The activities of the Evaluation Committee for the ECCOMAS award for the best PhD theses in 2022 were carried out in an online format. As an answer to the call for tenders, the ECCOMAS member associations nominated 18 theses. The Evaluation Committee was composed by Manolis Papadrakakis (chairman), Hélène Barucq, Silvia Budday, George Stefanou and Pedro Díez (secretary).
After discussing the procedure, all the candidate theses were assessed by the members of the Committee, accounting for the different relevant aspects of all of them. The assessment grids of all the members were added up and a shortlist of the five best ranked ones was analyzed again in detail in an online meeting. Two theses ranked above the others and therefore the committee has unanimously agreed on selecting them as the two winners.
The two winners are:
- Dr. Alice Cortinovis (Switzerland), nominated by Swiccomas, for the thesis “Fast deterministic and randomized algorithms for low-rank approximation, matrix functions, and trace estimation”.
- Dr. Tim Hageman (UK) nominated by UKACM, for the thesis “Fracture scale fluid flow models for the simulation of poroelasticity”
These theses are outstanding works in Computational Methods in Applied Sciences combining excellent knowledge of both theory and practice, with special insight in the fundamental and computational aspects. The panel has appreciated the complementary on the focus of the scientific contributions: the first is concerned with the use of low-rank approximation and randomized techniques for solving some of the most challenging problems in numerical linear algebra, with applications in reduced-order modelling and machine learning, and the second develops efficient and accurate numerical models for simulating multi-phase flows of non-Newtonian fluids in (propagating) fractures in porous media, accounting for fluid inertia, using isogeometric tools and regularisation methods to combining fracture propagation and soil/rock plasticity in porous, fluid-saturated media. The two winners are pieces of research that extend the frontiers of the fields of ECCOMAS, and open our community to new problems and methodologies. The award decision was based on the relevance of the topics, the originality of the theses, their scientific content, the innovative numerical developments and the personal involvement of the candidates. Moreover, both theses are very well written and meticulously presented.
All nominees will be recognized by a special diploma that will be sent directly to the candidate.
| Association | Name | Last Name | Title of Tessis |
| AIMETA-GIMC | Andrea | Opreni | The direct parametrisation method for invariant manifolds: developments and application to large dimensional finite element models of MEMS structures |
| APMTAC | Bernardo | Proença Ferreira | Towards Data-driven Multi-scale Optimization of Thermoplastic Blends: Microstructural Generation, Constitutive Development and Clustering-based Reduced-Order Modeling |
| BNCTAM | Lauranne | Maes | Predicting the long-term effects of mechanical overload to arterial tissue: a chemo-mechano-biological computational framework |
| CEACM | Richard | Schussnig | Generalised Newtonian Fluids in Cardiovascular Fluid–Structure Interaction |
| CSMA | Aymen | Danoun | Numerical simulation of heterogeneous materials combining Artificial Intelligence and physics-based modeling |
| ERCOFTAC | Lukas | Berger | Numerical Study on Thermodiffusive Instabilities in Laminar and Turbulent Hydrogen Flames |
| GACM | Ivo | Steinbrecher | Mixed-dimensional finite element formulations for beam-to-solid interaction |
| GAMM | Julian | Berberich | Stability and robustness in data-driven predictive control |
| IACMM | Ameer | Marzok | Seismic analysis and optimal design of irregular multiple rocking buildings |
| NCM | Sanne Jolene | VAN DEN BOOM | A discontinuity-enriched finite element method for the computational design of phononic crystals |
| ONIV | Roman | Solomatin | Numerical modelling of high-speed mixing and combustion processes in inhomogeneous fuel-air mixtures |
| PACM | Krzysztof | Podsiadło | Efficient algorithms for three-dimensional computational mesh generations and air pollution simulations based on hypergraph grammars |
| SEMA | Alejandro | PASTOR | Advanced observation correlation and orbit determination methods for the buildup and maintenance of a catalogue of space objects |
| SEMNI | Iulen | Cabeza Gil | A Numerical Exploration of the Crystalline Lens: from Presbyopia to Cataracts and Intraocular Lenses |
| SMAI-GAMNI | Remi | Robin | Control and optimization of physical systems: applications to quantum mechanics and magnetic con nement in stellarators |
| SIMAI | Matteo | Salvador | Mathematical and numerical modeling of cardiac electromechanics in ventricles with ischemic cardiomyopathy |
| SWICCOMAS | Alice | Cortinovis | Fast deterministic and randomized algorithms for low-rank approximation, matrix functions, and trace estimation |
| UKACM | Tim | Hageman | Fracture scale fluid flow models for the simulation of poroelasticity |