Rate My Professor Simon Draffin

Simon Draffin serves as Engineer Network Design in the Information Technology Services Division at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. He is part of the Network Services team, focusing on network infrastructure design and support for the university's operations.

In October 2024, Simon Draffin contributed to revolutionizing remote communication for the University of Otago's research vessel, Polaris II, by implementing Starlink satellite technology. He explained that prior satellite systems used geostationary satellites more than 35,000 kilometers away, necessitating the dish to aim at a fixed sky point, which was challenging in rolling waves, and resulting in high latency, slow speeds, limited data, and high costs. Starlink's low-Earth orbit satellites provide reliable high-speed internet. The installation was straightforward, involving cabling, power connections, drilling for brackets, and assistance from the Property and Campus Development engineering team.