John Palmore Jr. is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, though his educational background is in aerospace engineering. His research has historically been motivated by aerospace propulsion. His work concerns the engineering sciences that underpin how engines work, including fluid dynamics, combustion and heat transfer. He approaches the problem from theoretical and computational strategies rather than experiments. Compared to most engineers, his work involves a much higher degree of mathematics, which is used both to develop theories and to create new computational algorithms. He is also engaged in the formal study of engineering education.