Oat Foundry was formed by 6 engineers on a mission to build cool stuff. Brands and companies come to Oat Foundry with problems they need to solve. Oat Foundry is an engineering design company that solves those problems by designing and building machines. We imagine. We design. We build cool stuff.

For my senior capstone project at Drexel, I was instrumental in guiding a complex problem-solving process with my team-of-6. We were challenged to design and develop a custom large-capacity, prototype vending machine for fresh, hot pretzels. Although an initial budget of $10K had been proposed, we were allocated $3.5K with which to work. Key stages of the project and contributions include:• Assessed stakeholder needs through focused concept-development questions (a machine that would store frozen product, handle units individually, then transport and heat/add coating/salt to point of dispensary).• Documented constraints and project parameters.• Isolated driving factor (capacity) in top-down approach.• Addressed weaknesses/challenges (a hopper system that would properly index to product that varies in size).• Identified choke points in process.• Developed 3 possible storage design concepts, collaborating with team to refine and optimize design process.• Presentation was exceptionally well received by corporate board of advisors.

Working for one of United Technology Corporation’s divisions during a timeframe when the Line Maintenance Services Division was in the midst of divestiture, I gathered and compiled technical specifications to create working repair manuals for use with future production engine models. I also attended P&W-sponsored, on-site technology/aerospace repair classes. Other highlights: • Played vital role in procuring, identifying, and organizing inventory to expedite transfer of tooling equipment from inactive factory sites to departments in need of hardware.• Updated legacy engine repair manuals to reflect current hardware; researched and identified areas of deficiencies.

In this internship role, I designed a comprehensive multi-departmental organization system to streamline manufacturing of weekly blood product shipments. I also implemented product flowchart tracking progress of material through 8 departments. Additional contributions:• Gathered and analyzed archived data of hemolysis failures in order to pinpoint failure point in manufacturing of bulk blood products. While results were inconclusive, instituted systematic process for future manufacturing steps.• Managed day-to-day lab operations of Red Blood Cells Division; updated lab equipment, ensured that out-of-date machinery was scheduled for recalibration, and organized employee training records. • Initiated and executed reorganization of storage room within new warehouse, maximizing capacity and efficiency.

I was accepted at the age of 19 into a competitive coop program and was the only mechanical engineer in the lab. Using hands-on lab techniques, I characterized epoxidized resins utilizing mechanical, thermo-mechanical, and rheological studies. Highlights include:• Instrumental in the development of procedure for novel, bio-based, non-hazardous gel coat, developed through own initiative in an independent, autonomous environment.• Prepared preliminary information for use in future research and publications; summarized and organized data presented at 2010 ACS conference.• Within first few months in role, quickly grasped complexities of testing process and learned valuable strategies in conducting testing, gathering data, performing methodical analysis, and presenting findings.