Our People
Our team are highly specialized experts within their respective fields.
At AOE we have fun working together and are particularly excited to share our passion for solving novel offshore engineering problems.
Matteo Bartolini B.Eng, M.Eng
Graduate Subsea Engineer
Matteo is a recent graduate with a Master’s in energy engineering from Sapeinza University. His interest lies in power generation from both renewable and non-renewable sources, as well as thermofluid dynamics and electrical transmission. Matteo’s Thesis included ThermoFluid dynamic analysis. He joined Aurora Offshore Engineering early in 2024 and is eagerly applying his engineering skills to solving real life problems in the renewable energy sector.
Claire Bisgood
Finance Manager
Claire is a Finance Manager with over ten years of experience working with various service industry entities. She enjoys working with smaller businesses which requires a broad working knowledge of the business and were she can take ownership of the business accounting function. Claire has a background in tax accounting and exploration geology and has found working for a growing scientific focused business such as Aurora, exciting and challenging.
Daniel Carneiro DSc, MSc, BEng, MIEAust, M.ASME
Operations Manager / Principal Engineer – Seabed Geotechnics
Liang Cheng Prof, FTSE
Principal Engineer – Hydrodynamics
Prior to relocating to China in 2022, Liang was a Winthrop professor of fluid dynamics at The University of Western Australia (UWA), with more than 20 years’ experience in research and specialist consulting work. Liang’s research areas cover fundamental fluid mechanics, flow/structure interactions, sediment transport, physical and numerical modelling of flow/structure/foundation interaction problems. vortex-induced vibrations (motions) of offshore structures, hydrodynamic forces on offshore structures, local scour around subsea structures, sediment transport, pipeline scour/self-burial, pipeline stability and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling of flow/structure interactions. Liang has published more than 200 technical papers in these research areas. Liang has also been working closely with the oil and gas industry, providing specialist consulting services for various offshore oil and gas projects. He is the leader of a research team that has developed new design methods for stability design of pipelines on erodible seabeds.
Jay completed his Master of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Plymouth, obtaining First Class Honours. He gained experience working for an engineering consultancy predominantly focusing on civil, geotechnical and coastal projects. Jay’s interest in renewable energy developed through the coastal aspect of his course, with his dissertation focusing on a feasibility study of offshore renewable energy resources for small islands. Jay moved to Australia for an adventure, joining the team in November 2022.
Beth D’Sylva
HR Manager
Beth’s background is in primary teaching but has been working in Human Resources for the last five years. She previously worked in a boutique consultancy specialising in providing holistic human resources for small to medium businesses in Australia. Beth worked with AOE in 2021 as a consultant and is really happy to have joined the team in 2022.
Scott Draper DPhil, BEng (Hons), BCom
Principal Engineer- Scour
Scott is an Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia (UWA), with 11 years of experience in research and specialist consulting work. Scott’s research areas cover fundamental fluid mechanics, flow/structure interaction, marine renewable energy, scour and sediment transport. He works actively on both physical and numerical modelling of flow/structure/foundation interaction problems. Scott has published more than 150 technical papers and his research has been adopted in the hydrocarbon and marine renewable energy industries. Prior to joining Aurora as a consultant he worked for approximately 4 years with Fugro in Perth as a specialist consultant in scour. He has lead-authored a new design guideline for the stability design of subsea pipelines and has been a member of several Joint Industry Projects.
Patrick Eastwood
Subsea Engineering Intern
Patrick completed his Bachelor of Environmental Engineering at Murdoch University in 2020 and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Oceanography at UWA. In November 2024, he joined Aurora Offshore Engineering as an intern, eager to enhance his engineering and problem-solving skills within the renewable energy sector. Outside of his professional pursuits, Patrick enjoys spending his spare time outdoors, particularly hiking and spending time at the beach.
