Plenary Speakers

PROF. PEKO HOSOI

Massachusets Institute Of Technology, Co-Founder of MIT's Sports Lab

ADVANCING HUMAN PERFORMANCE THROUGH DATA AND DESIGN

Anette “Peko” Hosoi is the associate dean of the MIT School of Engineering and Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering with a joint appointment in the Department of Mathematics. In 2015, she co-foundered the MIT Sports Lab with Christina Chase and serves as its faculty director. The MIT Sports Lab is a sports engineering program that seeks to improve athletic performance and advance the state of the art in research, equipment and actionable insights to help support athletes in their goals to push the limits of human performance through collaborations between industry leaders, students, faculty, alumni, and startups.

Prof. Hosoi’s research contributions lie at the juncture of nonlinear hydrodynamics, microfluidics and bio-inspired design. She is a world leader in the study of the hydrodynamics of thin fluid films and in the nonlinear physical interaction of viscous fluids and deformable interfaces. A common theme in her work is the fundamental study of shape, kinematic and rheological optimization of biological fluid systems for locomotion and their application to the emergent field of “soft robotics”. A unique mixture of experimental work, numerical simulation and theoretical analysis characterizes her work, and it combines elements of both engineering design and mathematical optimization. Her work is widely known and internationally respected by physicists, biologists, roboticists and applied mathematicians, as well as engineers, and is used to guide the engineering design of robotic swimmers, crawlers, burrowers and other mechanisms.

Professor Hosoi has served as a member of the Defense Science Study Group and in 2012, was named a fellow of the American Physical Society for “innovative work in thin fluid films and in the study of nonlinear interactions between viscous fluids and deformable interfaces including shape, kinematic, and rheological optimization in biological systems.”

She is also an exceptional and innovative teacher, an inspiring mentor and an outstanding communicator of science in general. She is a MacVicar Faculty Fellow, the past winner of the Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching, the MIT School of Engineering Junior Bose Award for Education, the Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching, and awarded the prestigious Den Hartog Distinguished Educator Award.

When she is not in lab, she can be found at Highland Mountain Bike Park on her downhill rig, snowboarding in British Columbia or monitoring her Fantasy Football team.

CAROLINE COHEN

LadHyX, Ecole Polytechnique Paris, Science 24

Physics of road cycling and the three jerseys problem

After a short passage through engineering school, Caroline quickly realizes that engineering is not meant for her. Her wish: to become a professor. She entered Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan and passed successfully the aggregation of Physical Sciences. But a game changing fact, during a simple volleyball match, will then change the course of his career. She noted with surprise the uncertain trajectory of the "floating ball", and can not help but try to understand this phenomenon. She did an internship and a PhD on the theme of sports physics at the Ecole Polytechnique where, in addition to the trajectories of balls, she investigated the link between the dynamic movement and the microscopic functioning of muscles. During her post-doctorate, Caroline, attracted by visual experiments, looked at erosion and geomorphology phenomena. Using an ordinary material, in this case caramel, she succeeded in creating a model experiment that allows to understand the patterns that appear on the surface of icebergs. But sports physics is never far away. Back at Ecole polytechnique, she became an assistant professor and combined her two passions: research and teaching. Today, her research interests include cross-country skiing, where she works in collaboration with the French multiple Olympic medalist Martin Fourcade, as well as boxing and rugby concussion problems.

Caroline always needs to see to understand. Photography, which she uses on a daily basis in her experiments, is her most precious ally. Fluid mechanics is a science that she appreciates particularly, and which she readily describes as "the science of the concrete and the beautiful". "I may be drawn in an unconscious way to the aesthetics of the subjects I'm dealing with. With caramel, for example, I could spend hours contemplating the shapes that form on the surface, "she concludes enthusiastically.

Profile taken from https://www.artsper.com/gb/contemporary-artists/france/52615/caroline-cohen

ARNOUD GREIDANUS

Fluid Mechanics group, Faculty 3ME, TU Delft

HYDRODYNAMICS AND TOPSPORTS (PROPULSION IN ROWING)

Arnoud is an engineer, researcher and entrepreneur. Specialized in fluid dynamics, with a background in chemistry. Triggered and inspired by the unknown paths and experienced in practically-oriented research. He is also a former professional elite rowing athlete. Eager for knowledge and challenges on new technologies, materials and business opportunities.

His research focus and social involvement is on fundamental research on the interaction between turbulent flows and functional surfaces, development of new/simple measurement methods for practical use, and hydrodynamics in (top) sport.

His main research goals are related to increase the efficient use of turbulent flows as well as modify their boundary conditions, making scientific techniques and knowledge more widely accessible, and contributing to complex sports issues and the top sport ambition of the Netherlands.

His motto: "Identify complex problems & achieve solutions. - Push your dreams to reality!"

[Bio based on his linkedin profile]

BOUKE SCHELTINGA

Biomedical Signal and Systems, UT