I recently graduated from UCSC with a Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering. Over the course of my four years in university, I completed multiple mechatronics projects, both individual and in teams, to design and build systems to solve specific problems.In my Mechatronics project, my team built an autonomous robot that completed certain tasks. Through this project, I learned how to program with C and create embedded systems using the PIC32 microcontroller, sensor integration, and protocol debugging hardware to create a robust system. I also learned how to build electrical systems by prototyping in breadboards, soldering on perfboards, and debugging using oscilloscopes. By the end of the course, our robot could not only navigate a complex field but also handle a variety of problems and the interference of other autonomous robots. Later on, I also tutored for the same course and learned about evaluating and exploring students' ideas to guide them through the process of designing and building their robots.In my Autonomous Environmental Survey project, my team built and designed a rigid structured blimp to perform water sampling without human guidance or intervention. My team utilized agile methodology to consistently meet short term goals and complete overarching project deliverables. I used primarily Python, Linux, and Machine Learning to program and create a computer vision obstacle avoidance system. Due to the real-world nature of the project, we had robust testing strategy and safety protocols.I loved these projects because they were applicable to the real world. They weren't just coding and building for a theoretical project, but they worked towards goals that could make a difference in the world. This problem-solving that changes people's lives and work is what makes robotics and software engineering so important to me. I hope to continue this kind of impactful work in the future.
