Alexander Gehrke is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ottawa. His research investigates how flexible, porous and morphing structures interact with complex flows, with a particular focus on passive adaptation in variable and turbulent environments. He combines experimental fluid mechanics, advanced measurement techniques, automated experimentation and data-driven methods to determine when and how structural adaptation can improve aerodynamic performance and robustness. His work also explores active learning and machine-learning-assisted optimization for experimental design and flow control.
Before joining the University of Ottawa, Alexander Gehrke conducted postdoctoral research at Brown University. He earned his PhD in mechanical engineering from EPFL in Switzerland and his MSc and BSc in mechanical engineering from the University of Kassel in Germany.