Tim Colonius and Lihong Wang Receive Named Chairs

Professors Tim Colonius and Lihong Wang have received named chairs. Tim Colonius has been named Cecil and Sally Drinkward Leadership Chair, Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering. Lihong Wang has been named Andrew and Peggy Cherng Leadership Chair, Department of Medical Engineering. Tim Colonius studies fluid dynamics using numerical simulation and data-driven modeling. His computer simulations solve the equations of motion for a fluid for a wide range of applications, from the turbulent exhaust of jet engines to the nucleation and dynamics of bubbles generated by ultrasound waves in tissue. Recently, he has explored the ability of focused ultrasound to break up kidney stones in the body, a new process known as burst-wave lithotripsy that has the potential to replace traditional shockwave-based treatments with less trauma to surrounding tissue and less pain for the patient. Lihong Wang's research, centered in the Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory (COIL), aims to develop new kinds of imaging technologies, particularly those with medical applications. Much of his work has focused on photoacoustic imaging, which uses light and sound to generate three-dimensional imagery of living tissue. With his technology, Wang has imaged organs moving in real time, measured brain activity, created three-dimensional images of internal body parts, and differentiated cancerous cells from healthy cells. In addition, Wang has also developed high-speed camera technology that can take video at 70 trillion frames per second, with applications in physics and chemistry. [Caltech story]