Principal Investigator

Research Assistant (Lakehead University)

1. Zahra Maleksabet: (07/2024 – 10/2024, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Vortex Dynamics from Burst-and-Coast Motion of Anguilliform and Carangiform Swimmers

2. Egor Yaritsa (07/2024 – 03/2025, Current Position: Canada Space Agency)                                                                                            Project Title: Design of a Drone and Seed-Shooting Mechanisms for Dealing with Wildfires​

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Masters Student (Lakehead University)

  1. Dev Pradeepkumar Nayak (01/2024 – 12/2025, Current Position: Research Associate) 

       Thesis Title: Computational Investigations on Hydrodynamic Performance of Active and Passive Tails for Carangiform Swimmers

  2. Dilip Thakur (09/2024 – 08/2025, Current Position: PhD Student) 

       Thesis Title: Nonlinear Dynamics and Vortex Mechanics for Energy Harvesting from Fluttering Wings

  3. Hao Wang (09/2023 – 08/2025, Current Position: PhD Student)

​       Thesis Title: Computational Investigations of Vortex Dynamics and Dynamic Stall of Pitching Wings at High Reynolds Number 

  4. Maham Kamran (09/2023 – 04/2025, Current Position: Research Associate)

       Thesis Title: Computational Investigations of Integrated Vortex-Odor Dynamics in the Wake of Fish for Underwater Sensing​

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Visiting Research Fellows/ Students/ Interns (Lakehead University)

1. Hector Dagieu (Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP), 09/2025 – 12/2025, Current Position: )                                 Project Title: Investigating the Propeller-Wing Interactions for Vertical-Takeoff Landing UAVs

2. Onur Erkan (PhD, Study in Canada Scholar, 09/2024 – 02/2025, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Urban-Scale Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines Using Integrated Experimental-Computational Techniques

3. Muluken Temesgen Tigabu (PhD, Study in Canada Scholar, 02/2024 – 06/2024, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Experimental and Computational Investigations of Coaxial Contra-rotating Vertical Axis Turbines

4. Diana Zakharova (MITACS Research Intern, 08/2024 – 10/2024, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Mechanical Design of a Bio-Inspired Carangiform-like Swimming Robot

5. Vedant Vijaykrishnan (MITACS Research Intern, 05/2024 – 08/2024, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Computational Modeling of Self-Starting Process for a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine​

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Undergraduate Capstone Projects (Lakehead University)

1. Ahmed El Henawy, Mahmoud Saad, Sofyan Albakheet, and Abdulbary Naje Alajnaf

   Project Title: Design and development of a manta ray-like underwater autonomous robot                                                                Current Position: Ahmed (), Mahmoud (), Sofyan (), and Abdulbary ()

2. Krish Khokhani, Harsh Rathod, and Smit Patel

   Project Title: Designing a bio-inspired propulsor for small marine vessels                                                                                        Current Position: Krish (), Harsh (), and Smit ()

3. William Kasekamp, Carter Fleury, Oleksii Busha, and Bryan Mendonca

   Project Title: Design and development of an insole heater for skiing

      Current Position: William (), Carter (), Oleksii (), and Bryan ()

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M.Eng. Capstone Projects (University of Alberta)

1. Shakthi Velan Subramonian (09/2022 – 02/2023, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Energy harvesting through flow-induced oscillations of foils

2. Muhammad Sufiyan Gheewala (01/2023 – 05/2023, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Energy harvesting capacity of foils at different Reynolds numbers

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Undergraduate Senior Design Projects (National University of Sciences & Technology, Pakistan)

[1–4] Haseeb Javed, Syed Saadat Shakeel, Muhammad Sarmad, and Aqib Javed
Project Title: EME Fliers – Design, Build, & Fly Contest, AIAA Student Chapter, GIK Institute
Current Position: Haseeb (), Saadat (), Sarmad (), and Aqib ()

[5–9] Muhammad Qasim Khan, Khadija Tahir, Khurram Abbas, Taimoor Ali, and Arfeen Ahmed Ali
Project Title: Team Airborne – Design, Build, & Fly Contest, AIAA Student Chapter, GIK Institute
Current Position: Qasim (), Khadija (), Khurram (), Taimoor (), and Arfeen ()

[10–11] Rameez Shahab and Ahmed Asees Aamir
Project Title: 3D CFD-based design of an underwater vehicle
Current Position: Rameez (), and Ahmed ()

[12–13] Aakash Gul and Muhammad Maaz Abbasi
Project Title: CFD analysis of a tri-rotor UAV
Current Position: Aakash (), and Maaz ()

