Prof. dr. ir. Bert Blocken (*1974, Hasselt, Belgium) holds a PhD in Civil Engineering / Building Physics (thesis focused on CFD & Building Aerodynamics) from KU Leuven in Belgium. He is Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering (Aerodynamics) at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, the United Kingdom, and part-time Full Professor of Civil Engineering (Building Physics) at KU Leuven in Belgium. His main areas of expertise are subsonic aerodynamics, CFD and wind tunnel testing, as applied to urban physics, city and building aerodynamics and sports aerodynamics.

He has published 249 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. His h-index values are 77, 84, 98 on Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, respectively. He has graduated 34 PhD students. He developed the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in urban physics and sports aerodynamics, called "Sports & Building Aerodynamics" on the Coursera platform. According to the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking) & Elsevier, he was among the 150 most cited researchers world-wide both in the field of Civil Engineering and in the field of Energy Science & Engineering. He is listed as 2018-2024 Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) in the field of Engineering for production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science Core Collection, ranking him in about the top 0.1% researchers in his field according to Clarivate Analytics (https://hcr.clarivate.com/). He was listed as one of 15 engineers world-wide "who mattered in 2020" by Engineering.com (https://new.engineering.com/story/engineers-who-mattered-in-2020). His first paper on COVID-19, ventilation and fitness centers was ranked by Altmetric in the top 0.003% of tracked articles (www.altmetric.com/top100/2020/).

He is Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Building & Environment and Associate Editor of the journal Sports Engineering. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Wind Engineering & Industrial Aerodynamics, Building Simulation, and the journal Advances in Wind Engineering.

He regularly acts as a Guest Lecturer for a course in the Lecture Series at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium and for the Certificate in Advanced Studies (CAS) in Cycling Coaching by the University of Lausanne and the International Cycling Union (UCI) in Switzerland.

He had the privilege to provide scientific support to a range of unique sports achievements. Between 2017 and 2023, he acted as aerodynamics advisor for professional cycling Team Jumbo-Visma (formerly called LottoNL-Jumbo, now Visma-Lease-a-Bike), supporting the time trial riders (Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Tom Dumoulin, Jonas Vingegaard and others) by CFD simulations and wind tunnel testing. This way he had a modest contribution to two grand classification wins in the Tour de France (2022, 2023), three in the Vuelta of Spain (2019, 2020, 2021) and one in the Giro of Italy (2023); and to the wins of one gold and one silver medal in the Individual Time Trial in the Tokyo Olympics (2021). He collaborated with Cycling Ireland and Paralympics Ireland leading to two gold medals and one silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. He also contributed to the INEOS 1:59 Challenge where Kenian athlete Eliud Kipchoge ran the first marathon below 2 hours (2019), and to the Pho3nix Sub7 event, where Norwegian triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt achieved the first triathlon below below 7 hours (2022). He also helped Joost Vandendries to break the Belgian record speedski (218,845 km/h in 2019), and assisted Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis and Red Bull to break the world record speed skating (2018; 2022).  

• Aerodynamics
• CFD
• Wind tunnel testing
• Sports aerodynamics
• Urban physics
• Urban aerodynamics

• Professor Aerodynamics (Aerospace Engineering - Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering & Physical Sciences
• Lead of Research in the Aerospace Engineering Programme
• Responsible for design of large state-of-the-art wind tunnel on the Edinburgh campus

Available to comment on:

• Aerodynamics in sports (cycling, athletics)
• Aerodynamics of buildings and in cities
• Aerodynamics of low-speed vehicles (cars, trucks, trains, ships)
• Aerodynamics of pedestrians, cyclists and bicycles (including electric)
• Wind tunnel testing
• Computer simulation in aerodynamics
• World records in sports achievements
• Heat waves in cities
• Overheating of buildings
• Air pollution (outdoor and indoor)

Selection of past media interactions/coverage of research by Bert Blocken:

Contribution to / appearance in TV news (selection)

2020:    Scientists study how spit spread COVID-19 in a soccer stadium - 11/12/20 – CNN, USA

2020:    Researchers study COVID-19 and stadiums - 9/12/20 - FOX59 News (Intl), USA, TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTD70egLC3Q&feature=youtu.be

2020:    Jumbo-Visma test speciale luchtreinigers in aanloop naar Tour - 22/08/20 - NOS, https://nos.nl/video/2345027-jumbo-visma-test-speciale-luchtreinigers-in-aanloop-naar-tour.html

Podcasts (selection)

2018:    Tour de France: How to cycle as fast as a pro - 21/07/18 - BBC News (Intl), UK, Web. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-44897751

