Andrew Lock

I love tackling tough engineering problems with moving parts, fluids, and heat transfer. From hypersonic flight to power generation, I enjoy diving deep into the maths and physics to find solutions that work for industry and push the boundaries of existing technology.

Currently a Research Fellow in the Hypersonics and Rocketry Group at the University of Southern Queensland, I specialise in dynamical system analysis, state estimation, and optimisation. I hold a PhD from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons. I) from the University of Tasmania.

I’ve collabroated with NASA, developed award-winning stereoscopic model tracking methods, pioneered novel supercritical fluid power systems, and innovated efficient simultanous hypersonic vehicle design and trajectory optimisation frameworks. My work is published in many leading international journals, and I’ve presented at the University of Oxford, international conferences, and to many leading aerospace organisations.

I enjoy the challenge of quickly developing expertise in new areas. My experience includes:

• Hypersonic aerodynamics, aero-thermal dynamics, and flight dynamics;
• Complex thermo-fluid systems including supercritical fluid heat exchangers and off-design turbomachinery;
• Novel Kalman filters with augmented bias estimation and maximum likelihood hyperparameter tuning;
• Non-linear optimisation with sensitivity computational graphs, automatic differentation toolchains, and dynamics transcription; and
• Designing precision laboratory and field instrumentation, actuated optical tracking stations, and star tracking routines.

For desktop analysis I primarily write technical engineering object-oriented code in Python, including developing and maintaining open-source repositories. I’m experienced in Linux for package development and real-time data aquisition, and have experience in static compiled laguage code.

Outside of research I love the outdoors, surfing, hiking, and live music. You can read more about some of my projects, and feel free to reach out about collaborations, upcoming opportunities, or just to chat about interesting engineering problems!