[14–16] Waqas Ahmed Bin Najeeb, Abdul Mannan Khalil, and Hammadullah Kitchlew
Project Title: Design & fabrication of forward sweep UAV
Current Position: Waqas (), Mannan (), and Hammadullah ()

[17–19] Syed Muhammad Abdullah, Ali Abdullah, and Muhammad Asim Shahzad
Project Title: Design of a flying wing UAV using backward-facing step-based wing profile
Current Position: Abdullah (), Ali (), and Asim ()

[20–21] Zaryab Haider and Muhammad Mohsin Khan Niazi
Project Title: Energy harvesting through flapping wings
Current Position: Zaryab (), and Mohsin ()

[22–24] Affan Ali Syed, Nayab Shiraz, and Ovais Ahmed Bin Najeeb
Project Title: Analysis of vertical take-off and landing of UAV
Current Position: Affan (), Nayab (), and Ovais ()

[25–27] Hamza Ahmed, Muhammad Taha Safdar, and Warda Naeem
Project Title: Design, analysis, and fabrication of RC submarine
Current Position: Hamza (), Taha (), and Warda ()

[28–30] Zain Hassan, Zoya Farooq, and Saiqa Ijaz
Project Title: Design, analysis, and fabrication of RC submarine
Current Position: Zain (), Zoya (), and Saiqa ()

[31–36] Muhammad Ahmad Tauqeer, Haseeb Chaudhry, Nouman Ali, Nouman Khalid, Kashif Ali, and Muzammal Khalil
Project Title: Future Flight Design Competition – Turkish Air Force Academy, Istanbul, Turkey
Current Position: Ahmad (), Haseeb (), Nouman A. (), Nouman K. (), Kashif (), and Muzammal ()

[37–40] Muhammad Waqas us Din Arif, Saadat Azim, Anas Elahi Khan, and Obaid Khalid Khan 
Project Title: Design & fabrication of solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle
Current Position: Waqas (), Saadat (), Anas (), and Obaid ()

[41–43] Muhammad Yawar, Muhammad Muneeb, and Usman ul Haq
Project Title: Design & fabrication of hybrid micro air vehicle
Current Position: Yawar (), Muneeb (), and Usman ()

[44–46] Sohail Tanveer, Mohib Khan, and Raza Malik
Project Title: Aerodynamic drag reduction of Hino KL-340 truck with wind tunnel testing
Current Position: Sohail (), Mohib (), and Raza ()

[47–50] Abdul Saim, Muhammad Tayyab Saeed, Nabeel Hussain Shah, and Usman Hafeez 
Project Title: Design of a heat exchanger for computing clusters
Current Position: Saim (), Tayyab (), Nabeel (), and Usman ()

[51–54] Ahsan Ali Hani Bajwa, Hassan Khalid, Syed Najam Haider, and Hussain Ali Shah 
Project Title: Design, analysis, and fabrication of cooling tower for engine testing lab dynamometer
Current Position: Ahsan (), Hassan (), Najam (), and Hussain ()

[55–59] Mohammad Omer Siddiqui, Ayesha Shafi, Mohsin Ali Chaudhry, Ammad Riaz, and Sharjeel Asad

Project Title: Silbers – Design, Build, & Fly Contest, AIAA Student Chapter, GIK Institute
Current Position: Omer (), Ayesha (), Mohsin (), Ammad (), and Sharjeel ()

[60–62] Faisal Mushtaq, Muhammad Nauman Zafar, and Ahmed Rashid 
Project Title: Design of test bench for aerodynamic characteristics of small aerial vehicles
Current Position: Faisal (), Nauman (), and Ahmed ()

[63–65] Ikram ul Haq, Muhammad Mujtaba Hanif, and Muhammad Behroz Javed
Project Title: Design of a flapping wing micro air vehicle
Current Position: Ikram (), Mujtaba (), and Behroz ()

[66–68] Zafar Iqbal, Zubair Ahmed, and Talha Khalid 
Project Title: Design & fabrication of a subsonic wind tunnel
Current Position: Zafar (), Zubair (), and Talha ()

[69–71] Asim Razzaq, Khobeb Muslim, and Hamid Minhas 
Project Title: Aerodynamic design study of ground vehicles
Current Position: Asim (), Khobeb (), and Hamid ()

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Undergraduate Summer Interns (National University of Sciences & Technology, Pakistan)

1. Qasim Nazir (06/2013 – 08/2013, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Numerical simulations of low-Reynolds number flows over airfoils

2. Muhammad Maaz Abbasi (06/2015 – 08/2015, Current Position: )

   Project Title: Numerical simulations of low-speed flows over fixed airfoils