As the lead engineer of the brakes subsystem at DAL FSAE, I recruited and oversaw a small team of mechanical engineering students performing iterative improvements to the braking system for Dalhousie University’s internationally-competitive all-electric Formula SAE race car (achieving first place in endurance at Formula Hybrid + Electric in Loudon, NH, 2024).Responsibilities & Achievements Included:- Recruiting and retaining new members to the brakes subsystem by means of public presentation.- Teaching and encouraging self-education in the field of performance vehicle dynamics.- Hosting weekly meetings in classroom, virtual, and workshop environments.- Promoting thorough biweekly bulletins to update members and stakeholders on progress and expectations.- Creating a weekly progress reporting system for members to self-report engagement and conflict.- Liaison with other subsystem leads & team management to meet compatibility and performance targets.- Overseeing safe & productive hands-on engagement in a workshop environment.- Selecting and transitioning leadership successors, including handoff documentation & supportThis role was a leadership promotion built off experience as a brakes member and was not for academic credit.

As a member of the brakes subsystem at DAL FSAE, I worked with a small team of mechanical engineering peers to research, design, construct, and document a braking system for Dalhousie University’s internationally-competitive all-electric Formula SAE race car (achieving first place in endurance at Formula Hybrid + Electric in Loudon, NH, 2024).Responsibilities and Achievements included:- Researching and documenting principles & practices pertaining to performance vehicle braking system design.- Comprehensive familiarity with FSAE technical standards & performing routine compliance checks.- Contributing to project scope definition and the defense of vehicle performance targets.- Salvaging usable components from previous DAL FSAE race cars.- Inventorying, inspecting & refurbishing mechanical components.- Creating a simulation spreadsheet to calculate brake system forces based on component specifications.- Generating decision matrices & cost benefit analyses to inform and defend design decisions.- Creating and contributing to a financial management spreadsheet.- Contributing to the creation and presentation of design review content for internal and external use.- Generating SOLIDWORKS CAD models for mechanical and hardware components.- Integrating braking system CAD into a shared vehicle assembly CAD.- Generating two-dimensional component illustrations for reports and presentations.- Participating in liaison with other subsystems and stakeholders.- Generating braking system assembly instructions and illustrations.- Creating a hazard identification and mitigation document.- Creating formal operating and service bulletins for prototype, field, and track testing.- Procuring BOM and prototyping materials.- Participating in prototyping, assembly & service in workshop environment.- Troubleshooting.- Producing routine documentation (timesheets, logbook, interval reports & presentations).This was a rigorous, for-credit Capstone experience.