Dr. Suhas V. Patankar stands as a towering figure in computational fluid dynamics and mechanical engineering with a career spanning over five decades. He currently holds the esteemed position of Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he served on the mechanical engineering faculty from 1975 to 2000, and concurrently serves as President of Innovative Research, Inc. Born in Pune, Maharashtra, India on February 22, 1941, Dr. Patankar received his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering Pune in 1962 and his Master of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 1964. He completed his doctoral studies at Imperial College London under the supervision of Professor Brian Spalding, earning his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 1967. Prior to his tenure at the University of Minnesota, he held academic positions at IIT Kanpur, Imperial College London, and the University of Waterloo, establishing himself as a rising star in computational methods for fluid flow and heat transfer.
Dr. Patankar's most significant contribution to science is the development of the SIMPLE algorithm (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations), which revolutionized computational fluid dynamics by providing a robust numerical method for solving incompressible flow problems. His seminal 1980 textbook Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow became a cornerstone reference in the field, introducing the finite volume method to generations of engineers and scientists with its clear physical explanations and practical implementation guidance. As one of the most cited authors in engineering, his work has enabled countless industrial applications from aerospace design to climate modeling, with the SIMPLE algorithm and its variants becoming standard tools in commercial CFD software worldwide. The profound impact of his methodological contributions extends beyond academia, fundamentally changing how engineers approach complex fluid flow and heat transfer problems in practical design scenarios. His research has maintained exceptional relevance, with his publications continuing to accumulate citations at a significant rate even decades after their initial publication.
Beyond his technical contributions, Dr. Patankar has profoundly influenced the field through mentorship, having supervised 35 completed PhD dissertations and authored or co-authored over 150 scholarly papers throughout his career. His excellence in teaching was recognized with the prestigious 1983 George Taylor Distinguished Teaching Award and the 1989-90 Morse-Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education at the University of Minnesota. In 1991, he received the ASME Heat Transfer Memorial Award, one of the highest honors in his field, acknowledging his transformative impact on heat transfer science and engineering. Even in his emeritus status, Dr. Patankar remains professionally active through his leadership of Innovative Research, Inc., where he continues to advance computational methods and consult on complex fluid dynamics challenges. His legacy endures through the widespread adoption of his methodologies and the ongoing influence of his work on both academic research and industrial applications in fluid dynamics and thermal engineering worldwide.
