About Me

The Long Version: “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.” All You Need is Love, The Beatles. It is such an obvious and simple phrase, yet it is both chillingly bleak and heartwarming. On one hand, everything you do can be done by someone else, so what’s the point? On the other, it makes everything seem possible. It is an interesting dichotomy to think about. Personally, I prefer to think that anything is possible.

I began studying mechanical engineering because I enjoyed building physical things. I thought it would teach me how to build projects with more than hot glue and cardboard. However, as my collegiate career continued, I learned that there are many other disciplines of engineering that are incredibly interesting as well (also, hot glue and cardboard are two amazing materials). Cooler yet, there is the discipline of robotics where you can combine many disciplines into one project. This caught my attention. Being creative is what I enjoy most and the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” is definitely true. When you are out of your element is when you have to be the most creative and inventive. The more experiences you have the easier it is to be creative because you can draw upon these different experiences. Robotics allows me to learn and have many new experiences that I would not have had otherwise which is why I find it so fascinating.

We all want to be the little kid looking in awe and wonder at a magic trick. The feeling of fascination is one that is hard to fake or replicate. That is how I feel every time I work on my personal projects and why I enjoy doing them. There are so many interesting things to learn about and it is all so accessible. By doing these projects I am making something new to me. It may have been done before and maybe even better but I am making it myself and learning how it operates. It is about understanding how this crazy world works around me and trying to use my abilities to create something fascinating for others. Hopefully I can inspire you with some of my projects and pictures here on this website.

Being creative in engineering is just one application. The worlds of music, art, and cooking are entirely different places in which to learn and think. However, they are intertwined with engineering and constantly lending a hand to one another. When I was in middle school, I learned how to use Autodesk Maya (a 3D animation program). I enjoyed creating Star Wars battle scenes and Slash’s top hat and other non-sensical amusing things. Learning how to use this program gave me a leg up later when I was first learning to use Solidworks (computer aided design engineering software). The more you learn the easier things become and it is difficult to gain some of these experiences if you limit yourself and don’t try new things. From trying to play jazz drums after years of rock n roll to trying to cook Asian foods after years of making Italian, I like to go outside of my comfort zone and to experiment.

What allows me to do all of these interesting things? The meat bag that is being controlled by my chemical reactions. If I am to push my capabilities as far as I can, I need to push my body as well. This is why I enjoy playing sports and especially rock climbing. Rock climbing has allowed me to explore many interesting places but more importantly it has given me an outlet to challenge me both physically and mentally. You are often the one deciding that you can no longer hold on or making the stupid decision to move into an awkward position. The harder I climb, the more it challenges me mentally. It requires planning of where to take rests along the route, for how long, remembering exactly how to move and where to place your limbs, all while your muscles are trying to steal as much oxygen from your brain as possible. Not to mention, you’re on a slab of rock high off the ground having only been in this exact spot maybe once before. It has taught me a lot about the necessity to stay calm. Making rash decisions is the quickest way to failure.

Finally, my family and friends are what inspires me most to do all of these things. Most importantly is they enjoy life to the fullest. Growing up surrounded by my cousins, aunts, and uncles with any excuse to party has definitely put life in perspective for me. None of us are perfect. Quite the opposite, we’re all crazy. But that is what makes it fun. I can’t thank them enough for all they have taught me and the opportunities they have given me. Cent’anni! To my friends, being able to watch your projects and accomplishments has been an honor. You are constantly enabling me to do ridiculous things by doing even more ridiculous things but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am truly thankful to have the chance to hang out with all of you.

If you’ve made it this far, I’m impressed. Have a cookie and a wonderful day!