I studied control and simulation of transient thermal management systems with integrated phase-change material (PCM)-based thermal energy storage at Jain Research Lab. I created and validated a dynamic model of the lab's testbed, which is a scaled aircraft fuel thermal management system with thermal storage, and studied potential phase-change module design optimizations under dynamic heat loads. One of these design optimizations involved analyzing improvements in conductive heat transfer through the PCM by embedding the PCM into a heat sink with variable width metal fins. Results from this study are presented in a paper titled "Design of Spatial Variability in Thermal Energy Storage Modules for Enhanced Power Density" (Applied Energy, May 2022).In a paper titled "Control of a Hybrid Thermal Management System: A Heuristic Strategy for Charging and Discharging a Latent Thermal Energy Storage Device" (IEEE ITherm, Jun 2022), I presented a logic-based control strategy for managing the state of charge of a thermal energy storage device while maintaining the temperature of a critical component subject to transient heat loads.

As a research assistant at MSRAL, I designed a micro-scale gripper and actuator for manufacturing, assembling, and manipulating MEMS robots and other micro-scale components within a test environment. The gripper was manufactured using photolithography and 3D printing, and it was capable of gripping objects between 100 and 500 microns wide. A shape-memory wire actuated the gripper jaws through a flexural mechanism.

I designed and manufactured several parts for our electric Formula SAE racecars, including motor and final drive brackets, the motor shaft, the cooling system, and high-voltage electronics enclosures. I laid the groundwork for a new traction control system, which was estimated to improve vehicle acceleration by 10%, cutting our acceleration event time from 4.1 s to 3.7 s. I also created a naming convention for the team's CAD files to improve traceability.

I reviewed and explained mechanics concepts with students to help them gain better understanding of the course topics. I also assisted students with homework questions and exam preparation, providing them with a reliable resource to consult for help.