The foundation was created in 1947 by Professor Fukusaburo Numachi and is currently managed by the Institute of Fluid Science at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. Tohoku University was founded in 1907 as the third Imperial University of Japan, and is among the most prestigious science and technology institutions in the world.
Brennen, author of Cavitation and Bubble Dynamics, published in 1995 by Oxford University Press, is an international expert in cavitation and multiphase flows. His contributions to the field of rocketry have greatly benefited the development of the U.S. and Japanese space programs. Brennen has traveled to Tohoku University's campus in northern Honshu on several occasions throughout his career, and is a familiar contributing collaborator at the Institute for Fluid Science.
Brennen looks forward to traveling once again to the university on December 11 to receive his award. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Brennen earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Oxford, and has been a Caltech faculty member since 1969. The honors and awards that Brennen has garnered throughout his career include the 1992 Fluids Engineering Award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and last year's Fluids Engineering Award of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. Additionally, Brennen served as a United Nations consultant to India in 1980 and chaired the 4th International Symposium on Cavitation in 2001.
In response to the award, Brennen emphasizes Tohoku University's continued role in improving international relations. It was the first school in Japan to admit international students. In awarding his accomplishments within the field of mechanics, says Brennen, "In part they are recognizing my contribution to international cooperation."
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