Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Centre
Established by RMIT University in 1991 the Wackett Aerospace Centre aims to create new intellectual property in partnership with industry, through fundamental and applied research in aerospace related science and technologies. The Wackett Aerospace Centre is a major participant in the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures Limited (CRC-ACS), Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC), and is the DSTO Centre of Expertise in Aerodynamic Loading (CoE-AL). In addition, the Centre is a designated design organisation by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia under Civil Aviation Regulations 30.
The Wackett Aerospace Centre has over twenty academic staff, who are supported by a large number of research scientists and engineers, PhD students, and intern students. Current research activities encompass four technology areas: advanced aerospace materials structures, through-life support technologies and multifunctional systems, unmanned air vehicles and complex dynamic systems, and Aerospace Design. Researchers at the Wackett Aerospace Centre come from several schools, including the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, the School of Mathematics and Geospatial Sciences and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
With the guidance and support of its Advisory Board, comprising senior executives of aerospace companies and Government entities, the Centre has established very close collaborations with industry partners and is now recognised as a leading research centre in Aerospace and related technologies. The Wackett Aerospace Centre also runs, in conjunction with Memko, a very active continuing education and training program for the Australia aerospace industry and government agencies.