Bio
BioDr. Paul Burke is a computational physicist and an international expert in multiphase fluid dynamics in variable gravity environments. He has applied his expertise to study ocean worlds, astrobiology, human space exploration, and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Dr. Burke’s work has used data from or directly supported multiple interplanetary missions, including NASA’s Europa Clipper and the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE). His fluid modeling has supported the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII). Dr. Burke has developed computational fluid dynamic models of molten lunar regolith electrolysis, leading an LSII investigation into the extraction of oxygen and metals from lunar regolith. He has modeled planetary defense systems, astrodynamics, chaotic systems, spacecraft instruments, laser ablation, and human systems, including aortic blood flow. Dr. Burke teaches and develops computational fluid dynamics curriculum for ÃØÃÜÖ±²¥ University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Notable Awards and Leadership
Notable Awards and LeadershipYear(s) | Description |
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Year(s) 2023 - Present | Description Member, NASA’s Fundamental Physics Program Analysis Group |
Year(s) 2023 | Description Awarded the Space Exploration Sector Quick Innovation (SESQuI) Grant (proposal title: Using Optical Flow to Characterize the Velocity Field of DART’s Impact Plume) |
Year(s) 2022 | Description Journal article selected as one of 50 best papers published in the Energy Research Area, Nature Communications |
Year(s) 2021 | Description Texas A&M Ph.D. Graduate Excellence Full-Tuition Fellowship |
Year(s) 2020 - 2021 | Description Volunteer, Letters to a Pre-Scientist (nonprofit organization encouraging STEM education in low-income K-12 schools) |
Year(s) 2020 | Description Paper selected as winner of the National Academies’ Idea Competition for the Symposium on Imagining the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education |
Year(s) 2019 | Description 1st place in the graduate and undergraduate division of the 2019 International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) Poster Competition |
Year(s) 2019 - Present | Description Member, Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) |