Andreas Acrivos

I started my academic career in chemical engineering over forty years ago. Initially, my research dealt with the application of mathematical techniques to the solution of a variety of problems in chemical engineering, e.g., distillation, control and the transfer of momentum, heat, and mass transfer including the effects of chemical reactions. Eventually, I developed a theoretical and experimental program in fluid mechanics, which has formed the centerpiece of my research for the past three decades. At present, my main focus concerns the flow characteristics of concentrated suspensions and the role played by shear-induced particle diffusion in governing the evolution of the particle concentration profile in a variety of flow configurations. My research has important implications in fluid mechanics and in physiology. Currently, we are investigating how the rheology of such systems is affected by the polydispersity of the particles comprising the suspension.