Tristan Vanyai

Dr. Tristan Vanyai is a Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland, affiliated with the Centre for Hypersonics in the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland in 2018, after completing a double degree in Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering with First Class Honours and Bachelor of Science from Monash University in 2012. Vanyai's research specializes in hypersonic propulsion, aerodynamics, combustion visualisation, and laser diagnostics, utilizing experimental facilities like the T4 Stalker Tube and numerical simulations. His work investigates fundamental aspects of the scramjet cycle, focusing on robust combustion in low intake compression scramjets through techniques such as thermal compression, which is essential for hypersonic accelerator vehicles.

Vanyai has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications advancing hypersonic research. Key works include 'The overestimation of O radicals in shock tunnel test flows and its effect on supersonic combustion' (2025, Aerospace Science and Technology), 'A supercritical ethylene fuel injection system for the T4 hypersonic test facility' (2025, Aerospace Science and Technology), 'Supersonic boundary-layer combustion of hydrogen with porous and multi-porthole injector array injection' (2025, AIAA Journal), 'The effect of leading edge bluntness on scramjet performance' (2024, Aerospace Science and Technology), 'OH visualization of ethylene combustion modes in the exhaust of a fundamental, supersonic combustor' (2021, Combustion and Flame), 'Thermal compression effects within a fundamental, hydrogen-fuelled scramjet' (2021, Aerospace Science and Technology), and 'Fundamental scramjet combustion experiments using hydrocarbon fuel' (2019, Journal of Propulsion and Power). His research receives funding from the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research (2025-2029), ARC Discovery Projects (2025-2028), and others. Vanyai supervises PhD students on topics including thermal compression scramjet performance, supercritical ethylene injection, and access-to-space propulsion systems. He teaches courses such as ENGG4552 and AERO4200.

Professional Email: t.vanyai@uq.edu.au