Sean O'Byrne

Associate Professor Sean O'Byrne is a faculty member at UNSW Canberra within the School of Engineering and Information Technology. With a Ph.D. in Physics from the Australian National University, his career spans hypersonics research, laser diagnostics development, and academic leadership in aerospace engineering. His work bridges fundamental physics with practical aerospace applications, particularly in high-speed flow measurement and scramjet technology.

Dr. O'Byrne's research focuses on hypersonics and re-entry physics, laser spectroscopy applications for flow diagnostics, thermal and chemical nonequilibrium in high-speed flows, and aviation safety concerns. His laboratory specializes in advanced optical measurement techniques including tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence, and Doppler-shift velocimetry for characterizing extreme flow conditions. Current projects address hypersonic boundary layer interactions, scramjet combustion diagnostics, and novel sensor development for aerospace applications.

His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to hypersonics research since the late 1990s, with recent work emphasizing high-speed flow diagnostics, plasma-assisted ignition, and rarefied gas dynamics. The research shows strong interdisciplinary connections between fluid mechanics, optics, and aerospace engineering, with increasing focus on computational-experimental integration for hypersonic flow characterization.

• 2015 AIAA Award for best paper in plasmadynamics and lasers
• 2015 Best pitch at ACT Innovation awards for a knee implant pressure sensor
• 2013 Spitfire Defence Fellowship
• 2013 Best New Innovation at New South Innovation Awards for metallic 3D printing technology
• 2010 UNSW Canberra Rector's Teaching Award

Dr. O'Byrne maintains active collaborations with NASA Langley Research Center, international defense organizations, and industry partners in aerospace development. His teaching emphasizes research-led, project-based learning in hypersonics and microcontroller-based instrumentation. As a Senior Member of both the American Institute of Aeronautics and Aerospace and Optica society, he contributes to professional community development while maintaining strong industry connections through consulting in laser-based diagnostics and hypersonic technologies.