Detlef Lohse FRS (born 15 September 1963 in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

) is a German physicist and professor in the University of Twente's Department of

Physics of Fluids ''Physics of Fluids'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering fluid dynamics, established by the American Institute of Physics in 1958, and is published by AIP Publishing. The journal focus is the dynamics (physics), dynamics of gas ...

in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

Biography

Lohse studied at the

University of Kiel Kiel University, officially the Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, (, abbreviated CAU, known informally as Christiana Albertina) is a public research university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the ''Academia Holsator ...

and

University of Bonn The University of Bonn, officially the Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (), is a public research university in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the () on 18 October 1818 by Frederick Willi ...

, graduating in

Bonn Bonn () is a federal city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located on the banks of the Rhine. With a population exceeding 300,000, it lies about south-southeast of Cologne, in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr region. This ...

in 1989 with a degree in

Physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

, and completed his

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

at the

University of Marburg The Philipps University of Marburg () is a public research university located in Marburg, Germany. It was founded in 1527 by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, which makes it one of Germany's oldest universities and the oldest still operating Prote ...

in 1992 with Professor Siegfried Grossmann on "Fully developed turbulence," receiving his doctorate summa cum laude (with distinction). He served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

with

Leo Kadanoff Leo Philip Kadanoff (January 14, 1937 – October 26, 2015) was an American physicist. He was a professor of physics (emeritus from 2004) at the University of Chicago and a former president of the American Physical Society (APS). He contributed t ...

from 1993 to 1995, which he later described as a formative experience in his scientific career. In 1997 he got his

Habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and some other European and non-English-speaking countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excelle ...

in theoretical physics at the University of Marburg on the subject of

Sonoluminescence Sonoluminescence is the emission of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound. Sonoluminescence was first discovered in 1934 at the University of Cologne. It occurs when a sound wave of sufficient intensity induces a gaseo ...

. He joined

University of Twente The University of Twente ( ; Abbreviation, abbr. ) is a Public university, public technical university located in Enschede, Netherlands. The university has been placed in the top 170 universities in the world by multiple central ranking tables. ...

in 1998 where he leads the Physics of Fluids department. Lohse has been an external member of the

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen, Germany, is a research institute for investigations of complex non-equilibrium systems, particularly in physics and biology. Its founding history goes back to Ludwig Pran ...

in Göttingen, Germany since 2015. Since 2016, he is a founding member of th
Max Planck Center for Complex Fluid Dynamics
at

. He is married with two children.

Scientific work and recognition

Lohse's research spans a wide range of topics in fluid dynamics. His present work includes

turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers with no disruption between ...

and two-phase flows, thermal convection, granular flow, micro- and nanofluidics, and the biomedical application of

bubbles Bubble, Bubbles or The Bubble may refer to: Common uses * Bubble (physics), a globule of one substance in another, usually gas in a liquid ** Soap bubble * Economic bubble, a situation where asset prices are much higher than underlying fundame ...

. Lohse's work spans diverse areas of fluid dynamics. His research on turbulence and two-phase flows includes studies of fully developed turbulence, particularly thermally driven turbulence (

Rayleigh–Bénard convection In Thermal fluids, fluid thermodynamics, Rayleigh–Bénard convection is a type of natural convection, occurring in a planar horizontal layer of fluid heated from below, in which the fluid develops a regular pattern of convection cells known as ...

) and

Taylor–Couette flow In fluid dynamics, the Taylor–Couette flow consists of a viscous fluid confined in the gap between two rotating cylinders. For low angular velocities, measured by the Reynolds number ''Re'', the flow is steady and purely azimuthal. This laminar ...

