Associate Professor Fangbao Tian
PhD., Fluid Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, 2011
B.S., Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, 2006
Academic Appointments:
● Associate Professor,School of Engineering and Technology, UNSW, Canberra (July 2023 - )
● Deputy Head of School-Research(DHOS-R),School of Engineering and Technology, UNSW, Canberra (July 2023 - June 2026)
● Associate Professor,School of Engineering and Information Technology, UNSW, Canberra (January 2022 - June 2023)
● Senior Lecturer, ARC DECRA (2016),School of Engineering and Information Technology, UNSW, Canberra (July 2017 - December 2021)
● Lecturer,School of Engineering and Information Technology, UNSW, Canberra (September 2014 - June 2017)
● Research Associate, School of Engineering and Information Technology, UNSW, Canberra (August 2013 - September 2014)
● Postdoctoral Researcher,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, USA (September 2011 - August 2013)
Professional Services:
● Associate Editor for Journal of Fluids and Structures (06/2022-), Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science (2019- ), Acta Mechanica Sinica (12/2025-), PLOS ONE (2018-2023) and Scientific Reports (02/2022-02/2023).
● Member on Editorial Board, Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science (ERA A journal) (2016-2019).
● Lead Guest Editor, Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science - The LBM and its Applications in Complex Flows and FSI (2016-2018).
● Lead Guest Editor, Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science - Bio-inspired Flapping Foils and Their Applications (2016-2018).
● Lead Guest Editor, Comput Math Meth Med - Computational Methods and Models in Circulatory and Reproductive Systems (2016).
● Assessor, Chilean National Science and Technology Commission, Australian Research Council.
● Member of Steering Committee: DisCoVor (Direct In-person Colloquium on Vortex Dominated Flows) Series.
● Organiser of IBM Forum at 2017 CCTAM (2017); 2019 CCTAM (2019); 14th WCCM and Eccomas Congress (2020) (Deferred to Jan 2021 due to pandemic); 15th WCCM & 8th APCOM (2022).
● Organiser of two mini-symposium at 9th APCOM/7th ACCM (2025): Numerical Methods for Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems and Complex Flows, and Computational Biomechanics and Biomimetics in Flying and Swimming.
● Session Chair/Moderator: ICCFD8 (2014), 3rd FSSIC (2015), The 2017 Chinese Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics (2017), Fluid--Structure Interaction Workshop in Canberra (2018), 4th ACCM (2019), 22nd AFMC (2020), 23rd AFMC (2022), DisCoVor (2023), 24th AFMC (2024).
● Co-chair: FSI Workshop in Canberra (2018); 1st AFMS Summer School (2019); 13th ANCW (2025).
● Co-organisor: Computational fluid dynamics and its applications in fluid-structure interactions at MODSIM2021 (2021).
● Reviewer, Microfluidics & Nanofluidics, J Biomech, JFS, JSV, JASA and other international journals (more than 20)
Potential PhD topics:
- Fluid-structure interaction involving structure damage
- Fluid-structure-acoustics interaction
- Fluid-structure interaction of surgically changed arteries
- Turbulent boundary layer with flexible structures
- IB-LES/RANS-LBM for fluid-structure interactions in heat transfer and bushfire
- Flow instabilities over flapping foils
- Flow instabilities in arteries
- Flow control and optimization over fapping foils
- Fluid-structure interaction in supersonic and hypersonic flows
- Unsteady vortex dynamics and fluid-structure interaction of flapping flags
- Fluid-structure interaction and acoustics during phonation
- LBM modelling of fluid-structure interaction involving visco-elastic flows
- AI assisted fluid dynamics
- Fluid dynamics of Sports (e.g. cycling, swimming, archery, sailing and rowing)
- Fluid-structure interaction and multicomponent mass transfer
- Fluid-structure interaction and acoustics in rarefied gas flows
- Quantum computing in computational fluid dynamics
Please feel free to contact A/Prof Tian (email: fangbao.tian@unsw.edu.au) if you are interested in any topic or have any question about the PhD program and his research. You are also welcome to proposed your own topic(s). It is noted that we respect authority, but trust only logic, mathematics and evidence.
Scholarships of $39,000 (AUD) per year are available for PhD students who achieved H1 /High Distinction in their UG program and/or have completed a Masters by Research. If you are interested, contact me at fangbao.tian@unsw.edu.au.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
A/Prof Tian has received over $10M in external funding as Chief Investigation (CI) or Co CI, and over $2M in internal/other funding. Shown here are several selected grants:
Saydam, S, Zhang, W., Love, P., Ranjith, P., Canbulat, I., Li, J., Dixit, V., Knights, P., Arns, C., John, M., Roshan, H., Li, B., Tian, F. B., Ata, S. Karakus, M., Oh, Y., Kwong, C. W., Katupitiya, J., Zhang, C., Zhang, X., Daiyan, R., Zhou, J., Balatbat, M., Ramandi, H. L., Nguyen, V. P., Martin, J., Vo-Doan, T. T., and Zhao, J., Next Generation Mining Methods, 2026-2030 (expected), Australian Research Council Research Hub.
