Prof. Sam Rodkey

Education

• MS, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University (2007)
• BS, Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University (2005)

Research Interests

• Rocket and Gas Turbine Engine Propulsion
• Aircraft and Spacecraft System Design and Optimization
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
• Data-Driven Methods and Machine Learning for Engineering
• Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Heat Transfer

Teaching

• ME3321 - Fluid Mechanics
• ME3145 - Thermal/Fluids Laboratory

Experience

Mr. Rodkey joined Baylor after 20 years in engineering across aerospace, manufacturing, and software industries. At Blue Origin, he developed modeling and simulation tools for multiple rocket engine programs including the BE-3 and BE-4 engines and contributed to the New Shepard and New Glenn reusable launch vehicles. At SpaceX, he led a software engineering team developing automation systems to ingest, process, and store engine test data and generate predictions for Falcon 9 launches. He served as technical subject matter expert responsible for engine system-level simulation and performance prediction, ensuring the accuracy of modeling and analysis for both the Merlin and Raptor engines. At Freeform Future Corporation, he architected the machine learning data pipeline for one of the world's most sophisticated metal additive manufacturing systems, enabling high-quality production at unprecedented speeds. Most recently, he has consulted for numerous startups in the space launch, power generation, and software industries. He currently lives in Waco with his wife and two children.