SIG52 Course

Surfing the Ripple: Fundamentals of Liquid Film Dynamics

20th - 21st April 2026

University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom;
in-person and online participation

R​egistration is open!

R​egistration:

• The course “Surfing the Ripple: Fundamentals of Liquid Film Dynamics” will take place prior to the colloquium “Beyond the Free Surface: Liquid Film Flow from Theory to Applications.” If you wish to attend both events, please follow the instructions at this link.

• If you plan to attend only the course “Surfing the Ripple: Fundamentals of Liquid Film Dynamics,” please follow the instructions below.

1. Register for the event
Use this link to register for the event. Under “Registration details/Please indicate the dates of your visit,” select 20/04–21/04.

2. Complete the payment
Proceed with payment via this link. In the first dropdown menu, select “School only attendee.”

Scientific objectives:

Liquid film flows are used in a wide range of technologies, from coating processes and heat exchangers micro fluidic lab-on-a chip devices. The complex physics governing these flow shave attracted the interest of generations of researchers and continue to be an active topic with major challenges for technological development. Students and early-career researchers often view this field through the lens of their specific education or research focus. This constrained perspective contrasts with the broader landscape of liquid- film science required to identify opportunities for new research avenues, design effective numerical and experimental studies, or address practical industrial problems.

This two-day course addresses that limitation by providing a structured introduction to the fundamentals of liquid-film dynamics. The programme integrates theoretical, numerical, and experimental perspectives, with sessions on multi physics modelling, dynamical-systems analysis, reduced-order modelling, numerical simulation methods, and experimental techniques for data acquisition and analysis. Special emphasis will be placed on Basilisk as a practical tool for free-surface simulations, together with discussions of experimental uncertainties and data post-processing. Moreover, industry partners will also present process case studies and highlight open research questions.

The course will take place before the 666 Euromech Colloquium: Beyond the free surface: Liquid Film Flows from Theory to Applications, which will convene leading European academics and industrial experts to discuss advances in stability, Marangoni and surfactant dynamics, thermal effects, control strategies, external-field influences, and phase-change processes. The paring of the pre-training course and the colloquium creates a focused learning pathway that combines foundational training with exposure to cutting-edge research and real-world applications. By equipping participants with essential knowledge and practical tools, the course will also enable PhD students and early-career researchers to engage with the colloquium, better follow advanced presentations, and establish productive connections.

P​lease use this link for full description