In engineering, oscillatory instabilities and resonances are often considered undesirable flow features, and measures are taken to avoid them. This may include avoiding certain parametric regions or implementing control and mitigation strategies.

The examples considered in my PhD thesis, illustrate a different perspective: self-sustained or driven flow oscillations can be harnessed in the design of a broad spectrum of engineering devices ranging from microfluidic circuitry, and bioreactors for cell cultivation, to liquid-based templates for assembling microscale materials. The key to an effective design of these fluidic devices lies in having an adequate predictive understanding of the hydrodynamic processes at stake.

Microfluidic oscillators based on interacting jets, sloshing waves and parametric Faraday waves belong to these flows for which time-oscillations, manifesting spontaneously or as a consequence of external forcing, can be seen as beneficial.

More info will appear soon in this section. Meanwhile, you can have a look at the introduction of my PhD Thesis here.