Hi, I'm Michael

I am an aerospace engineer and roboticist

About Me

I am a current graduate student from the Albany, NY area pursuing an M.S. in Robotics Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). I have been fascinated by astronomy and space exploration for as long as I can remember, and it has always been my dream to push the boundaries of technology. I am interested in the space industry and in novel robotic systems. I take pride in building an interdisciplinary skillset, with expertise in mechanical design, electronics and PCB design, embedded software development, and perception and control of autonomous systems.

A recent project I’ve completed was the design and testing of a prototype amphibious quadrotor vehicle, where I was responsible for the electronics design, sensing, control architecture, and programming. As part of a senior design project at WPI, I competed with my team at the 2023 AIAA Region I conference, where we won first prize with our novel vehicle “PoseiDrone.”

Outside of class, I have been very involved in WPI’s High Power Rocketry Club (HPRC) where I served as Safety Officer, Avionics sub-team Lead, and Electronics and Programming Division Lead. In this role, I worked with an interdisciplinary student team to design and build a high power rocket and payload for the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) at Spaceport America. Our team completed our first successful flight to 10,000 feet at the 2023 competition, where I was proud to oversee a great performance by the custom electronics hardware, embedded software, and telemetry systems I had been leading the development of for the past couple years.

Some of my other interests include soccer, music, and exploring the great outdoors. I am a multi-instrumentalist and enjoy playing saxophone, trombone, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. When I can find the time, I like to record multi-track covers of some of my favorite songs. I like to stay active by running and playing soccer, tennis, and disc golf. I am an Eagle Scout, and love the chance to get away for trips into nature to go hiking, camping, or otherwise enjoying the outdoors. 



Education

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

May 2024

  • M.S. Robotics Engineering
  • 4.00/4.00 GPA

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

May 2023

  • B.S. Aerospace Engineering, B.S. Robotics Engineering
  • 4.00/4.00 GPA
  • Provost’s MQP Award Winner, Salisbury Prize Recipient
  • Sigma Gamma Tau (Aerospace Engineering Honor Society)
  • Rho Beta Epsilon (Robotics Engineering Honor Society)
  • Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)

Experience

Manufacturing Engineering Intern

Tesla – Sparks, NV [May 2023 – Aug 2023]

  • Provided manufacturing equipment engineering support for Tesla Energy products lineside at Gigafactory Nevada.
  • Analyzed manufacturing KPIs to identify and solve problems in a fast-paced high volume manufacturing environment.
  • Performed mechanical design tasks and prepared engineering drawings using Solidworks to make parts for fixture improvements and line upgrades, increasing manufacturing efficiency while reducing downtime and scrap costs.

Launch Engineering Intern

SpaceX – Cape Canaveral, FL [May 2022 – August 2022]

  • Provided engineering support for SpaceX’s fleet of recovery vessels onsite at CCSFS for Falcon 9 recovery operations.
  • Designed fluid power and electrical systems to increase efficiency and reliability of off-shore Falcon 9 recovery missions.
  • Maintained extreme ownership over three projects, performed thorough analysis and verification of designs, and regularly presented updates to senior engineers through iterative design reviews.

Product Development Engineering Intern

Next Advance – Troy, NY [May 2021 – Aug 2021]

  • Supported product development and manufacturing operations for molecular biology laboratory instruments. 
  • Led the development of a new product from initial design concept through prototyping and scaling to production.
  • Implemented innovative solutions to solve engineering problems and to improve performance of mechanical and electrical systems; modified and updated device firmware in parallel with hardware development.

Skills

Software

Microsoft Office, Google Suite, AutoCAD, Inventor, Solidworks, MATLAB, Mathcad, Vivado Design Suite, KiCAD, Altium Designer, Linux, ROS, AWS

Programming Languages

C/C++, Arduino C, Java, Python

Prototyping/Manufacturing

Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, Hand Tools/Power Tools, Soldering/Electronics Fabrication

Download Resume

Projects

Music

I am primarily a saxophonist, playing alto and baritone, but also enjoy playing a number of other instruments including piano, drums, bass, and trombone. At WPI I am involved in the jazz groups as well as the marching and pep band. I have a wide range of musical interests spanning jazz, funk, pop, rock, and brass bands. Some of my favorite artists contemporary are Lucky Chops, Trombone Shorty, Vulfpeck, and Lawrence. I like to record multi-track covers in my free time, some of which can be found on the page linked below. I also enjoying taking small instruments with me when I travel such as the melodica or ocarina to play on the streets.

Music Videos

Contact Me

Thanks for visiting my site! Please use the form below if you would like to contact me. I will reply as soon as possible.

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