Sami Yamani Douzi Sorkhabi

Sami Yamani Douzi Sorkhabi is a PhD candidate whose research explores the flows of dilute polymer solutions. Specifically, Sami is investigating a commercially important phenomenon called polymer drag reduction (PDR), which is used in oil transport and exploited by marine mammals such as dolphins, who secrete a layer of mucin-rich polymer through their skin. Sami has made field-advancing contributions to the emerging area of turbulent fluid physics called elasto-inertial turbulence and has constructed a novel Schlieren imaging system that enables him to explore turbulent mixing flows involving dilute polymer solutions with unprecedented sensitivity. For the first time, he has employed this system to image the mixing of dilute aqueous polymer solutions into a stagnant domain of water. MathWorks tools are foundational to his work. A MathWorks Fellowship will support his continued explorations of PDR and strategies for optimizing drag reduction while minimizing polymer consumption. His research has great potential to contribute to basic science and to advance applications of PDR for marine vehicles and pipelines, with significant energy savings and environmental benefits.