From April 8 to April 20, 2024, Associate Professor Dr. Olivier Botella from the University of Lorraine (France) is visiting the Department of Mechanics of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. In the framework of a double-diploma master’s program between our two universities, he is delivering lectures to first-year master students (M1) specializing in “7M05405 – Mechanics and Energy”. The lectures are conducted offline and in English, in the disciplines of Numerical Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Next year, selected students will have the opportunity to continue in second year of Master (М2) in France with the support of the Abaï-Verne scholarship program.

Professor Olivier Botella is a distinguished scientist in the fields of numerical methods for computational fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer and non-Newtonian flows. He develops numerical methods for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in complex geometries, notably pioneering the cut cell-based LS-STAG method for simulating incompressible fluid flows in complex and moving geometries, including heat transfer and non-Newtonian phenomena. His research has yielded significant contributions, reflected by his publications in top-tier journals in computational physics and fluid dynamics. He has honed his expertise through a successful postdoctoral tenure at Stanford University's Center for Turbulent Research (CTR), and is currently a member of the “Heat Management” team from the laboratory LEMTA (Laboratoire Energies & Mécanique Théorique et Appliquées, https://lemta.univ-lorraine.fr), funded jointly by the University of Lorraine and CNRS.

Professor Olivier Botella also holds the position of Director of the double-degree master's program between the University of Lorraine and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. This program has been operational since 2010 under the supervision of the French-Kazakh center “Geo-Energies” of Almaty, facilitating the exchange of advanced knowledge and skills between Kazakh and French institutions. Over 14 years, more than 150 graduates have received dual diplomas through this program, and many alumni of center “Geo-Energies” now hold key positions in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry, or in the country's administrations. The contributions of Professor Olivier Botella to the development and success of the double-degree program and the Geo-Energy Center are deeply appreciated and acknowledged.