Chairperson's Address, November 2025

Dear Colleagues and Members,

It's a real honour to take on the role of Chairperson of ERCOFTAC. I would like to begin by expressing my deepest thanks to my predecessor, Professor Dominic von Terzi, for his outstanding leadership over the past six years.

Dominic’s tenure saw ERCOFTAC through one of the most challenging periods in recent history, as we navigated the global COVID-19 pandemic. Under his steady guidance, the organisation not only adapted but strengthened its foundations by updating our governance structure to reflect modern needs. He was instrumental in launching several new Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Pilot Centres, broadening our reach and relevance across the community.

Just as importantly, Dominic championed diversity, equity, and inclusion within ERCOFTAC, ensuring that the role of women in fluid mechanics, turbulence, and combustion became more visible and better supported. His work has left a lasting legacy and set a high bar for all of us to follow.

As we look forward, it’s an exciting time for our FTAC community. Experimental and numerical methods are accelerating our understanding of complex flow, while AI and machine learning are opening transformative new possibilities. With the vast amount of data now being produced across academia and industry, we have new tools at our disposal to interrogate, model, and apply our knowledge in ways previously unimaginable.

In this context, strengthening our industrial engagement will be a central focus of my term. Through the Knowledge Network Committee (KNC), we aim to foster closer ties with industry, ensuring that ERCOFTAC remains a bridge between fundamental research and practical application. In parallel, the Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) will continue to support innovation across our SIGs and events, encouraging bold ideas and interdisciplinary collaboration.

One matter I must gently raise is the question of membership fees. Since ERCOFTAC’s founding in 1988, our fees have remained unchanged. While this has helped maintain accessibility, we are currently reviewing our fee structure to ensure we can continue to serve our members effectively and sustainably in the years ahead.

Finally, on a more celebratory note, I’m delighted to announce that our next Spring Festival will be held in Pisa. I very much look forward to meeting many of you there and continuing our shared mission to advance the science and application of fluid dynamics, turbulence, and combustion.

Dr David Standingford,
Chairperson of ERCOFTAC