in related data assimilation techniques, as well as on mixing layer and jet flow physics. He is one of the co-organisers of the currently running 2nd Challenge on Lagrangian Particle Tracking and Data Assimilation.
Professor Matthew McGilvray Professor of Engineering Science, University of Oxford
Presentation Title: High speed wind tunnel scoping at Oxford
Professor Matthew McGilvray is a Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. He studied at the University of Queensland for both his Bachelors (2003) and PhD (2008) in aerospace engineering and has since established two research groups at Oxford focussed on particle deposition in turbomachinery and high-speed aerothermodynamics. Professor McGilvray also heads the UK Centre of Excellence in Hypersonics Science and Technology and has led the development of multiple large scale hypersonic wind tunnels, including the Oxford High Density Tunnel and the Oxford T6 Stalker Tunnel, as part of the UK's National Wind Tunnel Facility. Professor McGilvray was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering/MoD Research Chair in Hypersonic vehicles in 2021. He now leads the UK Hypersonic Doctoral Training network, which is in its first year of operation.
Professor Matthew McGilvray is a Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. He studied at the University of Queensland for both his Bachelors (2003) and PhD (2008) in aerospace engineering and has since established two research groups at Oxford focussed on particle deposition in turbomachinery and high-speed aerothermodynamics. Professor McGilvray also heads the UK Centre of Excellence in Hypersonics Science and Technology and has led the development of multiple large scale hypersonic wind tunnels, including the Oxford High Density Tunnel and the Oxford T6 Stalker Tunnel, as part of the UK's National Wind Tunnel Facility. Professor McGilvray was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering/MoD Research Chair in Hypersonic vehicles in 2021. He now leads the UK Hypersonic Doctoral Training network, which is in its first year of operation.
Dr Isabella Fumarola
Research Fellow, Imperial College London
Presentation Title: AI and machine learning in wind-tunnels. Reinforcement learning for drag reduction of heavy road vehicles with autonomous dynamic flaps.
Dr Isabella Fumarola is a Research Fellow in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. She has been at Imperial since 2020, previously as Research Associate, working in experimental aerodynamics. She obtained a PhD from City, University of London on the subject of laminar to turbulent transition. Her main research topic is flow-control techniques to reduce drag in either on turbulent boundary layer or on bluff body wakes. She currently works for the AI4NZ project leading the experimental campaigns in the wind tunnel on a scaled model of a truck equipped with innovate autonomous flaps at the rear of the model. The flaps are moved by a Reinforcement Learning algorithm with the aim to reduce the drag force generated by the moving truck, and therefore reduce the fuel consumption.
Dr Isabella Fumarola is a Research Fellow in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. She has been at Imperial since 2020, previously as Research Associate, working in experimental aerodynamics. She obtained a PhD from City, University of London on the subject of laminar to turbulent transition. Her main research topic is flow-control techniques to reduce drag in either on turbulent boundary layer or on bluff body wakes. She currently works for the AI4NZ project leading the experimental campaigns in the wind tunnel on a scaled model of a truck equipped with innovate autonomous flaps at the rear of the model. The flaps are moved by a Reinforcement Learning algorithm with the aim to reduce the drag force generated by the moving truck, and therefore reduce the fuel consumption.