"I remember attending the inaugural OAE reception in 1999 as an undergraduate AAE student. It was a wonderful event, and I was so excited to be in the same room with those amazing alumni! I am incredibly humbled to be able to add my name to this list.”
Nicole Key has advanced experimental turbomachinery research through major contributions to compressor and fan aerodynamics, aeromechanics, and high‑fidelity measurement methods.
Her work has shaped industry understanding of primary and secondary flow physics, stall mechanisms, and forced‑response phenomena across axial and centrifugal compressors. She established several of Purdue’s main experimental propulsion facilities, including a high‑speed fan research rig and multiple compressor testbeds at Zucrow Laboratories, enabling high‑resolution flowfield measurements using additive‑manufactured instrumentation.
Key has collaborated extensively with industry and government partners, including Rolls‑Royce, Honeywell, ONR, and NASA, providing data and methods that support propulsion system design and validation. Her research has produced a substantial publication record across archival journals, conference proceedings, and technical studies, along with service as Associate Editor for both the ASME Journal of Turbomachinery and the AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power.
Key has also held significant leadership roles in multi‑institutional research efforts, such as directing the Purdue‑based Compressor Research Center for Rolls‑Royce, and serving as incoming Director of the GUIde VIII Aeromechanics Consortium, a partnership spanning major aerospace companies and NASA.
Beyond research, Key has supported talent development by advising more than 50 graduate students and many undergraduates. She contributes to the profession through ASME and AIAA. Key has also served on NASA’s Aeronautics Advisory Committee.