School of Engineering

Prof Michael Brooks

Associate Professor

Professor Michael Brooks is the co-founder of th Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) and the Group for Solar Energy Thermodynamics (GSET). He earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Natal, followed by MScEng and PhD degrees from Stellenbosch University. 
 
His research interests include thermal management systems, solar radiometry and rocket propulsion. He is a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a member of the AIAA Terrestrial Energy Systems Technical Committee and a recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship as visiting researcher to the University of Florida in 2007. He is a registered Professional Engineer and a member of the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE)

Research interests

  • Aerospace propulsion and thermal management systems  
  • Fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics 
  • Renewable energy and
  • Solar thermal conversion systems 
  • Solar radiometry