The ICFD was set up in 1983 with Prof K W Morton (Oxford) and Prof M J Baines (Reading) as its joint directors. Prof Morton retired in 1997 and Prof Baines in 2004 and they are now the Hon Directors with the current directors being Dr P J Dellar (Oxford) and Dr P K Sweby (Reading)

The Institute comprises numerical analysis staff and students at the Universities of Oxford and Reading together with their joint research programmes in computational fluid dynamics. It is based in the Mathematical Institute at Oxford and  in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Reading.

An initial grant from the Mathematics Committee of the Science and Engineering Research Council enabled the ICFD to be set up in 1983. Its income continues to be derived from a combination of EPSRC grants and industrial contracts. The objective is to engage in basic and applied research in CFD, to act as a centre of expertise linking university research and teaching to industrial needs and concerns, and to train students to enter the field.

The research concentrates on the algorithmic end of the CFD spectrum - understanding the stability, convergence and other aspects of widely used methods; developing new techniques and applications; investigating the impact of new computer architectures. Typical "deliverables" from an investigation are detailed reports and research codes which demonstrate the capability of the techniques in practical applications. We are equally convinced of the value of rigorous analysis and of close contact with practical problems in the development of CFD algorithms.

The ICFD programme of activities includes an international conference every three years and regular one-day or two-day workshops. Anyone wishing to be informed of these events should join our mailing list using the link above, or by contacting:

Dr Peter K Sweby
Department of Mathematics
University of Reading
Whiteknights PO Box 220
Reading RG6 6AX

Telephone: +44-118-3788675
Facsimile: +44-118-9313423
Email: icfd@reading.ac.uk

The direction of the research programme as well as the choice of topics for the conferences and workshops is guided by an Advisory Committee composed of experts from industrial, government research and academic institutions. The present members of the Committee, in addition to the Directors, are: Prof M J Baines (Reading), Prof K W Morton (Bath), Dr A Barlow (AWE), Dr C Farmer (Oxford), Prof A G Hutton (QinetiQ), Dr L Lapworth (Rolls-Royce), Prof N K Nichols (Reading), Dr M Rabbitt (British Energy), Dr P Samuels (HR Wallingford), and Dr A J Wathen (Oxford).