Meet our Doctoral Candidates

My name is Lukas Hageneder I have studied Physics in my bachelors and technical physics in my masters at the technical University of Graz. Ever since I have heard the first time the concept of bioinspiration and biomimetics, I was a big fan of the idea to utilize evolution’s proven concepts. This fascination led me to investigate this in my master thesis, where I studied the interplay between the chemical and morphological structure of water strider legs at the institute for nanoanalytics and electron microscopy. In this project I will now continue to refine my knowledge in biomimetics, as I am studying the hydrodynamics of the filter mechanism of paddlefish and duck to create an advanced filter system, based on this understanding.

I was born and raised in Iran, where I developed a deep fascination for engineering and technology from a young age. I was mesmerized by the idea of positively impacting the world, which inspired me to pursue my B.Sc. and M.Sc. studies in mechanical engineering at K.N. Toosi University of Technology, one of the most prestigious universities in my country.

During my B.Sc., I developed an unwavering passion for fluid mechanics, and this passion continued to flourish during my M.Sc. studies. Taking courses such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and multiphase flow simulations became the cornerstone of my master's thesis, and I was privileged to address a real-world problem and fulfill a lifelong dream. The global COVID-19 pandemic was a pressing issue at the time, and preventing infection in densely enclosed spaces became imperative. Consequently, I felt a sense of duty to dedicate my thesis to investigating cough particle dispersion within an aircraft cabin. The results marked a significant milestone in my academic journey, confirming my passion for research and solidifying my commitment to pursuing a Ph.D.

Furthermore, I had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for numerous B.Sc. and M.Sc. courses. This experience allowed me to discover my enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring. Pursuing my childhood dream, my vision is to secure a professorship position. I believe working in academia would enable me to continue enhancing people's quality of life through cutting-edge research while nurturing the potential of future students.

I am from the Ruhr area in Germany and initially studied Biomimetics at the Westphalian University in Bocholt for my bachelor's degree, focusing on lightweight construction and sensor technology. During this time, I took part in developing various biomimetic abstractions, initially only up to a conceptual stage and, in the last semester, up to a demonstrator part.
During my final thesis, I participated in developing the Bionic Oil Adsorber under the supervision of Leonie Beek and Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Barthlott at the Institute for Textile Technology at the RWTH Aachen University. For this, I conducted a parametric textile study and checked how specific parameters correlate in removing and transporting oil. Then, I then returned to the Westphalian University for a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on lightweight structures. Fluid dynamics and product development complemented the portfolio.

I further deepened these two topics during my master's thesis in the FishFlow group under the supervision of Leandra Hamann and Prof. Dr. Alexander Blanke at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology at the University of Bonn. The FishFlow group aimed to utilize suspension feeders to develop a bioinspired microplastic filter that can be retrofitted i n, e.g., washing machines. My part of the project included studying the flow pattern in the mouth of ram feeding fishes and abstracting different structures for the directed collection of microplastic. The desire to pursue this path further led me to the Nature4Nature project.