Research in fluid mechanics has long been motivated by the desire to understand the world around us.
Biology, in particular, is dominated by transport problems involving fluids, from the diffusion of nutrients and locomotion to flows around plants and the circulatory system of animals. The biological realm has therefore been a source of inspiration for fluid mechanicians.
In the 1950s, G I Taylor - the founder of modern fluid mechanics - was the first to carry out a mathematical analysis of locomotion in a fluid. For the Cambridge Philosophical Society's annual G I Taylor Lecture in 2022, Professor Eric Lauga (Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics) gave a fascinating overview of the area, exploring examples where an analysis of fluid motion has led to novel understanding of biological processes in the realm of cellular motility.
About the speaker
Eric Lauga is Professor of Applied Mathematics in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Trinity College. His research is in fluid mechanics, biophysics and soft matter.
