Thomas Sommer Email & Phone Number

Houston, Texas, United States

University Of Houston

As a research assistant, I collaborated with another team member to develop an equation for simulating the deflection of a bistable metamaterial unit cell. We began by conducting a thorough review of relevant peer-reviewed scientific articles to gain a deep understanding of the concepts involved. Using the normalized dimensions of the unit cell, we developed an equation through multiple iterations and fixed any issues that arose along the way. Once we had a functional equation, we programmed it into MATLAB to solve symbolically. With MATLAB, we were able to calculate a range of properties, such as displacement, strain energy, total area, empty area ratio, applied force, stress, and strain, at varying displacements, times, and applied forces throughout the unit cell.

Houston, Texas, United States

As a Design Intern, I was responsible for designing a wide range of objects using Fusion 360, slicing and preparing models for printing using Ultimaker Cura, and assisting in the printing process using re:3D's Gigabots. Additionally, I created detailed engineering drawings for customers' designs to be printed. Moreover, I expanded my skill set by learning to use a 3D scanner, and as a result, I was able to assist in scanning multiple objects brought in by customers, as well as aid in repairing the meshes of the scanned models. Through my work, I was able to contribute to the creation of functional, high-quality objects while developing my creativity and problem-solving abilities.