Kenneth Morgan, who is a Wales Institute of Mathematical and Computational Sciences professor at the University’s School of Engineering, was presented with the Ludwig Prandtl Medal at the opening ceremony of the World Congress on Computational Mechanics, held recently in Venice and attended by over 3,000 scientists.

The medal is named after a German scientist, who was a pioneer in the field of aerodynamics in the first half of the last century, and is awarded by the European Community on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering in recognition of outstanding and sustained contributions to the area of computational fluid dynamics.

Professor Morgan started his research in this area in the early 1980s and his work led to the introduction of a new computer-based technique for predicting the aerodynamic characteristics of aircraft.  

With his approach, the assessment of the aerodynamic properties of a new aircraft shape could be performed overnight, whereas previously it could have taken up to six months. This time reduction is important to major aerospace companies, as it can shorten the time-to market lag of future aircraft designs.

The approach was also used at Swansea to assist the aerodynamic design of the Thrust supersonic car, which broke the World Land Speed Record in 1997.

Professor Morgan was awarded a NASA special achievement award in 1989 and elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1997.

Speaking about the award of the medal, he said: “It is an honour to be acknowledged by one’s peers in this way and I am indebted to the many talented colleagues and students who have worked with me over a number of years.”

For more information about the School of Engineering at Swansea University visit the School's website, and for more information about the Wales Institute of Mathematical and Computational Sciences visit the website.