Hugh Fordyce Email and Phone Number

I have a BS in Materials Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. My experience is best highlighted through my work in my senior project with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, in the Northrup Grumman Collaboration Project (NGCP) and for the Materials Engineering Department at Cal Poly as a Technical Writer.In the NGCP, I worked in multiple teams providing insight into material selection, engineering decision-making using WPI matrices, composite laminate design for a UAV plane and CAD design for polymer landing legs that utilize material compliance and rigid-body structures for a 50 lbs hexacopter drone. This project enormously peaked my interest in the aerospace industry and the possibilities for material innovations and applications.For my senior project research with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, I used DMA to investigate the differences in properties that arise when a particulate-reinforced polymer composite is put under various loading modes over a temperature range of -60ºC to 80ºC. I presented the results at a technical conference and wrote a comprehensive report of the study. I learned about industry applications of current polymer technology, attained expertise in DMA, and gained experience doing meaningful research.As a technical writer for the Materials Engineering Department at Cal Poly, I got to learn the ins-and-outs of various materials testing and characterization devices in addition to devices I've worked with during my coursework including a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Through my work in the labs I gained a true appreciation for the capabilities of cutting-edge equipment, laboratory practices, and the ability to convey technical information in a way that is accessible for a wide range of people and their experience levels.