S1, EP6 - Prof Juan Alonso - the Future of Computational Science

06/04/24 • 87 min

In this episode I speak to Prof Juan J. Alonso on his vision of the future of computational science as well as his journey from academia to entrepreneurship - founding Luminary Cloud. He reflects on the revolutions in computational science and the different ways of developing software throughout his career. Alonso emphasizes the importance of academia in creating and perpetuating knowledge, as well as the value of innovation and new ideas. He also discusses the changes in the CFD world, the emergence of new technologies like GPU computing and cloud computing, and the potential for advancements in computational simulations for analysis and design. We also touch on the transition of the aerospace industry towards commercial software and the potential for cloud computing to revolutionize CFD. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the progress made towards achieving the goals outlined in the 2030 CFD vision report and the role of machine learning and AI in simulation-driven workflows.
In this final part of the conversation, Juan discusses the potential applications of ML and AI in engineering. He identifies four main areas where these technologies can be beneficial, but emphasizes that these applications will always be based on high-fidelity simulations. He concludes by envisioning the future of computational-driven science and the continued innovation in the field.
You can check out Luminary Cloud at https://www.luminarycloud.com and Prof Alonso's Stanford research at: https://adl.stanford.edu
06:00 Introduction and Background
09:11 Early Interest in Aerospace Engineering
12:13 From Academia to Industry
15:11 Decision to Stay in Academia
17:11 Balancing Fundamental Science and Applied Research
22:14 Early Aims and Focus on High Performance Computing
29:18 Emergence of GPU Computing and Cloud Computing
32:23 Conditions for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
35:01 The Importance of the Bay Area
35:37 Challenges and Requirements in Developing Solvers
41:00 The Role of the Bay Area in Attracting Computational Science Talent
44:16 The Difficulty and Respect for Building High-Quality Commercial Software
47:03 The Transition of the Aerospace Industry towards Commercial Software
49:30 The Potential of Cloud Computing in Revolutionizing CFD
53:59 Progress towards the Goals of the 2030 CFD Vision Report
01:00:53 The Role of Machine Learning and AI in Simulation-Driven Workflows
01:04:01 Applications of ML and AI in Engineering
01:05:36 Optimization and Design Optimization with ML and AI
01:06:04 Outer Loops and Uncertainty Quantification
01:07:04 Digital Twin Frameworks and Constant Retraining
01:12:36 The Value of Open-Source Codes in Academia
01:16:19 Challenges of Integrating Commercial Tools with Research
01:25:20 The Future of Computational-Driven Science
01:29:01 Continued Innovation and Replacement of Physical Experimentation

Previous Episode

S1, EP5 - Dimitris Katsanis - Designing the World's Fastest Bikes

In this conversation, Neil interviews Dimitris Katsanis, one of the world leading experts in bike design. They discuss the UCI regulations that govern bike design for road and track racing. Dimitris explains the evolution of bike design and the role of carbon fiber and titanium in creating lightweight and aerodynamic bikes. He also talks about his collaboration with Pinarello and the development of the Dogma F8 and F10 bikes.
Dimitris emphasizes the importance of balancing weight, stiffness, and aerodynamics in bike design and the ongoing pursuit of improvement in the field. In this part of the conversation, Dimitris Katsanis discusses the evolution of bike design, the importance of aerodynamics and system drag reduction, the differences between track and road bike design, the interactions between the bike and rider, the impact of weight and aerodynamics in solo breakaways, the ongoing weight vs. aero debate, the role of stiffness in bike design, the relationship between stiffness and comfort in bike frames, and the potential of 3D printing and additive manufacturing in bike manufacturing.
In this conversation, we also discuss the limitations of carbon fiber in bike design and the potential of 3D printing to overcome these limitations. He explains how 3D printing allows for the creation of custom shapes and internal structures that can improve the performance and weight of bike components. Katsanis shares examples of 3D printed handlebars and frames that are lighter than their carbon fiber counterparts. He also discusses the future of mass customization in bike design and the impact of regulations on innovation.
Finally, he speculates on what bikes may look like in the future if design restrictions were lifted.
Chapters
06:40 Introduction and Background
11:10 UCI Regulations and Bike Design
17:48 Evolution of Bike Design and UCI Regulations
25:27 Influence of Weight and Aerodynamics on Bike Performance
32:01 Pushing the Limits of Aerodynamics
37:16 Yaw Sensitivity and Aerofoil Sections
40:53 Continual Improvement in Bike Design
42:25 The Evolution of Bike Design
42:51 Aerodynamics and System Drag Reduction
44:21 Track vs. Road Bike Design
47:05 Interactions Between Bike and Rider
48:02 The Importance of Aero in Solo Breakaways
53:00 Weight vs. Aero Debate
56:00 The Impact of Weight on Performance
58:04 The Role of Stiffness in Bike Design
01:04:01 Stiffness and Comfort in Bike Frames
01:11:56 Materials in Bike Design: Steel, Aluminum, Titanium, and Carbon Fiber
01:18:08 The Potential of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
01:19:45 The Limitations of Carbon Fiber
01:21:41 The Potential of 3D Printing
01:24:10 The Surprising Lightness of 3D Printed Titanium
01:28:02 The Future of Mass Customization
01:34:06 The Impact of Regulations on Bike Design
01:43:09 Speculating on the Bike of the Future

Next Episode

S1, EP7 - Pat Symonds - Formula 1 Legend

In this episode, Neil interviews Pat Symonds, one of the most well known and respected engineers in Formula One. They discuss Pat's career in engineering, his time in Formula One, and the evolution of the sport. Pat shares insights into his early motivations, his work with different teams, and the challenges he faced. They also touch on the growth of Motorsport Valley in the UK and the potential for Formula One teams to be based in other countries. In this conversation, Pat discusses his experience in Formula One and the challenges of being a technical director. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and the ability to make compromises in order to achieve success. He shares insights into the culture at Williams and Benetton and how it impacted their success. Additionally, he discusses the future of Formula One, including the use of AI and ML, the potential shift towards sustainable fuels, and the role of motor manufacturers.

The Neil Ashton Podcast - S1, EP6 - Prof Juan Alonso - the Future of Computational Science

Transcript

00:00:00.100

Hi and welcome to the Neil Ashton podcast. In each episode, we explained some of the fascinating ways that science and engineering are changing the world around us. We talk to leading engineers from elite level sports like cycling and formula one to some of the world's top academics to understand how fluid dynamics, machine learning supercomputing are bringing in a new era at skier.

00:00:23.789

We also hear some of their life stories, their career