Dr. Rui Zhu Joins TU Dresden as Humboldt Fellow for Ocean Dynamics Research

TU Dresden is pleased to announce that Dr. Rui Zhu has been awarded a prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Starting January 1, 2026, Dr. Zhu will join the Chair of Transport Processes in Hydro Systems at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences for a two-year research stay.

The fellowship is part of the Global Minds Initiative Germany, a new program launched by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) to strengthen international scientific collaboration and attract top global talent to Germany. Dr. Zhu is among the first researchers to be selected as a Global Minds Fellow within this initiative.

During his stay in Dresden, Dr. Zhu will work with Professor Bernhard Vowinckel to investigate the hydrodynamics and mixing of ambient flows induced by swarms of mesozooplankton—a process with significant implications for ocean ecology and climate dynamics. His research project combines high-fidelity numerical simulations and theoretical modeling to study how the collective motion of small marine organisms contributes to the redistribution of oxygen, nutrients, and carbon in the ocean.

Professor Vowinckel emphasized:
“Dr. Zhu’s research combines fundamental fluid mechanics with oceanographic processes that are crucial for understanding our planet’s carbon and energy cycles. The Humboldt Fellowship is a great recognition of his scientific achievements and great asset for our research group at TU Dresden.”

The collaboration builds on several joint publications between Dr. Zhu and Prof. Vowinckel and reflects TU Dresden’s growing role in computational hydroscience and Earth system research.