A West Virginia University researcher who uses math and computers to simulate and solve real-life problems will give the first Benedum Distinguished Scholar lecture at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in the Mountainlair Rhododendron Room.

Ismail B. Celik, a mechanical engineering professor in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, will speak on Uncertainty in Modeling Turbulence in Fluid Flow. The lecture is open to the public.

Dr. Celik is one of three recipients of this years Benedum Distinguished Scholar awards. Other winners are librarian John A. Cuthbert and physiology Professor William T. Stauber.

“Im extremely happy that the work I have been doing for so many years with my students and co-workers has been recognized as a significant contribution to science and engineering,”said Celik, whose award is in physical sciences and technology.”This gives me renewed energy to be more productive.”

A native of Turkey, Celik joined WVU s mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty in 1985. His area of expertise is in computational fluid dynamics, which uses mathematical principles to simulate on a computer such turbulent phenomena as is seen in high-speed flow of air, water and mixtures of the two.

For instance, he has simulated for the U.S. Navy air bubbles formed in the wake of large surface ships. Air bubbles serve as a signature for detection of ships. The objective of Celiks project is to explore ways to reduce the air bubbleslife span and make detection more difficult.

On another project, Celik and his co-workers have pioneered research leading to the prediction of turbulent motion and the mixing of fuel and air in the combustion chamber of engines to reduce hazardous emissions.

Computer-based simulations reduce the number of experiments necessary to confirm scientific theories, and Celik has developed methods that are widely used for assessing the accuracy of such models.

Celik has a doctorate in mechanics and hydraulics from the University of Iowa and degrees in civil engineering and mathematics from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey.

Besides his teaching and research, he is the author of a textbook and more than 100 trade journal and conference articles and serves as a consultant to several companies and organizations. He is also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and associate editor of the organizations Journal of Fluids Engineering.

Other awards he has received include a Fulbright Senior Lecturer in 1994-95, an Outstanding Researcher Award in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in 1998 and an Oak Ridge Associated Universities Faculty Research Fellowship.

Celik lives in Morgantown with his wife, Perihan, an instructor in the WVU Department of Foreign Languages, and their daughter, Seyran.

Other Benedum lectures include:

• Tuesday, April 2 Dr. Cuthbert, A Brief Introduction to West Virginia Art History, 4 p.m., Mountainlair, Rhododendron Room

• Monday, April 15 Dr. Stauber, Development of Skeletal Muscle Pathology from Repeated Strains, 4 p.m., Mountainlair, Rhododendron Room

The Benedum and Distinguished Professors of WVU established the Benedum Distinguished Scholar Awards in 1985-86 to honor and reward University faculty for excellence in research, scholarship or creative endeavors. The awards recognize either a single recent achievement of note or a long, distinguished career that is still ongoing. The program is funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and coordinated by the Office of Academic Affairs and Research.