Vidya Gandhimathinathan
Subsea Engineering Intern
Vidya is a second-year Environmental Engineering student at the University of Western Australia (UWA), passionate about environmental sustainability and innovative problem-solving. Originally from India , she moved to Australia in 2023 to pursue her degree. Previously, Vidya was selected for and participated in workshops and projects on circular economy and marine pollution in Belgium and Estonia. She joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in August 2024, excited to develop her skills and be part of a world transitioning toward renewable energy and sustainability.
Andrea Graiani BSc
Graduate Marine Scientist
Terry Griffiths PhD, BSc, BE (Hons), MIEAust, CPEng
Director / Principal Engineer – Cable Response
Terry is a mechanical engineer with over 25 years’ experience in pipeline, subsea facilities and cables engineering including in Australia, Asia and the North Sea. He has been involved in the full life cycle from conceptual, FEED and detailed design to operational integrity studies, including design, costing, construction support and consultancy engineering. He has also been involved in a number of research and development projects extending the boundaries of existing industry knowledge, including the STABLEpipe JIP which has developed new design methods for stability design of pipelines on erodible seabeds. In 2022, Terry completed his PhD at UWA focusing on research into the behaviour of cables on rocky seabeds. Terry now also has an Adjunct Assoc. Prof. role at UWA supporting the university with both teaching and researching.
Samantha Hoekstra B.Ocean Eng (1st Class Hon)
Graduate Subsea Engineer
Samantha completed her Bachelor of Ocean Engineering at AMCin 2023, where she obtained First Class . She won SUT’s Digital Automation in Engineering Scholarship for 2022-2023. Samantha joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in August 2023 as an intern before starting as a Graduate in February 2024. Samantha is excited to apply her developing engineering skills to assisting in solving real life problems in the renewable energy sector.
Paisley Illingworth
Admin Assistant
Paisley is currently pursuing a business certification and joined Aurora in November 2024 as an Administrative Assistant. With a strong background in both administration and customer service, Paisley excels at delivering organized, efficient support. She is passionate about fostering a positive environment for colleagues and clients alike. Known for her approachable and friendly demeanor, she is committed to building strong, lasting relationships through exceptional service. Whether tackling new challenges or streamlining daily operations, Paisley approaches every task with a positive attitude and a willingness to go the extra mile.
Jack Jorgensen B.Eng (1st Class Hon), MIEAust
Subsea Engineer
Piers Larcombe PhD MSc BSc
Principal Marine Geoscientist / Sedimentologist
William is pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) at the University of Western Australia, where he is particularly passionate about hydrodynamics and sustainability. He joined our team as an intern in 2024 during his third year of study. With a strong enthusiasm for applying his skills to tackle real-world engineering challenges, William is dedicated to making a positive impact through innovative solutions.
Henriette is currently studying a Master of Ocean Leadership at UWA. She completed a BSc in Life Science and Technology from Delft University of Technology and Ledien University in 2023. Henriette is especially passionate about ocean conservation and coastal hazard prevention. She enjoys working towards making the world a better place and is excited to apply her developing skills toward real life problems in the renewable energy sector.
Nicholas completed his Master of Professional Engineering at UWA in 2021. He is a mechanical engineer with experience in design, research, risk mitigation, numerical modelling and simulation. Nic has experience in hydrodynamics and interface management with a focus to inform structural design and reduce project risk. He has a passion for the ocean and enjoys solving problems to find the most economical and sustainable solution.
Adele is a subsea engineer with over 5 years’ experience in research and analysis in environmental fluid dynamics. She completed her PhD in physical oceanography in 2024 where she described new types of coastal internal waves in the Bay of Biscay and quantified the cross-shelf transport the internal waves can generate. Adele joined the team at Aurora in 2024 after defending her PhD and is already applying her experience and skills to solving real life engineering problems.
Susie Muir
Subsea Engineering Intern
Susie is a second year Engineering and Finance student at the University of Western Australia. She joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in May 2023 and is excited to apply her developing engineering skills to assist in solving real life problems in the renewable energy sector.