2021:    Podcast: Aerodynamica met professor Bert Blocken - 5/08/21 - Fiets (Intl) https://www.fiets.nl/2021/08/05/podcast-aerodynamica-met-professor-bert-blocken/

Articles in newspapers / news websites (selection)

2024:    Your hair and clothing choises could hold you back in the long jump - 24/08/24 - Digital Engineering 24/7: (International), United States, Web. https://www.digitalengineering247.com/article/your-hair-and-clothing-choices-could-hold-you-back-in-long-jump

2024:    Going for gold with simulation - 25/07/24 - Ansys: (International), United States, Web. https://www.ansys.com/en-gb/blog/going-gold-simulation

2024:    Long, curly hair and loose clothing could cost athletes gold medal – research - 24/07/24 - The Independent, UK, Web. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/heriotwatt-university-belgium-university-of-southampton-sporting-b2584777.html

2020:    The Tour de France Was Obsessed With Germs Long Before the Pandemic - 28/08/20 - The Wall Street Journal (International), United States, Web. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-tour-de-france-was-obsessed-with-germs-long-before-the-pandemic-11598608800

2018:    Cycling’s Best Performance Enhancer: Riding in the Peloton - 25/07/18 - The Wall Street Journal (Intl), USA, Web. https://www.wsj.com/articles/cyclings-best-performance-enhancer-riding-in-the-peloton-1532534354

2015:    How support cars could save riders six seconds in Tour de France time trial – 30/06/15 – Cycling Weekly, United Kingdom, Web. https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/tour-de-france

Contribution to TV shows / documentaries / youth TV programs (selection)

2022:    Dutch TV show on Tour de France: Avondetappe NOS - 22/07/22 - NOS, NL, TV. https://www.npostart.nl/nos-de-avondetappe/22-07-2022/POW_05373384

2021:    Microsoft Resilience Series – Episode 3: Discovering new ways to find resilience - 24/08/21 - Microsoft (International), USA, Web. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/societal-resilience;  

2021:    Microsoft Resilience Series – Episode 1: Resilience through innovation - 20/05/21 - Microsoft (International), USA, Web. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/societal-resilience

2021:    Lecture for University of Flanders: Cycling Aerodynamics (with English subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O7iy0D8zvQ

2019:    Dutch TV youth program: Willem Wever - 20/01/19 - KRO-NCRV, NL, TV - https://willemwever.kro-ncrv.nl/afleveringen

2019:    Dutch TV show on Tour de France: Avondetappe NOS - 12/07/19 - NOS, NL, TV. https://www.npostart.nl/nos-de-avondetappe/12-07-2019/POW_04304525

2018:    Documentary on Flemish TV: Wereldrecord: (Bradley Wiggins - World Hour Record) - 5/02/18 - CANVAS / VRT, B, TV. https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/wereldrecord/2018/wereldrecord-s2018a5-werelduurrecord/

2018:    A wind tunnel for sustainable societies and sports - 29/03/18 - Physics World (Intl), Web. https://physicsworld.com/a/a-wind-tunnel-for-sustainable-societies-and-sport/

2018:    French TV show: A coeur du peloton - 19/07/18 - France 2 Télématin, France, TV. https://www.france.tv/france-2/telematin/558465-telematin.html

2017:    Dutch TV show: National Science Quiz 2017 - 26/12/17 - NPO Television / VPRO, NL, TV. https://www.vpro.nl/programmas/nwq/kijk/afleveringen/2016/uitzending.html

Blogs for KU Leuven University

2021:    A scientific tribute to the breakaway kings and queens. 2/7/2021. https://kuleuvenblogt.be/2021/07/02/a-scientific-tribute-to-the-breakaway-kings-and-queens/2018:    Zo hou je je huis of kot koel tijdens de volgende hittegolf (in Dutch). Ways to keep your house cool during the next heatwave. 27/8/2018. https://kuleuvenblogt.be/2018/08/27/zo-hou-je-je-huis-of-kot-koel-tijdens-een-hittegolf/

2018:    Speed gel voor wielrenners: Technisch hoogstandje of oneerlijk voordeel? (in Dutch). Speedgel for cyclists: technological breakthrough of unfair advantage? 26/6/2018. https://kuleuvenblogt.be/2018/06/26/speed-gel-voor-wielrenners-technisch-hoogstandje-of-oneerlijk-voordeel/

Linked In articles / blogs

2021:    Linked In article “Why Elaine Thompson-Herah is not only fastest woman alive, but fastest ever on the planet. But does not receive this honor from World Athletics”: 4 August 2021 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-elaine-thompson-herah-only-fastest-woman-alive-ever-bert-blocken/

