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Dr Mahesh Prakash.
Dr Prakash enjoys applying fluid dynamics in different areas, from animation and geophysics to mining and aerospace.

Dr Mahesh Prakash: a dynamic approach to fluids

Dr Prakash is playing an important role in developing super-realistic animations using maths, like making sure computer-generated waves in movies look natural.

Current activities

Dr Mahesh Prakash is part of a team of mathematicians and engineers doing research in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in CSIRO. This team are regarded as world-leaders in discrete element modelling (DEM) and smooth particle hydronyamics (SPH) – branches of maths that are used to simulate and predict the movement of fluids.

His particular areas of focus include:

  • digital content generation for fluid special effects in movies and games
  • geophysical flows, such as:
    • dam collapses
    • tsunamis
    • volcanic lava flow.

Background

Dr Prakash joined CSIRO in August 2000 as a Research Scientist.

Prior to this he was studying chemical engineering in India when he became interested in fluid dynamics. Applying this to animation was something that Dr Prakash never anticipated.

His CSIRO team’s work on industrial applications has proved to be a good background for creating better animation techniques for fluids. Now Dr Prakash and his team solve fluid dynamics problems with a Korean research organisation and they plan that production houses will use the solutions to create realistic animations.

Dr Prakash enjoys applying fluid dynamics in different areas. He is exposed to a range of industries from animation and geophysics to mining and aerospace.

Academic qualifications

Dr Prakash has been awarded

  • a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Chemical Engineering from University of Mumbai, India, 1997
  • a Doctor of Philosophy in Thermo-Fluids Engineering involving Computational and Experimental Fluid Mechanics from Victoria University in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2000.

Achievements

Dr Prakash has published over 12 technical or client papers and 23 refereed conference papers.

Dr Prakash was awarded 2005 Cast Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Commercialisation Award for Re-melt Ingot Casting Project.

In 2006, he was a Member of the Organising Committee for the 5th International Conference on CFD in the Minerals and Process Industries, Melbourne.

As part of a CSIRO team, Dr Prakash recently visited Korean universities, science institutes and corporations to identify collaboration and partnering opportunities. This aligns strongly with efforts to strengthen linkages with Australia's regional neighbours through the Australian Government's Endeavour Programme [external link].

Learn about research into Modelling dam breaks, tsunamis and other geophysical events.

 
 

Profile

Name: Dr Mahesh Prakash

Title: Principal Research Scientist

Qualifications:

  • BEng (Chem)
  • PhD

Expertise:

  • turbulence modelling in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)
  • explicit Integration Schemes for compressible SPH
  • SPH for multi-phase fluid flows with large density and viscosity differences
  • application of SPH to industrial flow problems such as die-casting, geophysical flows, mixing, slurry flows and biological flows
  • application of SPH to visual effects

Current project: developing maths-based software for modelling flowing fluids in animation and games

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Dr Mahesh Prakash
Principal Research Scientist
Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics
Phone: 61 3 9545 8010 
Fax: 61 3 9545 8080 

Contact

Mr Andrew Dingjan
General Manager, Business Development
Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics
Phone: 61 3 9545 8040 
Fax: 61 3 9545 8080 

Location

CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics - Clayton
Gate 5, Normanby Road
Clayton VIC 3169
Australia

Private Bag 33
Clayton South VIC 3169
Australia