Connor MacRobbie

Contact

cmacrobb@mtu.edu
906-487-2142

Adjunct Assistant Teaching Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

PhD. Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
MASc. Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
BASc. Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo

Biography

Dr. Connor MacRobbie joined the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department in 2026
as an adjunct teaching professor. His previous research experience includes studying in-situ
resource utilization for lunar technology development. Specifically, he has conducted extensive research on the use of lunar regolith simulants to create energetic thermite materials for energy generation and construction on the lunar surface. He has also conducted parabolic flight experiments to evaluate the effects of gravity on microfluidic systems and lunar regolith beneficiation methods. Other areas of research include underwater combustion using hydrophobic thermite materials and the design of space food systems to increase mission longevity.

Research Interests

In-situ resource utilization
Reduced gravity experimentation
Lunar regolith processing
Thermite reactions
Alternative energy systems
Space food systems

Areas of Expertise

Space Systems
Combustion
Material Science

Recent Publications

MacRobbie, C. J., Wang, A., Assi, N., and Wen, J. Z. (2026). Improved in-situ lunar construction via energetic multi-fuel thermite reactions. Space Habitation, 100052.
MacRobbie, C. J., Wang, A., Hickey, J. P., and Wen, J. Z. (2025). In-situ thermite combustion of micro magnesium fuel and lunar regolith simulant nanoparticles. Fuel, 382, 133722.
Wang, A., MacRobbie, C. J., Baranovsky, A., Hickey, J. P., and Wen, J. Z. (2024). Microstructure and energetic characteristics of direct ink printed polymer-free rGO/nanothermite aerogel. Carbon, 216, 118596.
MacRobbie, C. J., Wang, A., and Wen, J. Z. (2025). How Metal Oxides Change the Reaction Characteristics of Nanothermites. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 129(5), 2429-2440.
MacRobbie, C. J., Assi, N., Ehling, J., Wang, A., and Wen, J. Z. (2025). Superhydrophobic Nanoenergetic Combustion for Underwater Cavity Generation. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 17(9), 14537-14548.
Assi, N., Wang, A., MacRobbie, C. J., Hickey, J. P., and Wen, J. Z. (2025). High-yield selective extraction of metal iron from JSC-1A using molten salt electrolysis. Separation and Purification Technology, 135614.