Sam Lock Email & Phone Number

When re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, spacecraft encounter extreme temperatures and thermal loads which necessitate the use of an ablative heat shield to ensure the survival of the capsule. Due to the radical temperatures associated with re-entry the post-shock air itself will also begin to radiate, and at re-entry speeds above 11 km/s this radiation becomes the dominant source of heat transfer to the vehicle. This research is focused on studying the radiative heating experienced by a spacecraft re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere at speeds near 13 km/s originating from the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) spectral region, with a focus on understanding the coupling effects observed between radiation and ablative phenomena. This is accomplished experimentally using the University of Queensland’s super-orbital expansion tube facility X2.

Researcher with Monash University's Laboratory for Turbulence in Aerospace and Combustion (LTRAC) focusing on experimental research into noise suppression of supersonic jets. Current research is in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University using tomographic background oriented schlieren to experimentally reconstruct the 3D density field of an exhaust jet with fluidic inserts. Prior research focused on utilising schlieren flow visualization to observe the shock leakage phenomena in screeching supersonic jets.

ENG2005 - Advanced Engineering Mathematics MAE2402 - Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

Solar physics research focusing on numerically modelling the formation of solar spicules using the magnetohydrodynamics solver 'FLASH'. The computationally expensive nature of this research required me to familiarise myself not only with supercomputer infrastructure and procedure, but with the manner in which codes are parallelised efficiently.

Melbourne, Australia

Working with the School of Mathematical Sciences (Plasma Physics) at Monash University, I was awarded a research scholarship to numerically investigate the underlying magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and formation of dynamic solar features called spicules using the multiphysics solver 'FLASH'.

As part of the aerostructures subteam, I was involved in the design and construction of the UAV Medical Express Challenge competition aircraft, specialising in composite manufacturing techniques.

Working with Optus Satellite Operations I was responsible for creating a python module facilitating the communication with and the repair of a satellite suffering onboard sensor failures. Additionally, I was also responsible for analysing satellite data and summarising outcomes in reports for senior staff members

I was a part of the Woolworths store team from 2011 to 2017. My duties involved customer service across the full range of customer facing retail duties at Woolworths Balwyn Victoria.

Bachelor Of Aerospace Engineering (Honours) And Bachelor Of Science, First Class Honours (H1)

Science Majors: Astrophysics, Applied Mathematics Honours Year Research Thesis: 'The Development of Tools and Techniques.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Aerospace, Aeronautical And Astronautical/Space Engineering