Presentation Title: Lessons for Bio-Inspired Design: Fluid Dynamics of Embryonic Heart

Biography: Mory Gharib is a Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Professor of Bio-Inspired Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. He received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tehran University (1975) and then pursued his graduate studies at Syracuse University (M.S., 1978, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering) and Caltech (Ph.D., 1983, Aeronautics). After two years as a senior scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA/CIT), he joined the faculty of the Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences Department at UCSD in 1985. He became a full professor of fluid mechanics in 1992 and, in January 1993, he joined Caltech as a professor of aeronautics. Dr. Gharib's research interests have included Free surface flows, Vortex dynamics, Micro-Fluidics, advanced Flow Diagnostic systems such as Micro Laser Doppler Velocimetry, and digital image velocimetry. His research activities in the area of biomechanics includes Bio-propulsion, Heart valve dynamics and valveless pumps.

Dr. Gharib's honors and affiliations include: Fellow, American association for the advancement of science (AAAS), Fellow, American Physical Society (APS), Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), Distinguished Israel Pollak Lectureship Award, 2005, Sackler Scholar in Bioengineering, University of Tel Aviv, For his 3-D imaging camera system, he has received R&D Magazine's "R&D 100 innovation award" for one of the best invention of the year 2008. Dr. Gharib holds more than 20 U.S. Patents.