Lydia Bourouiba

Dr. Lydia Bourouiba is Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she founded and directs The Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission Laboratory. She is also associate faculty of the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) Program and Affiliate Faculty of Harvard Medical School, among other visiting and membership positions. Her research leverages advanced fluid dynamics experiments at various scales, biophysics, applied mathematics to elucidate interfacial flow and fluid fragmentation processes driving spray formation, mixing, transport, and persistence of particles and microorganisms governing multiscale epidemiology and infectious disease transmission and contaminant spread in a range of environments. Prof. Bourouiba founded the Fluids and Health Conference, creating an international forum for exchange on frontier research and challenges in health, where fluid dynamic concepts are at the core, including infectious diseases and food safety, and related health and indoor management policy. Prof. Bourouiba is the recipient of several awards, including the Tse Cheuk Ng Tai’s Prize for Innovative Research in Health Sciences, the Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, and the Smith Family Foundation Odyssey Award for high-risk/high-reward basic science research.