I am often told that the first impression I make is that I seem comfortable in my own skin. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in just about everything. Soccer, piano, voice, photography, science, the psychology of dreams, foreign languages, space exploration, water sports, drawing, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, racquetball, CrossFit, running, flying, painting; you name it, I’ve probably tried it. The common theme for all of these activities is exploring new challenges. Each of these things posed new captivating problems for me to solve - and I was determined to solve them all! The sports tested my physical endurance and pushed me to persevere while developing agility and strength to support my goals. The art stretched me to the edges of my creativity while I strived to communicate my perspective of the world. The academics both tested my discipline and expanded my mind when one question answered would easily prompt three others. Facing all of these different challenges revealed a lot about myself. Most importantly, these experiences taught me that I have an insatiable desire to learn new things and explore life.
My educational background is in engineering with a brief moment of fine art and a quick exposure to studying Roman classics in Italy. I received my bachelor and master degrees from the University of Florida in mechanical and aerospace engineering, respectively. I’ve worked in a variety of engineering roles such as manufacturing and assembly, conceptual design, product-line design, algorithm development, and GNC missile analysis. I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work at GE Energy, Lockheed Martin, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in these different roles. Furthermore, I’ve worked as a research assistant exploring the design and construction of autonomous vehicles and taking a theoretical look at aeroassisted orbital transfers. Finally, I also have experience teaching and managing undergraduate engineering laboratories, which is where I first discovered how rewarding it can be to help someone to fully grasp a new concept and to see spark in their eyes when the light turns on.
While I would say that I am far from possessing any substantial wisdom, I have certainly picked up a few insights throughout my journey. It is absolutely essential that you are passionate about what you do. Always ask yourself the question, “Am I on a path that makes me happy?”. If the answer is ever “No.” do something about it. Think about things. Don’t take things for granted; think about if it makes sense to you. Ask questions! Get to know yourself. When you can be very clear about what you want for yourself and what it is that truly moves you, things will fall into place. The hardest part is knowing what you want. Clearly, this is all easier said than done. The first step is being aware of what is important and knowing that if you really want to do something, you will.