I came to mechanical engineering by way of the infantry, not the other way around. Six years of leading under pressure — first in a mortar platoon, then providing security in Afghanistan — taught me how to stay level-headed when something's actually on the line. I bring the same habit to a bench full of half-working hardware.
Not every project needs a research question behind it. This one was a quick toolpath exercise — a concentric-groove pattern faced into a coaster blank on the CNC mill, mostly as a way to get comfortable with finishing passes and surface speed before running that same intuition on load-bearing parts.
Served in a mechanized mortar platoon. Deployed to Iraq in 2018 with a Quick Reaction Force at Taji and Al-Asad as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. Earned an Expert Marksmanship badge (2019) and the Army Commendation Medal for actions during deployment.
Deployed to Afghanistan as a Guardian Angel under Operation Resolute Support, providing security for the Afghan Air Force at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Collaborated directly with local law enforcement on criminal investigations.
Applied electrodes and mapped central nervous system signals as part of TSI research, and learned to build support vector machines (SVM) in MATLAB — the first real bridge between fieldwork and engineering.
Helped prepare the center for its grand opening and designed the RASTIC Certification Program. Teach students how to operate robotics equipment and build a working understanding of robotic systems.
Researched microbial fuel cells at a student-led startup — designed and built the fuel cell's circuit and constructed its physical frame.
CNC-machined aluminum components for a 6-jointed robotic arm and designed its fin-ray end effector. The team took 1st place and the Audience Appreciation Award at Mass Robotics Form & Function 2026.
Graduate coursework and lab research centered on mechatronics, control systems, and robotic mechanism design.