Matthew Krmpotic made this image in a wind tunnel during his doctoral research.
A graduate student at Waterloo Engineering is in the running in a national photography contest meant to showcase and generate interest in scientific research.
Matthew Krmpotic, who is studying the aerodynamics of vehicles as he pursues his doctorate in mechanical and mechatronics engineering, was named one of 20 finalists in the 2026 Science Exposed competition sponsored by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Made in a wind tunnel, his striking image shows how streaks of smoke move around two metal cylinders – a small one on top of a larger one – during research aimed at ultimately reducing vehicle emissions to help mitigate climate change.
“Studying the simpler case of two cylinders allows us to understand and predict how the air flow around various cars changes in each other's presence,” Krmpotic said.
The contest is open to researchers across Canada in all fields of scientific study. A jury will award three $2,000 prizes, with another $2,000 up for grabs as a people’s choice award in online voting.
Krmpotic said his nomination is welcome recognition after “long hours in the wind tunnel” and encouragement that his work is of interest outside academia.
Go to the contest web site to vote and to see all the images in the finals.