Ruben van Gaalen is a PhD candidate in the Power & Flow group at the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His project involves modeling the evaporation and absorption of sessile droplets that carry surfactants. He mainly uses lubrication theory for his simulations.

Ruben van Gaalen obtained both his BSc and MSc in Mechanical Engineering at the TU/e. During his master track he did an internship at the Technion in Haifa, Israel, for which he carried out experiments on vortex-induced vibrations. His master thesis involved the modeling of a rotating bioreactor for Scinus Cell Expansion B.V., using a two-fluid model.