Students studying at St Edmund’s College can benefit from financial awards that enrich their academic journey. MPhil Engineering student Ananay Joshi was recently awarded a Student Educational Development Award, which enabled him to travel to Houston, Texas, to present his research at the 78th American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics Conference. He shares his experience below.

Earlier this year, I had the honour of being selected to present my research at the 78th American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics Conference in Houston, Texas. My talk, Wake Deflection in Wind Turbines Using Airfoils, was based on my Master’s thesis at Cambridge and marked a major milestone in my academic journey.

The conference brought together researchers from around the world working across a wide range of topics in fluid dynamics. Over the course of the event, I had the opportunity not only to present my work, but also to attend more than 50 talks, which broadened my perspective and exposed me to new ideas and approaches within the field.

My research focuses on addressing wake interaction in wind farms, a challenge that affects the performance of downstream turbines. Rather than realigning wakes horizontally, our work explores a new approach that deflects the wake upward into the atmosphere, increasing the energy available to downstream turbines. Presenting this work and discussing it with experts from leading institutions was both exciting and hugely rewarding.

The reception to my talk was overwhelmingly positive, with considerable interest from peers and leaders in the field. The feedback and conversations I had throughout the conference reinforced the significance of our research and gave me greater confidence in its potential impact.

This experience would not have been possible without the support of St Edmund’s College. I am extremely grateful for the Student Educational Development Award, which enabled me to attend the conference and share my work on an international stage. It was an invaluable opportunity that has had a lasting impact on my academic development.

Student Educational Development Awards support St Edmund’s students to attend conferences, undertake research trips, and take part in opportunities beyond their degree programmes, helping them gain valuable experience and extend their academic horizons.