2021:    Linked In article “Kan de horeca terug veilig open en open blijven tijdens de COVID-19-pandemie?” (in Dutch) (Can hotels, restaurants and bars be reopenend and remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic?), 5 April 2021 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/kan-de-horeca-terug-veilig-open-en-blijven-tijdens-bert-blocken/

2020:    Linked In article “The show (Tour) must go on”, 31 July 2020 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/show-tour-must-go-bert-blocken-1f/

2020:    Linked In article “Can indoor sports centers be allowed to re-open during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a certificate of equivalence?”, 7 June 2020 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-indoor-sports-centers-allowed-re-open-during-covid-19-blocken/

2019:    Linked In article “Cyclists drafting behind motorcycles: 5 criticisms, 5 anwers”, 19 July 2019 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cyclists-drafting-behind-motorcycles-5-criticisms-answers-blocken/

2018:    Linked In article “How much drag reduction can be obtained in cycling team time trials”, 21 September 2018 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-much-drag-reduction-can-obtained-cycling-team-time-bert-blocken/

2018:    Linked In article “Speed gel for cyclists: Useful or not? Allowed or not? And will it be used in the Tour de France?”, 5 July 2018 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/speed-gel-cyclists-useful-allowed-used-tour-de-france-bert-blocken/

2018:    Linked In article “How hard is pedaling in the cycling peloton? Revealed by word record sports simulations”, 30 June 2018 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-hard-pedaling-cycling-peloton-revealed-world-record-bert-blocken/

Awards & Recognitions (selection)

• 2018/2019/2020/2021/2022/2023: Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science). In
  2022, 6,938 or about 0.1%, of the world's researchers are in this list. https://clarivate.com/highly-cited-researchers/
• 2022:    Ranked nr. 8 in list of "Top Engineering and Technology Scientists in the Netherlands". https://research.com/scientists-rankings/engineering-and-technology/nl
• 2021:    Ranked within the 2% most influential researchers in the world in all scientific disciplines for 2021 according to Stanford University and Elsevier (listed as nr. 11,942 in list of the 190,000 researchers that are in the top 2%, i.e. top 0.12%).
• 2021:    Best Review Paper 2020 Award from journal Building Simulation (covering the period 2016-2020) for the paper: "LES over RANS in building simulation for outdoor and indoor applications: A foregone conclusion?" Building Simulation, 2018, 11(5): 821-870"
• 2020:    Listed as one the 15 engineers world-wide "who mattered in 2020" by Engineering.Com: https://new.engineering.com/story/engineers-who-mattered-in-2020
• 2020:    Listed in 2020 Worldwide Top 100 Altmetric for peer-reviewed journal article: 'Can indoor sports centers be allowed to re-open during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a certificate of equivalence?' https://www.altmetric.com/details/83415841 en https://www.altmetric.com/top100/home/ Article download here. Top 100 of 3.4 million articles tracked by Altmetric (= Top 0.003%).
• 2019:    Elected 2^nd Most Influential Scientist by Belgian Newspaper Nieuwsblad
• 2019:    Best Bachelor Teacher Award from the students of the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology (for the academic year 2017-2018)
• 2019:    ECCOMAS Award for Best PhD Thesis in Computational Methods in Applied Sciences in Europe in 2018. PhD student Y. Toparlar; Superv: B. Blocken, G.J.F. van Heijst, B. Maiheu
• 2018:    KIVI Hoogendoorn Award for Best PhD Thesis in Fluid Mechanics in the Netherlands. PhD student Yasin Toparlar; Supervisors: B. Blocken, G.J.F. van Heijst, B. Maiheu
• 2016:    Top 150 Most Cited Researcher Worldwide according to Shanghai Ranking - Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2016 in the field Civil Engineering.
• 2016:    Top 150 Most Cited Researcher Worldwide according to Shanghai Ranking - Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2016 in the field Energy Science & Engineering.
• 2016:    Best PhD Supervision Team Award (Bert Blocken & Hamid Montazeri) from PhD Network at the Department of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of Technology
• 2016:    ExPat Top 10 Award for contributions to the Eindhoven area
• 2015:    Ranking 38 in Elsevier Decade Physical Sciences TOP-100 of most downloaded full papers from Netherlands-based authors, over whole period 2005-2014, with a total of 12016 downloads for the paper: Blocken B, Stathopoulos T, Carmeliet J. 2007. CFD simulation of the atmospheric boundary layer: wall function problems. Atmos Environ 41(2): 238-252.