Dr. Robert Baurle, a member of the Scientific and Professional Cadre of Senior Executives, is the Senior Scientist for Hypersonics, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He serves as the principal scientific authority and independent researcher for hypersonic systems, working to advance the maturity of technologies required by Air Force hypersonic weapons and space access platforms to enable the transition to acquisition development programs. In that role, Dr. Baurle leads the Air Force hypersonics science and technology strategy, facilitates Air Force hypersonics interests with those of other government agencies developing hypersonic technologies and advises Air Force senior leadership on hypersonic systems development.
Dr. Baurle is an Aerospace Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the research and analysis of hypersonic systems. He started his professional career with Taitech, Inc. at Wright-Patterson AFB where he led a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis group tasked with the numerical analysis of hypersonic propulsion systems. He spent the next 21 years as a research scientist at the Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion Branch of the NASA Langley Research Center where he served as the computational analysis group team lead. In this position, Dr. Baurle was responsible for coordinating the development of the branch’s CFD tools for the design and evaluation of hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems, providing subject matter expertise to national (NASA and Defense Department), air-breathing hypersonic propulsion system development programs, and providing technical oversight to in-house research activities and external research awards related to scramjet propulsion systems. Dr. Baurle has authored more than 100 technical papers on various subjects related to hypersonic technology development.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
1992 Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
1995 Doctor of Philosophy, Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. January 1996–December 2002, Research Scientist, Taitech, Inc., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. January 1997–May 1997, Adjunct Professor, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
3. January 2003–April 2024, Research Aerospace Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
4. April 2024–present, Senior Scientist, Hypersonics, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
AWARDS AND HONORS
Joint Army/Navy/NASA/Air Force Subcommittee Best Paper Awards (x5)
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Best Paper Awards (x2)
NASA Performance Awards leading to an accelerated within grade step promotion (x3)
Certificate of Recognition Awards for creative development of software for NASA (x2)
NASA Superior Accomplishment Award for outstanding achievement
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Associate Fellow (2008)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Joint Army/Navy/NASA/Air Force Interagency Propulsion Committee
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Honor Society
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society
Pi Mu Epsilon Honorary Mathematics Society
(Current as of December 2024)