Thomas Mcclure Email & Phone Number

Burlingame, California, United States

Helping to re-architect the native C++ software on industrial X-Ray machines.

San Mateo, California, United States

Supported development of a data postprocessing and presentation service that connects the results generated by a physical simulation tool with a web application based user interface. Simulation results are processed using a service written in c++ and the web application uses React/Typescript. Notable accomplishments include:Implemented user-defined functions (UDFs) that allow users to specify custom outputs by directly entering mathematical expressions that define the quantities of interest. Upgraded existing aerodynamic force direction calculations (e.g. lift, drag, side-force) for compatibility with a new reference frame format that allows for multiple moving reference frames. This involved instating a new standard for defining body orientation with respect to the global reference frame and migrating all calculations involving a body orientation (e.g. flow direction using angles of attack and side slip) to the new standard across the platform.Added a new convergence criterion to serve as a stop condition for terminating the simulation, as well as plotting tools that allow users to visualize simulation convergence and tune of convergence criteria for future simulations.

Foster City, California, United States

Developed automated pipeline to generate simulated scenarios, interface with cloud computing platform to parallelize simulation execution, analyze simulation results, and integrate with MySQL database to generate and track vehicle performance reports.Built tool set that allows for automated data analysis of vehicle logs. Versatile format allows for extraction of highly customizable metrics and data visualization, enabling simplified and intuitive comparisons between tests/simulations that may have occurred at different times and for different durations.

Mountain View, California, United States

Working with the ExCALiBR (Extractor for Chemical Analysis of Lipid Biomarkers in Regolith) machine learning team, I implemented a convolutional neural network (CNN) image classifier to determine the origin of a lipid sample using gas chromatograph – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data. I also formulated pre-processing algorithms integrating open source and commercial software to prepare GC-MS data for clustering analysis.I also led extraction chamber subsystem design and testing for ExCALiBR. I designed mechanical system, constructed electrical circuitry, and wrote data acquisition and processing scripts to enable efficient component characterization testing.

As engineering lead for the Hercules Transportation System demonstrator team, we developed a vehicle showcasing the spacecraft’s takeoff, landing, and payload separation capability. Using electric ducted fans for propulsion, our quadrotor model was able to take off and land safely. The nose section then detached from the main vehicle and moved to another location to simulate delivery of a payload.https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/vab/vab-projects/hercules/

Columbia, Missouri Area

Work was focused on the development of an Electro-Wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) enhanced condensing surface with reduced liquid accumulation for applications in a microgravity environment. I collaborated with other members of the lab to design and build a testbed EWOD experiments on the "Vomit Comet," an aircraft that undergoes parabolic maneuvers to simulate a microgravity environment. I also conducted EWOD experiments for water condensation applications in the lab and wrote image processing software using c++/CUDA and MATLAB to quantify experimental data.

Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Fl

As a part of the OSCAR (Orbital Syngas Commodity Augmentation Reactor) team, I designed and 3D printed custom fixturing components for a drop tower microgravity testbed. I also assisted in assembly, wiring, and validation of the system in preparation for microgravity demonstrations.

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

In the inlets and nozzles branch, I modified the source code for FUN3D (a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) flow solver) to include a new model for adding rotor source terms, which more accurately simulate the effect of an electric ducted fan on air flow through an aircraft engine. The new model, called Body Force, can improve the accuracy of PAI (propulsion airframe integration) simulations, and can also be interfaced with a rotor blade geometry optimizer to automatically optimize rotor blades for individual BLI (boundary layer ingestion) applications.

Washington, Missouri

I designed a custom machine using Autodesk Inventor to automate assembly of sensor bulbs for Thermostatic Expansion Valves (TEVs). I then produced technical drawings, for fabrication and assembly and worked closely with technicians to assemble, wire, program, and test the machine. I also took a leadership role in the consolidation of two manufacturing cells, involving a Kaizen event to characterize footprint and equipment requirements, development of a new workflow concept and cell layout, and integration of the cell into the plant's material handling infrastructure.

Columbia, Missouri Area

Summer job at South Farm in the corn genetics area. Sprayed herbicides to prevent weeds from growing in corn fields, and manually hoed fields of research corn that could not be sprayed with herbicides.

Columbia, Missouri

> Amplified DNA fragments (genes encoding a desired proteins) using PCR (polymerase chain reaction)> Incorporated DNA fragments onto a plasmid (circular DNA strand) and inserted them into e. coli bacteria (transformation via heat shock and electroporation)> Induced bacteria to over-express desired proteins, then purified the proteins using HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography)> Transcribed and purified RNA fragments in vitro for protein synthesis experiments

Master Of Science - Ms, Aerospace, Aeronautical And Astronautical Engineering

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering, Senior

Graduated summa cum laude in 2019 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics.