Skip to main content

Dr Cristina Rodriguez Rivero discusses the dynamics and beauty of fluids.

Fluid (liquids and gases) flows at various length and time scales are ubiquitous in nature and humans have made use of them in various numerous ways. However, the underlying physical phenomena of flowing fluids have been and still are extremely complex to understand, to such an extent that the mathematical description of fluid behaviours is protagonist of one of the seven famous Millennium Prize Problems in Mathematics. I would like to share with you my passion for the study of fluids, with some examples that you can see in everyday life and some counter-intuitive surprising phenomena. I will also give you an overview of the extensive research conducted in fluids at small scales, with emphasis in technologies of digital printing, that combine Physics, Chemistry and Engineering in some clever ways you may not suspect, covering many processes from healthcare to aeronautics.

Watch the talk below.

About the Speaker

Dr Cristina Rodriguez Rivero works in the Dept. of Engineering in the field of fluid dynamics. She did her bachelor's and Master's degrees in Spain, specialising in Mechanical Engineering. Her PhD was on the design of a process to manufacture soft-matter microcapsules by using liquid jet instabilities. These microdevices were successfully used to encapsulate active biological ingredients and applied to treat death-threatening pulmonary conditions. After finishing her PhD, Dr Rodriguez Rivero moved to Cambridge to work on the understanding of liquid drop and liquid jet behaviour in digital manufacturing technologies. She extensively collaborates with companies to improve and optimise dispensing techniques, of which she is interested in new manufacturing concepts such as printed sensors, and electronics and technology integration within robotic systems. Dr Rodriguez Rivero also studies the technical and organisational practices associated with scaling up emerging technologies with the aim of formulating well defined strategies and frameworks to address the challenges posed in the field. Dr Rodriguez Rivero is also involved in outreach, having participated in various science podcasts, STEM Ambassador activities, and science story writing.