Nicolas Bremond loves his job. The 27-year-old postdoc from Marseilles, France has been at the UT for nine months and confesses that, even taking into account the normal peaks and valleys, he really likes his field of study and his department at the University.
Dr. Bremond's field of study is applied physics, particularly fluid dynamics. His research takes place within the Physics of Fluid Group where he studies `the role bubbles play in microsystems as well as their dynamics and mutual interaction at this scale.'
Bremond grew up and completed his higher schooling in Marseilles. His thesis, completed just before moving to Twente, was titled `Stability and Atomization of Liquid Sheets.' A combination of factors brought him to the UT. Buoyed by the recommendation of a trusted professor, Bremond visited the campus and was impressed by the facilities - particularly the large `clean room' and the formidable Brandaris camera. In addition to the facilities and research reputation of the school, he thought the unique collaborative nature of the multidisciplinary MESA+ Institute an attractive prospect. A quest for international experience and an opportunity to improve his English finalized his decision.
Bremond's current project involves the influence of bubbles in the flow of small systems, looking at the fundamental properties of bubble behavior. One of five postdocs currently working in the 30 member group Physics of Fluids, Bremond works under the guidance of Dr. Detlef Lohse. As part of a project team titled `Bubbles on Surface,' he collaborates with the BIOS group and cites the cooperative effort as a real advantage. Bremond says of the proximity of dedicated chemical engineers and other technicians, `You are in the right place if you need a custom design for your experiments.' Particularly exciting is working with the Brandaris camera - a rotating mirror camera that is capable of up to 25 million frames per second and crucial to working with high speed bubble dynamics. Another advantage of the academic position is international conference travel. In August Bremond attended the International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Warsaw and plans to travel to Seattle for another conference soon.
Wanting to understand the physics of fluids from a layman's perspective, I inquired as to the application of this research. Quick to point out that he was not in the business of development but the discovery of fundamental properties, Bremond mentioned the use of fluid dynamics in jet fuel atomization as an important and widespread application. He spent some time in France working for the CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) on this issue. Bubble dynamics also appear in other common applications: liquid transport pipelines and water treatment and oxygenation are important applications as are ultrasound contrast agents, which allow physicians a clear view of our inner liquid workings.
It's clear that Bremond enjoys not only the UT, but living in Enschede as well. Though as natural as it may be to miss the sunny south of France, Bremond is not put off by the weather. Playing football last season with a student club, he is excited about the prospect of the new Physics of Fluid football club. A testament to his optimism is the reaction to the theft of a Gazelle bike that he purchased on coming to the Netherlands. He shrugs and says now he has a new `old' bike that runs little risk of being stolen. Like many transfers from more urban areas, Bremond both lauds and laments the rustic nature of Twente: `It's nice and quiet, but sometimes too quiet.' A great diversity of cuisine and culture may not be Enschede's strong suit, but Bremond enjoys what is here: good work and good people.
Mike Maier
Nicolas Bremond
