Islam Zaher’s passion for heat transfer and fluid dynamics began during his undergraduate studies at Ain Shams University in Cairo, where he was inspired by the potential of innovative cooling techniques to enhance machine performance. This interest guided him to McMaster University, where he completed his M.A.Sc., turning computational modeling into practical thermal-management solutions. In his master’s research, he utilized turbomachinery principles and advanced heat-transfer methodologies, successfully unlocking high-intensity cooling capabilities in McMaster’s first high-power-density electric propulsion machine.
Following his passion for sustainable, high-performance aerospace propulsion, Islam joined Pratt & Whitney’s combustion team as an intern. He applied computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to address complex combustion challenges and optimize jet engine cooling strategies, contributing notably to improvements in low-NOx combustion technologies. Currently, as a Ph.D. candidate, Islam is advancing thermal management solutions for electric and hybrid propulsion systems. His work integrates high-fidelity CFD simulations with multi-objective optimization techniques to design efficient, lightweight cooling architectures for high-speed electric machines. Through his research, he seeks to bridge advanced heat transfer, turbomachinery innovations, and electric machine technologies through a multidisciplinary approach with electric machine technologies, fostering integrated and efficient solutions for sustainable propulsion.
Islam’s research interests include thermal management in electric machines and drivetrain systems, turbomachinery cooling techniques, computational fluid dynamics, and multi-objective optimization for aerospace propulsion.
