Alex Keller Email and Phone Number
Incoming Sr. Propulsion Engineer at Vast Space in Long Beach, CA.Vita:- Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from UCLA (expected Dec. 2024)- MS in Aerospace Engineering from UCLA- BS in Physics (minors in Engineering Physics and Astrophysics) from Randolph-Macon College (RMC). Entering my 5th year as an aerospace engineering Ph.D. student (now Ph.D. candidate) and researcher at UCLA in the Laser Spectroscopy and Gas Dynamics Laboratory under Professor Mitchell Spearrin, and my 3rd year as a chemical propulsion intern at The Aerospace Corporation, I have accumulated a variety of skills and unique hands-on experience in chemical and detonation-based propulsion systems, injector design, fluid dynamics, thermochemistry, optical diagnostics, and additive manufacturing. I have worked on and led projects funded by NASA, Air Force Research Lab, U.S. Space Force, and the DOD. Some of this unique experience includes:- Planning, leading, and executing multiple hot-fire test campaigns - Designing and constructing the fluid systems of a static fire test stand- Designing, cold-flowing, and hot-fire testing novel additively-manufactured injectors- Designing a modular rotating detonation rocket engine testbed and thrust stand for detonation-based propulsion studies- Developing a laser absorption spectroscopy technique to characterize injector mixing performance I have an enthusiasm for being challenged and solving complex problems, particularly those related to the cutting-edge technologies that propel us (wink wink) to an exciting future as a space-faring civilization. I take pride in being on a team and doing my job to the best of my ability to achieve a shared goal or objective. I love working with other engineers/scientists, as I am so often humbly reminded how much I can learn and grow from being in a collaborative environment with other experienced individuals. Additionally, I played football as a wide receiver at RMC for four years, and presently continue to compete in various intramural/club sports like flag football and indoor/beach volleyball. My love for being active and fitness led to me earning an ISSA personal fitness trainer certification in 2019. I also volunteer as a judge for the LA County Science Fair to help encourage future generations of scientists and engineers. :)
University Of California, Los Angeles
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Ph.D. Student Researcher - Aerospace EngineeringUniversity Of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, Ca, Us
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Ph.D. Student Researcher - Aerospace EngineeringUniversity Of California, Los Angeles Aug 2020 - PresentLos Angeles, California, United States• 5th-year graduate student researcher focused on additively-manufactured injector design for liquid rocket applications and rotating detonation engine design and operation. • Leads NASA-funded research on the design, manufacturing, and testing of novel performance-enhancing additively-manufactured injection schemes for liquid rocket engines and rotating detonation engines by utilizing SOLIDWORKS, GD&T, CFD, cold-flow testing, and project management resulting in multiple publications• Designed and constructed a liquid bi-propellant test stand for hypergolic rocket engine static hot-fire testing using various valves, fittings, and plumbing hardware, generated a PID & SOP, and created multiple LabVIEW user interfaces which controlled and monitored fluid systems and instrumentation• Generated and presented Test Readiness Reviews for multiple successful hot-fire test campaigns (which employed the aforementioned test stand) conducted at the Mojave Test Area• Developed state-of-the-art, high-resolution optical sensors to non-intrusively measure temperature, pressure, and species concentration of high-temperature gases, enabled by laser absorption spectroscopy and optical hardware -
Teaching Assistant - Aerospace EngineeringUcla Mar 2024 - Jun 2024• Led hands-on lab sessions for the UCLA Aerospace Engineering senior CAPSTONE course (MAE 157A) involving rocketry-related topics on structures, aerodynamics, manufacturing, and combustion• Managed and procured all lab supplies, assisted with lectures, and generated solution guides for lab analyses
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Chemical Propulsion InternThe Aerospace Corporation Jun 2022 - Oct 2024El Segundo, California, United States• Designed a modular methane-oxygen rotating detonation rocket engine testbed and thrust stand (from clean sheet designs) for detonation-based propulsion research capable of conducting studies on various injection schemes, AM component design, optical diagnostics, materials, and thermal management techniques• Developed an optical diagnostic experiment using laser absorption tomography (LAT) to evaluate the mixing characteristics of various shear coaxial injector designs within a gaseous methane-oxygen atmospheric burner and spatially-resolved flame structure by directly quantifying thermochemical gas properties• Designed, hot-fire tested, and assessed advanced additively-manufactured shear coaxial injector elements within a high-pressure uni-element rocket combustion chamber – these novel AM injection schemes enhanced combustion efficiency, shortened flame length, and reduced combustion instabilities -
Scientist - Hypersonic BallisticsUnited States Department Of Defense Dec 2019 - Aug 2020Dahlgren, Virginia, United States• Performed Computational Fluid Dynamics on hypersonic ballistics using ANSYS Fluent software, presented flight results to customers, and modified the ballistic models in SOLIDWORKS to improve mission performance • Executed FEA (ANSYS Mechanical) on hypersonic ballistic models to predict aerothermal heating effects -
Scientist - Beam ControlUnited States Department Of Defense Aug 2018 - Dec 2019Dahlgren, Virginia, United States• Designed computer programs and graphical user interfaces in Python, MATLAB, and Simulink in order to implement and communicate with hardware within different High Energy Laser Weapon Systems (LWS)• Characterized, implemented, and tested LWS components such as high-speed cameras, fast-steering mirrors, and FPGAs by gathering and analyzing data within MATLAB and further integrating these components into the LWS
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Optical Engineering InternNasa Goddard Space Flight Center Jun 2018 - Aug 2018Greenbelt, Maryland, United States• Utilized metrology and interferometry techniques in order to align, assemble, and test a prototype of the Thermal Infrared Composite Imaging Spectrometer (TIRCIS) optical instrument in a laboratory setting • Used an infrared (IR) light source and an IR camera to test the optical response of the instrument and an Interferometer to determine the wavefront error of the system to compare to the optical model of the system• Composed a manual on the procedures and methodologies of how to align, assemble, and test the instrument to guide future TIRCIS development plans
Alex Keller Education Details
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Aerospace Engineering
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Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
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Physics
Frequently Asked Questions about Alex Keller
What company does Alex Keller work for?
Alex Keller works for University Of California, Los Angeles
What is Alex Keller's role at the current company?
Alex Keller's current role is Ph.D. Student Researcher - Aerospace Engineering.
What schools did Alex Keller attend?
Alex Keller attended University Of California, Los Angeles, University Of California, Los Angeles, Randolph-Macon College.
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