Nathalie Nick BSc MSc

Nathalie Nick is a Doctoral student and Berrow Lord Florey Scholar at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute in the Hypersonics Group. Her research utilises the T6 Stalker Tunnel to experimentally investigate electron number densities and non-equilibrium phenomena in hypersonic flows, for direct applications in understanding the re-entry environments experienced by space capsules during planetary entries.

Prior to joining the University of Oxford, Nathalie graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in Switzerland with a Master of Science degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

She gained professional experience at Airbus Defence & Space in Germany, Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, the French Space Agency CNES on Europe's Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana in South America, and the University of Tokyo in Japan collaborating with JAXA through research and internship positions.

• Non-equilibrium hypersonic flows
• Electron number density diagnostics
• Intrusive and non-intrusive measurement techniques in hypersonic flows
• Hypersonic aerodynamics
• Spacecraft re-entry physics
• Space engineering

Journal Papers:

Nick, N., Sato, Y. : “Computational fluid dynamics simulation of Hyperloop pod predicting laminar–turbulent transition”. Springer Journal – Railway Engineering Science (2020). Access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40534-020-00204-z

Mrazek, T., Sato, Y., Sayed, M., Nick, N. : “Investigation of shock waves reflected at the end of a Hyperloop tube”. Journal: Aerospace Science and Technology. Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2023.108379

Nick, N., Buchaillot, L. : “Probabilistic Risk Assessment: Hazard Impact Study of Safety-Critical Space Launch Events onto World Air Traffic & Creation of ADIONA Software”. Elsevier Journal “Space Safety Engineering (2024). Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsse.2024.03.006

Conference Proceeding:

Nick, N., Buchaillot, L. : “Probabilistic Risk Assessment: Hazard Impact Study of Safety-Critical Space Launch Events onto World Air Traffic & Creation of ADIONA Software“, presented at 12th IAASS International Space Safety Conference, Osaka, Japan (2023).

• Berrow Foundation Lord Florey Scholarship Award, by the Berrow Foundation, Oxford, 2023
• 2nd Place, SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, by SpaceX and the Boring Company, Hawthorne CA, 2019
• Innovation Award, SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, by SpaceX and the Boring Company, Hawthorne CA, 2019
• Multiple Awards, European Hyperloop Week, Europe, 2020-2022
• Most Potential Startup Award, Company of the Year Competition, by Zurich Insurance Group, Zurich, 2014