Tian, F. B., Young, J., Ravi, S., and Liu, H., Scaling Laws for Aerodynamics of Moving Wings in the Martian Atmosphere, 01/2024-12/2026, Australian Research Council/Discovery Project.
Tian, F. B., Young, J., Lai, J. C. S., Ravi, S., and Thomas, A., Fluid-structure-acoustics Interactions of Bio-inspired Flapping Wings, 01/2020-12/2022, Australian Research Council/Discovery Project.
Tian, F. B., Ravi, S., Young, J., and Wang, L., Accurate and Efficient Calculations of Fractional Flow Reserve in Cardiovascular System, 10/2019-04/2025, Shukun Tech.
Tian, F. B., Young, J., Kleine, H., and Ravi, S., Aerodynamic Study of Bicycle Wheels, 09/2019-08/2022, Australian Institute of Sport.
Tian, F. B., Novel modelling of fluid-structure interactions in biological flows, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) 01/2016-12/2018, Australian Research Council.
October, 2025: Arc PGC Research Supervisor Award - Honorable Mention, UNSW Arc PGC;
February, 2022: UNSW Canberra Goldstar Award 2022;
February, 2021: UNSW Canberra Goldstar Award 2021;
December, 2021: IEEE Outstanding SMCS Chapter Award, IEEE SMC Society;
December, 2021: Outstanding Volunteer Award, IEEE ACT Section;
November, 2020: Co-recipient of the First Prize of Yunnan Science & Technology Awards, Yunnan Province, CN;
January, 2017: Journal of Fluids and Structures Highly Cited Research;
November, 2017: UNSW Canberra Silverstar Award 2018;
November, 2016: UNSW Canberra Silverstar Award 2017;
October, 2015: ARC DECRA 2016;
June, 2015: Theoretical & Applied Mechanics Letters 2012 Best Paper Award;
June, 2013: The 2013 AQL Best Paper Award;
September, 2010: International Travel Grant to the 2010 American Physical Society/Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS/DFD).
Mission
To advance fundamental flow physics through computational engineering science and to transform scientific understanding into next-generation engineering technologies for the benefit of society.
Vision
To be a world-leading group for computational engineering science, pioneering predictive theories and transformative technologies for next-generation aerospace, biomedical, energy and defence systems.
Collaboration Opportunities
Flow Science Lab welcomes collaborations with industry, government agencies, research organisations and individuals who share our passion for advancing science and engineering. We work closely with our partners to solve challenging fluid-related problems through cutting-edge computational engineering, fundamental scientific discovery and innovative technology development. Whether your interest lies in aerospace, defence, renewable energy, biomedical engineering, advanced manufacturing or emerging technologies, we welcome opportunities to create impact together.
Research Interests:
CFD tools for complex flows and fluid-structure interaction
Modelling of laryngeal aerodynamics and vocal-fold vibration
Fluid-structure interaction of a plate or multiple plates in a viscous fluid
Fish swimming and insect flight
Blood flow and blood cells
Non-Newtonian flow
Group Members:
Flow Science Lab is an international and multicultural research community that brings together students and researchers from diverse cultural, educational and disciplinary backgrounds, creating an inclusive and intellectually vibrant research environment. We believe that scientific excellence is enriched by diversity in calture, nationality, experience, ideas, perspectives and ways of thinking. While our members pursue different research directions and develop their own unique strengths, they share common values of intellectual curiosity, scientific integrity, rigorous reasoning and mutual respect. We foster an open and supportive environment where collaboration, independent thinking and the joy of scientific discovery are equally valued, empowering every member to grow as both a researcher and a future scientific leader.
Our current members include Mr Petrenko Maksym (MPhil Student), Dr Jingtao Ma (Research Associate), Ramesh Nepali (PhD Student), Shahbaz Ali (PhD Student), Marshall Lin (PhD Student), Josh Grosser (MPhil Student), Hong Ren (PhD Student), Vigneshwaran (Vicky) Rajendran (PhD Student) and a large number of UG students (e.g. CFD class, BTech and FYP students).
The origins of our high-degree-research students and researchers are shown in the following good map:
My Research Supervision
Force decomposition and flow control with applications in biological flows
Adaptive Wing Morphology for Optimal Aerodynamic Performance in Martian Atmosphere
Energy Harvesting From Flow-Induced Vibration
Predictive Performance Techniques and Tradeoffs for Thinline Arrays Deployed from Uncrewed Surface Vessels
Turbulence Modelling of Viscoelastic Flows Involving Complex Geometries and FSI
An IB-LBM For 3D FSI Problems With Slip Condition
CFD-based Battery Heat Transfer Modelling and Dendrite-Growth Mechanisms for Thermal-Runaway Detection
Numerical Modelling of Bio-inspired Drag Reduction and Its Applications
My Teaching
Lecturer, BTech, S2 2026
Co-Lecturer, Fundamental of Flight, Undergraduate, S2 2022
Lecturer, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Undergraduate, S1 2016-2026
Co-Lecturer, Hydraulic Engineering, Undergraduate, S2 2015
Lecturer, Fluid Mechanics, Undergraduate, S2 2015.