Brisbane universities to co-host Australasian fluid mechanics conference

Brisbane will welcome hundreds of scientists, engineers, students and educators in 2020 following a competitive bid for the 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, to be co-hosted by two of the city’s leading universities.

The conference will be held across four days at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and The University of Queensland (UQ), attracting up to 450 participants and generating around $1.1 million in economic impact for Brisbane.

Academics from QUT and UQ — which both moved higher in the recent QS World University Rankings 2018 -— prepared the successful bid with support from the Brisbane Convention Bureau. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk welcomed the win, which will mark the biennial conference’s first return to Brisbane since it was last held here in 1980.

“The 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference will see top minds in the field present and discuss the latest trends and findings, and will showcase the research strengths and expertise in our new world city,” said Quirk. “As one of the world’s most welcoming cities, Brisbane has a strong reputation for hosting international meetings and provides an ever-increasing list of leisure and cultural activities for delegates to enjoy pre and post the conference.”

The president of the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society, Professor Hugh Blackburn, said Brisbane’s accessibility and appeal as a vibrant global city, the universities’ high-quality facilities and expertise, and a focus on gender equality all contributed to the successful bid.

“Three days of technical presentations and plenary lectures will be held on the QUT Gardens Point Campus and will be complemented by a full day at the UQ St Lucia Campus, where keynotes, technical sessions and research laboratory tours will occur before the conference banquet in UQ’s Great Court,” said Professor Blackburn. “The high-standing scientific program will strive to provide gender equality through invited lecturers, while the invitation of high school STEM students will target a gender-balanced group of top achievers.

“Two scholarships for undergraduate student registrations will also be available, with selection based on full paper reviews.

“The Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society looks forward to bringing this international forum for discussion on fluid mechanics research, development and innovation to Australia’s new world city — Brisbane — in 2020.”