Rate My Professor Richard Howell

Richard Howell serves as an Adjunct Lecturer in the School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Warwick in 2006, with a doctoral thesis titled 'Snoring: a flow-structure interaction.' His academic career at Curtin commenced in 2011 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, progressed to Lecturer from 2016 to 2018, and he has held the position of Adjunct Lecturer since 2018. Howell is affiliated with the Fluid Dynamics Research Group, where he contributes to advanced studies in fluid-structure interactions.

Howell's research centers on fluid-structure interaction, with a focus on the flutter and stability of flexible structures in flows. His investigations include the dynamics of cantilevered-free flexible plates in ideal and uniform flows, spring-mounted systems for potential energy harvesting applications, non-linear cantilever-free beams in inviscid flow, and stability control via localized stiffening or spring support. Collaborative projects with Professor Anthony Lucey explore flutter mechanisms relevant to paper manufacturing, biomedical modeling such as snoring and post-traumatic syringomyelia, and wake effects on oscillating plates. Key publications encompass 'Interaction between a cantilevered-free flexible plate and ideal flow' (Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2009), 'Flutter of spring-mounted flexible plates in uniform flow' (Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2015), 'Stability of a flexible insert in one wall of an inviscid channel flow' (Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2014), 'Aero-/hydro-elastic stability of flexible panels: Prediction and control using localised spring support' (Journal of Sound and Vibration, 2013), 'The effect of inertial inhomogeneity on the flutter of a cantilevered flexible plate' (Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2011), 'Energy production characteristics of a spring-mounted cantilevered-free flexible plate in a uniform flow' (ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting, 2012), and 'Stability of a flexible wall separating two inviscid channel flows' (ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, 2013). Additional works address propeller unsteady loads, snoring simulation, and crossflow instabilities for helicopter blades.