Vita
I am a computational and theoretical fluid dynamicist. My research interests include magnetohydrodynamics, topological fluid dynamics, quantum and classical turbulence, vortex dynamics, wall-bounded flows, multiphysics turbulent flows, complex fluids, and numerical methods. At MPS, my work focuses on the formation, maintenance, and evolution of astrophysical magnetic fields, including those of the Sun and planets. I use high-fidelity direct numerical simulations and theoretical modelling to investigate the physical mechanisms underlying dynamo action, vortex–magnetic interactions, and the evolution of magnetic structures in astrophysical flows.
Education and Employment
2024–present: Postdoctoral
Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany
2019–2024: Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems, Peking University, China
2015–2019: B.S. in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Awards and Fellowships
2025 Humboldt Research Fellowship
for Postdocs, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
2025 EUROMECH Visions of Fluid
Dynamics Prize, European Mechanics Society
2025 Excellent Doctoral
Dissertation Award, Chinese Society of Mechanics
2024 Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award, Peking University
2023 Best Poster Prize, JFM/FLOW Symposium China 2023
Selected Publications
Shen, W., Yao, J. & Yang, Y.
Designing turbulence with entangled vortices. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 121, e2405351121 (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2405351121
Shen, W., Ostilla-Mónico, R. &
Zhu, X. Vortex–magnetic competition and regime transitions in antiparallel flux
tubes. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 1022, A1 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2025.10743. Cover article.
Shen, W., Ge, Y., Zhao, Y. &
Yang, Y. Constructing wall turbulence using hierarchical hairpin vortices.
Physical Review Fluids 11, 044604 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1103/q3gt-v8jm
Shen, W., Yao, J., Hussain, F. & Yang, Y. Role of internal structures within a vortex in helicity dynamics. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 970, A26 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2023.620
Shen, W., Yao, J., Hussain, F. & Yang, Y. Topological transition and helicity conversion of vortex knots and links. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 943, A41 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2022.464