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Nimish Pujara

Nimish Pujara

Assistant Professor

We pursue research in fluid mechanics with the aim of improving our understanding of the role of fluid motion in environmental processes. We use a variety of tools including laboratory experiments, theory, and numerical models to tackle interesting problems across different scales, from flow-biota interactions in turbulence to the impact of waves on coastlines.

Department

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Contact

Engineering Hall
1415 Engineering Dr
Madison, WI

  • PhD 2015, Cornell University
  • BA Hons 2010, Cambridge University
  • MEng 2010, Cambridge University

  • Environmental Fluid Mechanics
  • Nearshore Hydrodynamics
  • Turbulent and Multiphase Flows
  • Flow-Biota interactions
  • Water Wave Mechanics
  • Coastal Processes
  • Experimental Methods

  • 2024 National Science Foundation , NSF CAREER Award
  • 2023 National Academies , National Academies Gulf Research Program Early-Career Research Fellowship
  • 2021 U.S. National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Hughes Fellowship
  • 2018 Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Fellow (Mu cohort)
  • 2015 Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 1st place presentation Research Symposium
  • 2014 Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, 2nd place Presentation Research Symposium
  • 2014 Cornell University, DeFrees Fellowship
  • 2006 Cambridge University, Cambridge European Trust Bursary

  • Davidson, B., Brenner, J., & Pujara, N. (2023). Beaching model for buoyant marine debris in bore-driven swash. Flow, 3 https://doi.org/10.1017/flo.2023.31
  • Bang, J. Y., & Pujara, N. (2023). Homogeneous turbulence in a random-jet-stirred tank. Experiments in Fluids, 64(12), 185 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-023-03721-9
  • Ventrella, F. M., Pujara, N., Boffetta, G., Cencini, M., Thiffeault, J., & Lillo, F. D. (2023). Microswimmer trapping in surface waves with shear. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 479(2278), 20230280 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2023.0280
  • Lin, A., 'Alvarez-Salvado, Efr'en,, Milicic, N., Pujara, N., & Ehrlich, D. E. (2023). Multisensory navigational strategies of hatchling fish for dispersal. Current Biology, 33(22), 4917--4925.e4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.070
  • Pujara, N., & Thiffeault, J. (2023). Wave-averaged motion of small particles in surface gravity waves: Effect of particle shape on orientation, drift, and dispersion. Physical Review Fluids, 8(7), 074801 https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevfluids.8.074801
  • DiBenedetto, M. H., Clark, L. K., & Pujara, N. (2022). Enhanced settling and dispersion of inertial particles in surface waves. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 936, A38 https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2022.95
  • Meza-Valle, C., & Pujara, N. (2022). Flow in oscillatory boundary layers over permeable beds. Physics of Fluids, 34(9), 092112 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0104305
  • Davidson, B., Batista, K., Samrah, S., Mendoza, L. M., & Pujara, N. (2022). Microplastic contamination of sediments across and within three beaches in western Lake Superior. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 48(6), 1563--1572 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2022.09.011
  • Ma, K., Pujara, N., & Thiffeault, J. (2022). Reaching for the surface: Spheroidal microswimmers in surface gravity waves. Physical Review Fluids, 7(1), 014310 https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevfluids.7.014310
  • Pujara, N., Clos, K. T., Ayres, S., Variano, E. A., & Karp-Boss, L. (2021). Measurements of trajectories and spatial distributions of diatoms (Coscinodiscus spp.) at dissipation scales of turbulence. Experiments in fluids, 62, 149 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-021-03240-5

  • CIV ENGR 699 - Independent Study (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 775 - Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 919 - Seminar-Hydraulic Engineering and Fluid Mechanics (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 990 - Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • E M A 775 - Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer (Spring 2025)
  • M E 775 - Turbulent Heat and Momentum Transfer (Spring 2025)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Spring 2025)
  • CIV ENGR 310 - Fluid Mechanics (Fall 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 699 - Independent Study (Fall 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 919 - Seminar-Hydraulic Engineering and Fluid Mechanics (Fall 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Fall 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Summer 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Summer 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 511 - Mixing and Transport in the Environment (Spring 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Spring 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 919 - Seminar-Hydraulic Engineering and Fluid Mechanics (Spring 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 990 - Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • G L E 511 - Mixing and Transport in the Environment (Spring 2024)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Spring 2024)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2023)
  • CIV ENGR 919 - Seminar-Hydraulic Engineering and Fluid Mechanics (Fall 2023)
  • CIV ENGR 990 - Thesis (Fall 2023)
  • M E 890 - PhD Research and Thesis (Fall 2023)
  • CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Summer 2023)