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I have a BSc in applied physics from Melbourne University (1993), a BE in mech engineering from UWA (1997) and a PhD in aerospace/mechanical engineering from The University of Queensland (2012).

I was the Australian and Reentry System lead for the Mars Gravity Biosatellite project (2003-2013) which involved MIT and the University of Washington and worked to test the effect of martian level gravity on mice inside a small spinning Earth orbitting satellite.  I was a Computational Fluid Dynamics consultant with BMT-WBM in Brisbane for 5 or so years, working with clients to model industrial processes such as sewage flows, vibrating screen slurries and exploding coal dust by pioneering use of OpenFOAM.  My PhD involved experimental and computational simulation of the ablation from sacrificial heat shields using  (at the time) the world's largest expansion tube wind tunnel.

I became a stay at home Dad in 2011 and have been developing software (Java, Go, Rust, Pony) and toying with electromechanical designs for a few consumer devices.  I'm looking to learn more about the R&D and startup scene in Perth, and enjoy being creative and entrepreneurial.

Link to Research profile: https://www.socrates.uwa.edu.au/Staff/StaffProfile.aspx?Person=WeiLiu

As Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, Prof Dell has changed the profile of engineering education and research at the University of Western Australia, dramatically changing the education model and focussing the research to be more industry focussed and collaborative between disciplines.

Prof Dell joined the Faculty in 1994, after working for 10 years in industry developing technologies for optoelectronics at Telecom Research Laboratories in Australia and space radiation effects at Matra Marconi Space Systems (now EADS) in France. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty in 2010.

Prof Dell has more than 300 refereed publications. John’s work has resulted in the awarding of a number of US and Australian defence contracts. He is also a co-inventor of a number of patented device structures and fabrication technologies. He is joint winner of the inaugural DSTO/Australia Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Support of Defence or National Security. This technology is now being developed for real-time analysis of soil properties for agriculture, as well as applications in food science, defence and medicine.

John has a strong commitment to research and teaching and believes strongly that the nexus between the two is essential, particularly in developing new ways to inspire and educate future engineers. He is particularly interested in developing leadership in students and graduates, and an understanding that solutions are not only technical but have social, economic and cultural dimensions that need to be taken into account.

Research development advisor. 

I work with the researchers across the faculty to develop research opportunities, projects and programs of work.