In October 1918 Jan Burgers 23 years old started as professor of ¿aerodynamics
hydrodynamics and their applications¿ at the Technical University in Delft. This can be
regarded as the birth of fluid mechanics in the Netherlands not only as an academic discipline
but also as the start of the serious study of flow phenomena in engineering environments.
During the period of Burgers¿ tenure in Delft (till 1955) three Dutch institutes were founded
which to this day remain important centres of research in various fields of fluid mechanics:
aerospace engineering hydraulics and naval engineering. Burgers and others developed
mathematical experimental and numerical approaches of a broad range of fluid flows some of
their achievements have become well-known worldwide and can be seen as highlights of Dutch
fluid mechanics. From the 1950s ¿stromingsleer¿ (flow theory) attained a permanent and
respected place in the curriculum and research of (technical) universities at many old and new
research institutes and also at several industrial research laboratories. In the 1980s fluid
mechanics finally became ¿recognized¿ as a serious branch of physics and an important field of
(applied) science. This resulted in a close cooperation between academic groups institutes and
industry and the foundation of the Burgerscentrum the Research School for Fluid Mechanics in
the Netherlands. One hundred years after Burgers¿ appointment in Delft Dutch fluid mechanics
is still very much alive. This volume gives a full account of its rich history and also offers
a view on the broad range of areas of application: transport energy production biology and
medicine production processes etc. It has been written not only for those working in this
field but also for those interested in the history of Dutch science and in the development of
science and the fascinating world of fluid flow phenomena.
