Rate My Professor David Gildfind

University of Queensland

#5,477 worldwide#5,365 in Australia

Engineering Space Science Aerospace Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Mechanical Engineering

4.4

5 reviews · out of 5

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Ratings & reviews

4.08/20/2025

Encourages students to think independently.

4.05/21/2025

Encourages independent and critical thought.

5.03/31/2025

Makes learning exciting and meaningful.

4.02/27/2025

Always fair, encouraging, and motivating.

5.02/5/2025

Great Professor!

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About David

Associate Professor David Gildfind serves as Director of Higher Degree Research and Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland. A graduate in aerospace engineering from RMIT University in 2001, he gained industry experience working on aircraft structures at GKN Aerospace in Melbourne (2002-2003) on A340 and A380 programs, Australian Aerospace in Brisbane (2003-2005) on DHC4 Caribou, and Stork Fokker in the Netherlands (2005-2007) on F35-JSF and Gulfstream G6 projects. He pursued his PhD at UQ, completing in 2012 with a thesis titled "Development of high total pressure scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube," followed by postdoctoral research enhancing expansion tube wind tunnel capabilities to simulate realistic scramjet flight trajectories beyond Mach 10, including free-piston driver optimization, flow condition development, and test flow characterization. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education from UQ and was appointed as a lecturer in 2014, now teaching courses in aircraft structures, design, and hypersonics.