After 20 years in UK, British chair professor joins China’s hypersonic programme
- Physicist Zhang Yonghao resigned from the University of Edinburgh to join China’s new national hypersonic laboratory in Beijing
- Zhang’s experience in organising large-scale projects and managing teams could be valuable, according to his new employer, the Institute of Mechanics
After more than 20 years in Britain as a prominent physicist dedicated to unveiling the secrets of superfast fluids, Zhang Yonghao has joined China’s new national hypersonic laboratory in Beijing.
According to the institute’s website, Zhang’s team will develop advanced computational methods and models for simulating gases’ behaviour at high speeds and temperatures crucial in making hypersonic vehicles more efficient and effective.
Their investigation into high-temperature aerodynamic and thermal effects on materials is crucial because hypersonic vehicles must withstand extreme temperatures and pressures during flight.
The institute said Zhang’s team was expected to “lead the world” in developing materials that surpass all existing standards in their ability to withstand different factors and pressure management.
Zhang’s contract was effective immediately after he resigned from the University of Edinburgh in October 2022, according to the institute.
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