Prof. Bourouiba directs The Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission Laboratory, part of the Fluids and Health Network, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research interests span a broad range of curiosity-driven questions to elucidate fundamental mechanisms shaping the transport of microorganisms and pathogens through the lens of fluid physics, biophysics and mathematical modeling. She has worked on various fluid dynamics problems from turbulence to interfacial flows. Her recent work focused on multi-scale dynamics of unsteady fluid fragmentation, droplets and bubbles, and complex and multiphase flows with particular emphasis on understanding the interplay between physics and biology that drive mixing, transport, persistence, and adaptation of pathogens relevant to contamination and health.

Prof. Bourouiba is the recipient of many awards and recognitions, including the Tse Cheuk Ng Tai’s Prize for Innovative Research in Health Sciences, the Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, and the Smith Family Foundation Odyssey Award for high-risk/high-reward basic science research. She is an elected Fellow of the American Physical Society (2021) and of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in (2022).