. His groundbreaking work on bubble dynamics and sonoluminescence (the emission of light from acoustically driven bubbles) helped solve a longstanding scientific puzzle by explaining the phenomenon through bubble shape stability, diffusive stability, chemical stability, and energy focusing. In the field of micro- and nanofluidics, he investigates fluid behavior at microscopic and nanoscopic scales. His research on inkjet printing explores the fluid dynamics challenges in printing technologies. Lohse has conducted pioneering work on surface nanobubbles and nanodroplets, studying the stability and properties of nanoscopic bubbles on surfaces. His investigations into granular flows address the complex behaviors of granular materials. Additionally, he researches biomedical applications of bubbles, examining their use in medical diagnostics and treatments. His research philosophy emphasizes cross-fertilization between different areas of fluid dynamics, allowing insights from one field to inform solutions in others. His research combines experiment, theory, and numerical simulation, addressing both fundamental science and problems with practical applications. As Lohse states in his approach to science: "There is no difference between fundamental and applied research. There is only a difference between good research and bad research." His work has significance for climate science, energy transition, environmental issues, health, high technology, and fundamental fluid mechanics. One of his most notable contributions was solving the puzzle of single-bubble sonoluminescence, which has applications in ultrasound diagnostics, inkjet printing, underwater acoustics, cavitation, and marine geophysical surveys. Lohse has described his approach to scientific problems as being like solving puzzles, collecting pieces through reading, calculation, experimentation, and numerical simulations until they form a complete picture. He has published over 773 refereed publications with over 178 of them in the

Journal of Fluid Mechanics The ''Journal of Fluid Mechanics'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of fluid mechanics. It publishes original work on theoretical, computational, and experimental aspects of the subject. The journal is published by Cambridge Un ...

, making him the largest contributor to that journal. His work has been cited approximately 54,000 times (according to Google Scholar) with an h-index of 122. Professor Lohse was a recipient of the 2019

Max Planck Medal The Max Planck Medal is the highest award of the German Physical Society , the world's largest organization of physicists, for extraordinary achievements in theoretical physics. The prize has been awarded annually since 1929, with few exceptions ...

, 2018

Balzan Prize The International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organizations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the b ...

, 2017 Fluid Dynamics Prize, 2012

Batchelor Prize The Batchelor Prize is an award presented once every four years by the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) for outstanding research in fluid dynamics. The prize of $25,000 is sponsored by the Journal of Fluid Mechan ...

, 2005

Spinoza Prize The Spinoza Prize () is an annual award of 1.5 million euro prize money, to be spent on new research given by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The award is the highest scientific award in the Netherlands. It is named after the philosopher Baruc ...

for his work on

thermal convection Convection (or convective heat transfer) is the transfer of heat from one place to another due to the movement of fluid. Although often discussed as a distinct method of heat transfer, convective heat transfer involves the combined processes of ...

multiphase flow In fluid mechanics, multiphase flow is the simultaneous Fluid dynamics, flow of materials with two or more thermodynamic Phase (matter), phases. Virtually all processing technologies from Cavitation, cavitating pumps and turbines to paper-making ...

microfluidics Microfluidics refers to a system that manipulates a small amount of fluids (10−9 to 10−18 liters) using small channels with sizes of ten to hundreds of micrometres. It is a multidisciplinary field that involves molecular analysis, molecular bi ...

sonoluminescence Sonoluminescence is the emission of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound. Sonoluminescence was first discovered in 1934 at the University of Cologne. It occurs when a sound wave of sufficient intensity induces a gaseo ...

, and was awarded with a

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in the

Order of the Netherlands Lion The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (, ) is a Dutch honours system, Dutch order of chivalry founded by William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815. The Order of the Netherlands Lion wa ...

in 2010. Additional major honors include three

European Research Council The European Research Council (ERC) is a public body for funding of scientific and technological research conducted within the European Union (EU). Established by the European Commission in 2007, the ERC is composed of an independent Scientific ...

(ERC) Advanced Grants (2010, 2017, 2023), membership in the National Academy of Engineering of the United States (elected 2017), the Simon-Stevin-Meesterschap Prize (2009), and the AkzoNobel Science Award (2012). His work has been recognized with numerous "Gallery of Fluid Motion" awards at the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics meetings, including several Milton van Dyke Prizes for outstanding visual presentations of flow phenomena. He is also a member of the

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (, KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The academy is housed in the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam. In addition to various advisory a ...

since 2005, a member of the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American Nonprofit organization, nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. It is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), along with the National Academ ...

since 2017, a Fellow of the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of ...

