Prof. Rival's research interests lie at the interfaces between experimental fluid dynamics, data assimilation, network science and bio-inspiration. He has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles on said topics, and has recently published a textbook on biological and bio-inspired fluid dynamics with Springer. In 2020, Prof. Rival was awarded a one-year Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship to conduct research on advanced sensing techniques in Munich. Prior to joining TU Braunschweig he served as an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University, Canada, where he collaborated with colleagues from biomechanics, medicine and biology. At various stages of his career Prof. Rival has conducted research on both sides of the ‘pond’, e.g. completing his doctoral studies on the aerodynamics of dragonfly flight at TU Darmstadt, working as a postdoctoral associate at MIT on shape morphing in nature, and holding a research chair on atmospheric sensing at the University of Calgary. Prof. Rival currently co-chairs a NATO AVT task group on flow separation, is involved in a number of international research collaborations sponsored by, for instance, AFOSR, NATO and ONR, and has had his research featured across a broad array of science platforms including David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things as well as on the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet show.