Computing In AE Graduate School

AI Thread Summary
Research in aerodynamics and CFD often requires significant computing power, typically provided by departmental supercomputers or workstations. While personal computers can be used, they may not be sufficient for intensive tasks, as most CFD software is licensed for use on institutional machines. Many students find that using department resources is more efficient, especially since these computers are optimized for CFD work. Having a personal, portable notebook can enhance convenience, but it is not essential for success in this field. Overall, relying on departmental resources is common and often recommended for computational tasks in CFD.
jellofj
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I'll be concentrating in/researching aerodynamics and CFD. Will I be doing the programming/mesh generation/code execution (or any other intensive computing) on my own computer or the department's super computer/workstations?

I had a powerful desktop in ME undergrad and frankly it wasn't really needed. I also ended up working in the computer lab anyways because I was always on campus. If it is even possible to use my own computer for the above tasks I'd prefer to do that otherwise I am thinking of getting a portable/ultra-portable notebook this time around. If anyone has experience in the matter please feel free to share :smile:.
 
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I don't know much about CFD but depending on your method most flows of interest require super computers or a large cluster of processors.
 
Most of my CFD colleagues work primarily on workstations provided by their advisor and by running jobs on the department cluster. It would be nice to have a decent computer of your own but definitely not necessary to have a powerhouse.
 
As boneh3ad said, typically cfd programs are run on department provided computers because most of the software is licensed. Furthermore, the computers used for CFD are striped of all other programs and are dedicated for cfd purposes only.
 
Thank you for the replies! I spent a lot of time on campus during the last half of my undergrad and felt I could've been a lot more efficient with my own notebook.
 

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