MIDE Spotlight: Dr. Roy Allen

Dr. Roy Allen is a lead mechanical engineer at the UMKC Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy (MIDE). Dr. Allen’s areas of research expertise include magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, supersonic and turbulent fluid flow, aerospace propulsion, plasma physics and advising and mentoring students. We asked Dr. Allen a few questions about his experience working with MIDE since he joined our team in Fall 2019.

Question: What has been your proudest moment working with MIDE?

Dr. Allen: When people from Senator Roy Blunt’s office/Clark Hill came for a visit I was especially proud to be part of MIDE and partake in portraying the numerous things we are accomplishing here. Between the fact that sitting United States Senators were coming to visit and that Dr. Caruso himself was talking to the United States Secretary of Defense about MIDE really puts how important and invaluable what we are doing here at MIDE into perspective.

Question: What drew you to work with MIDE?

Dr. Allen: When going through the interview process I told myself, “this is it, this is your calling and chance to work with the best on a project that has such an immense and extraordinary impact in so many different ways”. Nearly all of my past educational and professional trials & experiences have prepared me for this opportunity. Thus every day I get to wake up and say, "I have my Dream Job".

BD: Name one unique thing about you most people don’t know.

"I might be one of, if not the only person, to compete on the FLW College Fishing Tour with a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering." - Dr. Allen