Past Graduates from the School of Mechanical Engineering
Stewart Jones - Mechanical Engineering Graduate
Studying Mechanical Engineering at The University of Adelaide
opened my eyes to the real world practical uses of my studies as well
as learning academic and research skills.
There is plenty of peer and teacher support and the facilities
are excellent.
With a degree in mechanical engineering I hope to research and
develop alternate fuel vehicles.
Watch a video of Stewart describing the impact he is making with his degree.
Andrew Thomas - NASA Astronaut
 Dr Thomas was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1951. An alumnus
of the University of Adelaide, he graduated with First Class Honours in
Mechanical Engineering in 1973 and received a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 1978.
In 1977 he joined Lockheed
Aeronautical Systems Company in Georgia, US, as a research scientist.
In 1987 he became manager of Lockheed's Flight Sciences Division and
directed the technical efforts in vehicle aerodynamics, flight controls
and propulsion systems that supported the company's fleet of production
aircraft.
In 1989, Dr Thomas moved to Pasadena, California, to join the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
and shortly afterwards was appointed leader of their NASA-sponsored
program which conducted research to support the development of the
space flight hardware for future Space Shuttle missions.
In 1992, Dr Thomas was selected for astronaut training by NASA, and a year later was appointed a member of the astronaut corps.
In May 1996 he took his first flight into space as the payload commander and mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Dr Thomas made three subsequent trips into space, including a space walk and an extended stay on the Russian MIR Space Station.
Dr Thomas has received numerous awards for his contribution to the exploration of space, including South Australian of the Year and a Centenary of Federation Medal. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia.
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