On the Thrust Generation and Optimum Efficiency of a Plunging Airfoil

Joseph Lai

University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy 
(UNSW@ADFA)

A brief overview of the aerospace activities in the School of  Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering at UNSW@ADFA will be given. These activities include scramjets and UAVs.  In particular, some new results on mechanisms that determine the optimum efficiency of a plunging airfoil will be presented.

Brief Biography
 

Joseph Lai is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering at UNSW@ADFA. He was appointed Associate Dean (Research) on 1 January 2004. Prior to this appointment, he was the Head of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering from 2001-2003.

Professor Lai obtained a BSc(Eng) in Mechanical Engineering with first class Honours from the University of Hong Kong in 1975. He was awarded a Master of Engineering Science in 1978 and a PhD in 1981 in
mechanical engineering from the University of Queensland. He lectured in mechanical engineering at the University of Queensland until June 1985 when he joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNSW@ADFA as a lecturer.

Professor Lai's research interests are in turbulent shear flows and acoustics and vibration control. He has published over 200 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings in these areas. His current work focuses on the aerodynamic propulsive mechanism of
flapping wings as applied to micro-aerial vehicles and vibro-acoustic communication in termites.

He is an editor of Advances in Acoustics and Vibration and is a member of 4 International Standard Organization acoustics working groups. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, a fellow of the Australian Acoustical Society and an Associate Fellow
of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.