19 May 2025
A new report quantifies the value of fluid mechanics to Australasia’s society and economy.
Fluid mechanics is the science and engineering of fluids at rest and in motion, be they gases, liquids, slurries or granules. It is central to countless natural and industrial processes including weather forecasting, propulsion, energy production or conversion, transport, food production, agriculture and healthcare to name but a few. In fact, fluid mechanics is arguably so pervasive in our daily lives that it is easy to overlook the role it plays in our society and economy. It is also easy to forget how mastering fluid flows is an ancient endeavour which was achieved well before we could develop theories and complex equations, with Māori known to have sailed from East Polynesia to Aotearoa on double-hulled waka, demonstrating their deep understanding of ocean currents and wind patterns, passed on through generations.
Most mechanical, civil or chemical engineers have had to go through multiple fluid mechanics courses as part of their tertiary education. For some, the sound of the Navier-Stokes equations which govern fluid flows will bring back distant, unpleasant memories of incredibly complex equations with lots of unusual symbols. For others, like me, they represent the perfect marriage of science and engineering for which centuries of fundamental science research have led to so many engineering breakthroughs such as space exploration, understanding disease transmission, developing more sustainable transport, saving the few milliseconds required to win a gold medal on a bike or in a swimming pool, or predicting when a tsunami will hit our shores.
For some, the sound of the Navier-Stokes equations which govern fluid flows will bring back distant, unpleasant memories of incredibly complex equations with lots of unusual symbols.
Love it or hate it, the recent report Riding the wave, commissioned by the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society, has quantified for the first time the role of fluid mechanics in our economies and societies and the punchline will undoubtedly surprise more than one engineer.
The report was generated using a methodology tried and tested in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It combines identifying companies and businesses that add value to the products and services they provide using fluid mechanics and expert opinion to apportion a fraction of their revenue which can be attributed to the discipline.
The report estimates that fluid mechanics contributions from industries in New Zealand represent NZ$7 billion generated across 1,140 firms employing 12,100 staff. For comparison, milk powder exports were valued at NZ$9.7 billion in the year ended April 2024, or 14 percent of the total value of exports for the same period. Traditional sectors related to primary industries like oil and gas, resource engineering, and liquid controls (pump, valves, meters) represent a large proportion of the fluid mechanics-related revenue generated across Australia and New Zealand. But fluid mechanics also features very strongly in sectors of the economy driven by technological innovation, including aerospace, healthcare or renewable energy, or by environmental impact with activities related to environment and rivers, climate and ocean, fire modelling or water processing.
Importantly, and looking ahead, the report stresses that fluid mechanics is growing rapidly into diverse markets. The survey results indicate that three out of four industrialists forecast that the fluid mechanics portion of their business will grow over the next three years. The discipline is also expected to play a determinant role in all the major societal challenges ranging from climate change, energy transition, food and water security, response to pandemic/future of healthcare, or defence and national security.
These numbers and statistics should reassure every engineering student that though fluid mechanics is an “old” discipline and difficult as it may be, it remains a critical component of an engineering curriculum.
Finally, the report makes important recommendations to best leverage the potential of fluid mechanics to generate wealth for our communities and protect our environment. These include raising awareness of the role of fluid mechanics in our society and the key role it plays in addressing pressing societal challenges, and creating networks of knowledge across Australasia to maximise local expertise and facilities. The report also recommends increasing investment in high-performance and experimental fluid mechanics facilities, enhancing collaboration across New Zealand and Australia in research, maximising engagement between industry and government-funded research, and increasing educational investment – particularly in STEM at all levels – to grow and diversify the pipeline of talent.
New Zealand and Australia have a strong fluid mechanics heritage and this report demonstrates its impact. Hopefully, we’ll see a constructive conversation between the tertiary education sector, crown research institutes, industry partners and government agencies to ensure that New Zealand builds on this now quantified momentum to fulfil its full potential.
The full report can be found at bit.ly/afms-ridingthewave
Mathieu Sellier FEngNZ is Professor of Fluid Mechanics at the University of Canterbury and President of the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
This article was first published in the March 2025 issue of EG magazine.
