Selfless scientist

He had the looks of a movie star, the brain of a rocket scientist and the heart of a selfless worker. Dr Cyrus Ostowari’s sudden passing at the age of 63 in Taree, near Sydney on March 7, 2014 has been a tragic shock for all those who knew him in Sydney, Texas, Boston, Massachusetts, Rome and Jakarta as an aerospace engineer and a caring human being.
An author of four books and numerous research papers on aerodynamics Ostowari was the recipient of international awards. A PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Texas University, his thesis was on experimental investigation of three-dimensional flow of aviation twin-engine aircraft.
In Rome he worked for Brown, Daltas and Associates which had been hired through the US Army Corps Engineers to design the King Khalid Military City for the Government of Saudi Arabia.
He worked in Jakarta from 1996 to 1999 after receiving an Indonesian Government Grant to improve the University’s teaching programs in engineering.
A mentor for students pursuing their Masters and PhD degrees, he was very popular because he was informal and ready to support and guide their research, always suggesting innovative ways to solve scientific problems. In 1987 he received the General Dynamics Award for fostering student-teacher relationships which motivate and encourage learning. As one of his colleagues said, "Cyrus was a truly amazing guy. He possessed a wealth of knowledge and loved to laugh. He was my hero and a wonderful friend.”
My wife and I fondly remember him as our first Zoroastrian friend in Sydney when we migrated here in 1970. While having lunch at Sydney University and being seated at the same table, he befriended us with a smile and asked if we were Parsis. With further exchanges we became friends forever.
Following in the footsteps of his illustrious father the late Nawzar Ostowari he constructed the library and the pergola among many other fixtures for the Australian Zoroastrian Association House in Annangrove, Sydney. When presented with an award for these great contributions he was highly embarrassed, saying that it was just a labor of love.
He moved back to Sydney in 1989 with his family and settled in Taree in New South Wales. As a hobby, he built on his own, two full composite experimental aircrafts, a Viking two-seater Dragonfly and a four-seater Express. He remained modest about his aerospace and other achievements till the end and was embarrassed when complimented.
Born in a Zoroastrian family in Poona, Ostowari attended the renowned Alborz High School in Teheran when the entire family moved there, being originally from Iran. He migrated to Australia with his parents Nawzar and Akhtar in 1968 where he completed his schooling at St Ives High School in Sydney. He graduated from Sydney University in 1974 majoring in aerospace engineering. After graduation he carried out research in his special field in Rome and Boston. He furthered his education at Wichita State University, receiving his Masters degree in 1979 and his PhD in 1982. He joined the faculty at Texas University in 1983 where he became associate professor at a young age. Besides fluid mechanics and aerodynamics he was also interested in airfoil theory.
His research papers appeared in reputed scientific publications American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Journal, Journal of Aircraft and International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow among others. The topics included theory for radial jet reattachment flow, and Drag reduction factor due to ground effect.
He indefatigably devoted the last few years of his life caring for and nursing his beloved wife Asha (née Thackersey) by virtually turning his home into a hospital rehabilitation area, constructing several gadgets personally including physiotherapy tables for her ease, comfort and security. He also designed and constructed fibreglass prosthetic boots and hand frames to try to combat her spasticity.
Cyrus and Asha were childhood sweethearts. Her father Dharawan and Nawzar were close friends, so the children played together in India. But Cyrus and his family left India when Cyrus was around eight years old and the two did not see each other again till they were grown up. They got married on December 17, 1972 and remained sweethearts forever.
Four-and-a-half years ago Asha suffered a burst aneurysm in the brain. The surgeon saved her life but she became a total paraplegic. After a long stay in hospital, she was in a nursing home for a few weeks but Cyrus was appalled by the care she was receiving. Nursing homes are not geared to give intensive 24-hour care. So he decided to take her home and look after her himself. He converted the best room in the house into a hospital room with all the equipment required to care for her condition.
She could not move, talk or eat by mouth but her brain function was, and still is, adequate. She understands almost everything. At times she suffers from terrible painful spasms mostly in her legs. These spasms occur at any time of the day or night. So Cyrus would sleep on the couch in the same room to be there to help her whenever the spasms came. The strain took an enormous toll on Cyrus’ health. The tragedy is that he died from the same condition as Asha’s, which is incredible. He had survived bowel cancer a decade ago but succumbed to a burst cerebral aneurysm.
Cyrus deeply appreciated Western classical music, especially composers Mahler, Brahms and Wagner whose works he analyzed and interpreted with deep understanding.
The high flyer is survived by his mother Akhtar, wife Asha, children Sasha, Tiwon and Sabrina, two sisters, Putli Johnston and Shahnaz Mia-Ostowari and a brother, Kaikhosrow.

Kersi Meher-Homji is a prolific cricket author having published 14 books on cricket and a columnist. He is a retired research virologist having worked on poliomyelitis in India and on hepatitis and AIDS viruses in Sydney. At the Blood Bank he was in charge of the National Quality Assurance Programme for HIV and hepatitis virus detection with a view to make blood donations safe.