Samuel Riordan

I'm a third-year Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at the University of Canterbury, with six years of trade experience behind me before I got here. In 2021 I was named New Zealand's Electrical Apprentice of the Year, working across automation, control, and process industries, experience that has shaped me into a detail-oriented person, comfortable on a workshop floor, quick to diagnose faults under pressure, and rarely settling for anything less than exceptional.

I currently serve as President of UC Aerospace, coordinating an executive team and project workstreams across hybrid rocket motors, fixed-wing UAVs, and Level 1 rocketry, alongside building partnerships with industry and aerospace bodies. I've organised our lecture series, which has included speakers from various engineering disciplines and aerospace companies across the world. I also assist in running outreach events that have put rocketry in front of more than 100 school students.

Technically, I'm drawn to RF systems and PCB design. I'm currently building an RF tracking system for UC Aerospace's aircraft/rockets which I hope to develop fully by the end of 2026, developing this between my commitments to my study and my role within UC Aerospace.

My goal is to make a meaningful difference to Aotearoa's aerospace sector through both electrical engineering and utilising my skills learned in leadership, which I've come to find genuinely rewarding.

Outside of that, I'm usually outdoors somewhere in the South Island, riding my motorcycle, hiking/camping or watching the latest motorsport race!