About the talk: 

Advanced numerical algorithms and high-performance computing have made simulation a key driver in engineering design. The Computational Rheology Lab (CRheo Lab) at the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC), University of Minho develops high-fidelity modelling tools for polymer processing, largely implemented in the open-source OpenFOAM® framework. This webinar presents IPC/UMinho’s research and industry collaboration in computational rheology, showcasing how customised OpenFOAM® solvers support predictive modelling, process optimisation, and polymer processing equipment design, illustrated with practical examples.

About the speaker: 

J. Miguel Nóbrega is an Associate Professor at the Polymer Engineering Department within the University of Minho and member of the Institute for Polymers and Composites. He earned his PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Minho in 2004. He serves as the editor for both the OpenFOAM Wiki and the OpenFOAM Journal. Additionally, he leads the Digital Transformation in Manufacturing initiative within the MIT Portugal program. He is a founding member of the Iberian OpenFOAM Technology Users Group and an active participant on the OpenFOAM Workshop Committee. His research focuses on three interconnected domains: product development, polymer processing, and material rheology. He specialises in the development of computational rheology tools that are essential for modeling the behavior of complex materials across various manufacturing processes. His contributions span multiple sectors, including healthcare, textiles, sensing and monitoring, construction, and mobility, where he actively engages in product design and manufacturing. By utilising the open-source computational library OpenFOAM as a foundation for numerical developments, he frequently applies advanced simulation techniques to inform decision-making in industrial design and manufacturing.

About the moderator:

Cláudia Brito is currently an Assistant Researcher at INESC TEC (and part of the DSR HASLab group) and an Invited Assistant Professor at the University of Minho. Her current research focus is on AI for Systems and Systems for AI. In detail, her research interests have been shifting towards the following topics: AI for systems optimisations and tuning, Storage optimisations for AI workloads, Energy consumption optimisation for data-intensive workloads, Application-specific AI for healthcare.