In this episode of the Neil Ashton podcast, Neil interviews Dr. Chris Rumsey, Research Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center. Chris is one of the main CFD experts at NASA Langley is globally reconised as a leader in CFD, particularly for aeronautical applications. The conversation focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and turbulence modeling. They discuss Chris's career, his role in public dissemination of CFD methods, and his involvement in the Turbulence Modeling website. They also explore the High Lift Prediction Workshop and the role of machine learning in CFD and turbulence modeling. The conversation provides insights into working at NASA and the challenges and advancements in CFD and turbulence modeling. In this conversation, Neil and Chris Rumsey discuss the progress and challenges in solving the problem of high-lift aerodynamics in aircraft design. They explore the concept of certification by analysis and the role of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in reducing the need for expensive wind tunnel and flight tests. They also delve into the use of machine learning in CFD and the challenges of reproducibility. The conversation then shifts to conferences, with Neil and Chris sharing their experiences and favorite events. They conclude by discussing career advice for aspiring aerospace professionals and the unique aspects of working at NASA.

00:00 Introduction to the Neil Ashton podcast
01:09 Focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics and Turbulence Modeling
06:51 Chris Rumsey's Journey to NASA
09:13 From Art to Aeronautical Engineering
13:08 Transitioning to Turbulence Modeling
15:34 The Origins of the Turbulence Modeling Website
20:40 Verification and Validation in Turbulence Modeling
24:34 The Role of Machine Learning in Turbulence Modeling
26:00 Advancements in High Lift Prediction
27:28 Challenges in High Lift Prediction
28:25 Thoughts on Working at NASA
29:42 Certification by Analysis: Reducing the Cost of Aircraft Certification
31:09 The Role of Machine Learning in CFD and Certification by Analysis
34:03 The Value of Conferences in Networking and Specialized Learning
40:30 Career Advice for Aspiring Aerospace Professionals
48:45 Curating and Documenting Knowledge in the Aerospace Community

In this episode, Neil speaks to Professor Jack Dongarra, a renowned figure in the supercomputing and high-performance computing (HPC) world. He is a Professor at University of Tennessee as well as a Distinguished Researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and a Turing Fellow at the University of Manchester. He is the inventor of the LINPACK library that is still used today to benchmark the Top 500 list of the most powerful supercomputers and was one of the key people involved in the creation of Message-Passing-Inferface (MPI). They discuss what is HPC, the challenges and opportunities in the field, and the future of HPC. They also touch on the role of machine learning and AI in HPC, the competitiveness of the United States in the field, and potential future technologies in HPC. Professor Dongarra shares his insights and advice based on his extensive experience in the field.

As part of their discussion they discuss two papers from Prof Dongarra:

1) High-Performance Computing: Challenges and Opportunities: https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.02544
2) Can the United States Maintain Its Leadership in High-Performance Computing? - A report from the ASCAC Subcommittee on American Competitiveness and Innovation to the ASCR Office: https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1989107/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
04:18 Defining HPC and its Impact
08:11 Challenges and Opportunities in HPC
28:20 The Competitiveness of the United States in HPC
44:31 The Future of HPC: Technologies and Innovations
49:30 Insights and Advice from Professor Jack Dongarra

In this episode, Neil interviews Pat Symonds, one of the most well known and respected engineers in Formula One. They discuss Pat's career in engineering, his time in Formula One, and the evolution of the sport. Pat shares insights into his early motivations, his work with different teams, and the challenges he faced. They also touch on the growth of Motorsport Valley in the UK and the potential for Formula One teams to be based in other countries. In this conversation, Pat discusses his experience in Formula One and the challenges of being a technical director. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and the ability to make compromises in order to achieve success. He shares insights into the culture at Williams and Benetton and how it impacted their success. Additionally, he discusses the future of Formula One, including the use of AI and ML, the potential shift towards sustainable fuels, and the role of motor manufacturers.