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

The ERCOFTAC Course Surfing the Ripple: Fundamentals of Liquid Film Dynamics took place on the 20th – 21st April 2026 in the beautiful setting of the Zeeman Building in the Mathematics Department of the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.

The organising committee coordinated this informal event to broaden the perspectives of students and young researchers through a series of lectures and workshops given by seven internationally renowned speakers on analytical, numerical, and experimental methods, as well as data visualisation and scientific communication, constructed to serve as a strong foundation for developing (or extending) the toolkit of the modern specialist in the area of liquid film flow dynamics.

The success of this event would not have been possible without the ERCOFTAC’s support. In this respect, the organisers express their deep gratitude to the Committee for accepting their proposal. The association’s financial contribution enabled several students to attend the event, helping to offset their travel and accommodation costs. The teamwork between passionate and dynamic researchers and institutions, such as ERCOFTAC, is what allows the academic environment to thrive and attract many more young students to investigate its wonders, as in this case, in the vibrant field of liquid film dynamics.

F​ull report from the event will be published in ERCOFTAC Bulletin.

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 addressed that limitation by providing a structured introduction to the fundamentals of liquid-film dynamics. The programme integrated 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 was placed on Basilisk as a practical tool for free-surface simulations, together with discussions of experimental uncertainties and data post-processing. Moreover, industry partners also presented process case studies and highlight open research questions.

P​rogramme: The detailed programme of the event, including the abstracts of each contribution, is available at the following LINK

O​rganising and Scientific Committee:

• Dr Fabio Pino, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom - postdoctoral researcher specialising in the theoretical analysis of liquid film flows. His expertise includes reduced-order modelling, stability analysis, numerical simulations, and control strategies (including machine learning), with applications ranging from coating and evaporating and condensing films to industrial systems such as hot-dip galvanising and heat exchangers. He will lead the theoretical and numerical components of the course, focusing on reduced models and machine learning.

• D​r Radu Cimpeanu, University of Warwick, Warwick, United Kingdom - an applied mathematician with expertise in scientific computing, liquid film simulations, multiphysics modelling, and feedback control. His research spans nonlinear interfacial dynamics, wave propagation, and industrial applications such as lab-on-a-chip and precision coating. He has broadexperienceinknowledgetransferandindustrialmathematics,makinghimakeycontributor to the computational aspects of the programme.

• Dr Susana Gomes, University of Warwick, Warwick, United Kingdom - is an applied mathematician specialising in PDE control, optimisation, and nonlinear dynamics, with applications to thin-film stability, coating, and heat exchange. Her expertise include passive and active control strategies, reduced models, and robust stabilisation methods. She also bringsextensiveexperienceinknowledgeexchangeandworkshoporganisation.Shewillcoordinate the theoretical components and link them with numerical and experimental work.

• D​r Emmanouil Chatzigiannakis, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands - is an experimentalist working at the interface of soft matter physics, interfacial rheology, and polymer–fluid interactions. His research covers thin-film dynamics,droplet/bubble coalescence, and viscoelastic interfaces. Using advanced rheometric methods, he explores interfacial stresses and their role in film stability. He will lead the experimental sessions, ensuring strong integration with theoretical and numerical perspectives.

Speakers:

• Dr. Thomasina V. Ball (University of Warwick)
• Dr. Lyes Kahouadji (Imperial College London)
• Prof. Guntars Kitenbergs (University of Latvia)
• Dr. Vrionis Panayiotis-Yiannis (The Cyprus Institute)
• Prof. Benoit Scheid (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
• Prof. Christian Ruyer-Quil (Université Savoie Mont Blanc)
• Dr. Kat Phillips (University of Warwick)