, a member of the German Academy of Sciences "Leopoldina" (elected 2002), a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (elected 2004), a member of the Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation (elected 2017), and a Foreign Member of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

(elected 2025).

Scientific citizenship

Lohse has made substantial contributions to the scientific community through leadership roles, editorial service, conference organization, and mentorship.

Leadership in scientific organizations

In professional societies, Lohse has served in numerous leadership positions: * Vice-Chair, Chair-elect, Chair, and Past-Chair of the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD) Executive Board (2020-2023) * Chairman of the IUTAM Fluid Mechanics Symposia Panel (2016-2024) * Elected Member of the General Assembly of IUTAM (2018-2024) * Elected Member of the IUTAM Bureau (2020-2024) * Elected Member of the Euromech Council (2004-2010) * Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Lorentz Center in Leiden (2015-2023) In Dutch scientific administration, he has served as: * Member of the Board of FOM (2003-2014) and of the Executive Board of FOM (2007-2016) * Vice-Chair of FOM (2012-2016) and Vice-Chair of the NWO Exact Sciences "Table for Physics" (2018-2021) * Chairman of the FOM group on Fluid Dynamics (2002-2008) * Member of the KNAW Domeinjury for the selection of new KNAW members (2012-2018) * Member of the Excellence Commission and of the Committee of Experts for the Excellence Strategy of the German Science Foundation (DFG) (2016-2024)

Editorial contributions

Lohse has served on numerous editorial boards: * Associate Editor and Member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2007-present) * Editor of Science Advances (2019-2021) * Member of the Editorial Board of Annual Reviews of Fluid Mechanics (2008, 2014, 2016-2020) * Editor and Member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment (JSTAT) (2003-present) * Previously served on editorial boards for Physica D (2003-2015), Nonlinearity (2002-2015), Physical Review E (2003-2008), Journal of Turbulence (2003-2017), and European Physical Journal B (2004-2007) * Occasional Editor for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) (2015-present)

Conference organization

Lohse has organized numerous scientific conferences, workshops, and summer schools: * Co-Organizer of the Conference "Droplets 2015" in Twente (220 participants) * Co-Organizer of the Conference "Flow14" in Twente (450 participants) * Co-Organizer of the IUTAM Colloquium on "Dispersed multiphase flow" in Mexico (2015) * Organization of Euromech colloquia and Lorentz Center workshops on "Hydrodynamics of bubbly flows," "Micro- and nanofluidics," and "Contact-line instabilities" * Organizer of two KNAW Webinars on Covid-19 spreading by aerosols (2020 and 2021) * Initiator and Director of the Max-Planck Center "Complex Fluid Dynamics" between Twente and the Max-Planck Institutes in Göttingen and Mainz (2016-2028)

Mentorship and education

A significant aspect of Lohse's career has been mentoring the next generation of scientists: * His group has educated more than 120 PhD students, with approximately 30 currently working on their theses * About 75 of his former PhD students and postdocs now hold professorships worldwide * Several startup companies have emerged from his Physics of Fluids Department, including ACFD Consultancy, Tide Microfluidics, Bubclean, and Iamfluidics * Multiple students under his supervision have won national and international prizes for their theses, including the ERCOFTAC da Vinci Award, FOM Prize, Charles Hoogendoorn Award (H. Gelderblom, S. Huisman, V. Sanjay, J. Meijer), and Shell-Master-Thesis Prize in Physics Lohse has demonstrated his commitment to science education through teaching activities including course lectures on "Physics of Fluids," "Dynamics," and "Advanced Fluid Mechanics," as well as special lectures on topics such as turbulence, granular flow, and stochastic processes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lohse, Detlef 1963 births Living people 21st-century German physicists Knights of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences Spinoza Prize winners University of Bonn alumni University of Marburg alumni Academic staff of the University of Twente Scientists from Hamburg Fellows of the American Physical Society Winners of the Max Planck Medal Max Planck Society people Foreign members of the Royal Society