Isla Oliver BSc (1st Class Hon) MSc
Graduate Marine Scientist
Isla completed her Master of Biological Science degree at the University of Western Australia in 2022. Throughout her degree, Isla worked with the Australian Institute of Marine Science for her thesis, investigating spatial patterns in the trophic ecology of mesopredatory fish in coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. She joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in January 2023 and is excited to apply her knowledge of marine science and ecology to the renewable energy sector.
Hector Paturau BSc MPE
Graduate Subsea Engineer
Hector has completed his Master of Professional Engineering majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Western Australia. Hector completed his master’s thesis researching the influence of canted winglets used on hydrofoils through numerical simulations. He has continuously worked during his time at university in order to reinforce his professional and technical skills. He has experience in the mining, aerospace and defence industry. Hector has developed a passion for coastal and offshore engineering. He commenced his career at Aurora Offshore Engineering as a graduate engineer in 2021.
Jasper Paterson BSc
Software Engineering Intern
Jasper has a Bachelor of Science, Software Engineering from UWA and has almost completed his Masters of Professional Engineering at the University of Western Australia. Jasper won a CEED scholarship and has been working with the Aurora team as an intern for the remainder of 2024. He has been applying his software engineering skills in the renewable energy sector while completing his post graduate studies.
Anna Peryer
Subsea Engineering Intern
Anna is a second year Energy Engineering student at Curtin University. She joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in November 2023 and is looking forward to applying her developing engineering skills to assist in solving real life problems in the renewable energy sector.
Fabrizio Pistani PhD MEng (1st Class Hon)
Engineering Manager / Principal Engineer – Floating Systems
Fabrizio is a Mechanical Engineer with a Ph.D. in Naval Hydrodynamics and 20+ years of experience in hydrodynamics, engineering and design of mooring systems, offshore operations, lifts and installations, analysis of flexible risers, offshore support and planning of operations and installation of mooring systems with some of the main international consultancy engineering companies. He has an extensive background of Research in naval hydrodynamics, design and execution of model experiments and data analysis, having worked as Research Scientist for Italian Institute of Marine Engineering, INM-INSEAN and the University of Western Australia. Author of 30+ scientific papers and presentation to conferences.
Cesare Primultini BSc, MSc
Graduate Subsea Engineer
Cesare is a recent Masters Graduate in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich with a focus on renewable energies, machine learning and optimization. He recently relocated to Australia to join the Aurora Offshore Engineering team and is eager to apply his engineering skills toward contributing to the renewable energy sector.
Marie-Lise Schläppy BSc Hons, MSc, PhD
Principal Marine Ecologist
Yunfei Teng PhD
Subsea Engineer – Hydrodynamics
Yunfei is a Coastal and Offshore engineer with over 5 years’ experience in research and analysis of pipeline and cables engineering including in Australia and Asia. He has been involved in leading-edge research into the hydrodynamic forces on small diameter pipelines and cables above rough beds, and has developed significant expertise in data analysis and interpretation. He has recently completed his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Liang Cheng.
Bryan Thurstan BE
Principal Subsea Engineer
Feifei Tong PhD, Civil Engineer
Subsea Engineer
Feifei Tong is a casual Subsea Engineer at Aurora Offshore Engineering. He is interested in the flow of fluids and their impact on structures and the environment. Feifei has been developing tools and utilises supercomputing in addressing industrial needs. Feifei enjoys sharing and learning through collaborating, writing and teaching at work. While not at work, Feifei likes to read with his two curious children. Their current favourite book is ‘100 Things to Know about Science’.
Aaron Toth
Survey Intern
Aaron is currently in his final year studying a Bachelor of Surveying at Curtin University. He joined Aurora Offshore Engineering in July 2024 and is excited to apply a variety of survey techniques to assist the Aurora team in their projects.