Azadeh Jafari

My research focuses on fluid flows, in particular turbulent flows. Turbulence is present is many engineering and environmental applications and affects many aspects of our lives. The aim of my research is to better understand turbulence to be able to develop more sustainable engineering solutions and strategies. Examples include: Analysis of atmospheric boundary layer turbulence, Investigation of turbulent wind impacts in renewable energy applications, including solar and wind energy, Investigation of strategies for reducing the turbulent drag that occurs on aircraft and ships as they move through air or water. An area of my current research interest is understanding and characterisation of turbulent canopy flows using wind tunnel experiments, field measurements and analytical modelling. Canopy flows exist in agricultural fields, forests, solar arrays and urban environments. My research aims to develop an improved understanding of the turbulent and scalar transport in these environments to inform operational strategies and design considerations in these various environmental, engineering and urban settings. I joined the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland as a lecturer in 2024. Prior to that, I held lecturer and postdoctoral positions at the University of Adelaide. In addition to my research and teaching activities, I co-convene the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society (AFMS) Seminar Series, a fortnightly online seminar featuring Fluid Mechanics research, and I am on the Student/Early Career Researcher sub-committee of the AFMS. Boundary Layer Flows: Characterising boundary layer flows over complex surfaces is important for several engineering and environmental applications. This research combines wind tunnel experiments and theoretical analysis to improve our understanding of boundary layers over different surfaces. Fluid Dynamics of Renewable Energy Applications: Investigating the wind and flow dynamics in solar and wind farms to inform design and operational strategies. Examples include wind loads on solar panels and heliostats, heat mitigation in PV arrays, and how urban photovoltaics and agrivoltaics impact heat and airflow transfer in urban and rural settings. Turbulent Flows: Using analytical and experimental approaches to analyse and manipulate turbulence in different flow applications

[2026] Effects of perforation on turbulent boundary layers over riblets. Rezaei, Razieh A., Hoang, Van Thuan, Jafari, Azadeh and Arjomandi, Maziar (2026). Effects of perforation on turbulent boundary layers over riblets. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 178 (P4) 111890, 111890-178. doi: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.111890 [2025] Impact of field density on heliostat drag. Marano, Matthew, Jafari, Azadeh, Emes, Matthew J. and Arjomandi, Maziar (2025). Impact of field density on heliostat drag. Solar Energy, 301 113926, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113926 [2025] Optimising coil design based on sensitivity analysis of magnetic force induced between misaligned coil pairs. Yang, Yuxin, Robertson, William S. P., Jafari, Azadeh and Arjomandi, Maziar (2025). Optimis