Andrew Alder Email & Phone Number

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand

Argo Navis Aerospace was a startup aiming to develop a novel chemical propulsion system focused on achieving an unmatched combination of performance, scalability, reliability and cost. As the 2nd employee I contributed to discussions on strategic direction, overall system design, and test facility design. I had a wide range of responsibilities and projects. Notable individual work:- Developed a 6DOF vehicle simulation in C++* to understand propulsion system performance for prospective vehicle trajectories. Validated the simulation with extensive unit tests.- Created automated hot fire data tagging and analysis tools in Python* to speed up insights and allow for faster iteration.- Lead thermodynamic modelling and experimental validation of a system component: numerical thermodynamic simulation in Python*; designed and built test apparatus; characterisation of test rig uncertainty; sensor wiring to NI DAQ system; created a GUI in Python with PyQt; planned and conducted test campaign to understand the component and validate numerical model.- Undertook procurement of certain propulsion test instrumentation after extensive research.- Conducted conceptual design and analysis of a number of test stand systems.- Designed a sensor system in Solidworks utilising EPDM for manufacture and installation. Soldered electrical components and cable managed for installation.- High-level system performance and design trades in Python* to inform system requirements.- Performed basic structural analysis of the propulsion system.- Conducted literature reviews and patent searches.- Interpreted a range of different regulations to ensure compliance.* Note: all coding projects used Git for version control and TeamCity for CI.

Wellington, New Zealand

I was brought into the Space Policy and Regulatory Systems team at MBIE on a fixed term basis to gain exposure to New Zealand’s space sector and provide a technical perspective. The team is responsible for developing New Zealand’s space policy (e.g. joining the Artemis Accords), maintaining and administering regulations (Outer Space and High-altitudes Activities Act 2017), and cultivating New Zealand’s space sector (e.g. through international partnership with the German Aerospace Centre).- I gave a number of technical presentations to the team.- I organised a research collaboration workshop between New Zealand industry and academics and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) on advanced optical communications.- I assisted with policy development on NZ’s decision to join the Artemis Accords.- I assisted with policy and organisation of MBIE’s involvement in MethaneSAT - an advanced methane-monitoring satellite. New Zealand is developing the Mission Operation Controls Centre for MethaneSAT.

Mountain View

- I was selected as one of four New Zealanders (out of several hundred applicants) to work at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. - I was part of the Intelligent Systems Division designing a sensor placement strategy for a novel flexible aircraft wing. - I used Matlab to implement a sensor placement algorithm that determined the minimum number of degrees of freedom required to accurately measure the first three wing bending modes.- I presented a poster on my work at the NASA Ames Poster Symposium.- I subsequently co-authored a paper as well (Mode-based Sensing and Actuation Techniques for Multi-objective Flexible Aircraft Control) which was presented at the AIAA SciTech conference in Florida 2020.

Auckland, New Zealand

- Through a University of Auckland research contract, I worked as an engineer on a knee rehabilitation smart device, Digital Knee. It is the flagship product for OPUM which is now a venture capital backed start-up. - I was in charge of developing the first iteration of the device analytics, including creating the activity classification and step detection algorithms. - Conducted market research and a literature review to understand the capabilities of similar devices.- I used Matlab to prototype algorithms and C++ to implement them on the embedded system. - I also created rigs (using laser cutting and 3D printing) to test the device and inform decisions around optimal sensor placement. - I designed and implemented a testing regime to verify the efficacy of the device and its algorithms (and first authored four conference proceedings produced from these tests).- I also began to perform product demonstrations of the prototype for potential customers (surgeons and physiotherapists). - Overall, in seven months I worked with the small team to help create a minimum viable product ready to begin rolling out for initial customer use.

Auckland, New Zealand

- I created and validated an inverse dynamic model of a pediatric robotic gait trainer to be used as a feedback linearisation controller.- Using Lagrangian dynamics I derived the equations of motion of the 5-bar linkage gait trainer.- I simulated the system in Matlab, including creating a 2D animation.- I developed an accurate "truth" model with Matlab's Simscape Multibody to validate the mathematical model.- Using LabView I began to incorporate the inverse dynamic model into a feedback linearisation controller.

Master Of Science, Aerospace Engineering, 4.0 / 4.0

Activities and Societies: NZ Fulbright Science and Innovation Award- Specialisation: Astrodynamics and Satellite Navigation - Took courses.

Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program

- An intensive interdisciplinary course with a cohort of international space professionals. - Covers a range of topics including space.

Bachelor Of Engineering With First Class Honours - Be (Hons), Mechanical Engineering

- Graduated 1st in my class. - I took a range of courses in thermodynamics, fluids, vibrations, dynamics, control systems, manufacturing.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Philosophy

High School, International Baccalaureate

Activities and Societies: School Prefect, Chairperson of the Events and Hosting Committee, 1st XI Football Team