Mechanical Engineering
During my two years as a Mechanical Engineer at Farmshelf, I designed, prototyped, and validated subsystems for Farmshelf's third-generation hydroponic farming unit. I focused on plumbing and water filtration, air exchange and cooling, structural design, electro-mechanical housings, and plastic/sheet metal part design. I conducted research, concept development, prototyping, testing, data analysis, and Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFMA).
Collaborating with industrial designers, plant scientists, and electrical engineers, I designed and built test rigs for subsystem validation, and I analyzed and presented findings to make informed design decisions. My prototyping involved 3D modeling/printing, laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, CNC machining, and soldering/electrical wiring.
In the DFMA phase, I created production-ready CAD files and engineering drawings for plastic and sheet metal components. I worked closely with contract manufacturers and vendors, managed quotes/orders, implemented our team's CAD file organization system, managed the bill of materials, sourced components, and modified designs for cost reduction.
Lastly, I helped set up a factory in Poughkeepsie, NY, training operators on assembly tasks and tool operation. I created Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents for training and safety.
Project Work at Smart Design
During my Design Engineering internship at Smart Design, I worked on mechanical design for Colorsonic: L’Oréal’s at-home haircolour device. I contributed to design, prototyping, testing, and DFM of the device’s recyclable cartridges and reusable housing. My primary focus was the recyclable cartridge, which holds flexible pouches containing liquid hair dye.
The recyclable cartridge includes a paper sleeve attached to a plastic cap. The design minimizes plastic waste while securing the pouches and ensuring a reliable microchip connection to the reusable outer housing. I conducted extensive prototyping for the recyclable cartridge, establishing specific assembly techniques to guarantee a leak-proof design under tight volume constraints. I communicated with manufacturers across a wide range of industries, including injection molding, paper packaging, and spouted pouch manufacturing to integrate these complex components into a sleek design.
L’Oréal’s Colorsonic was named one of Time’s 2022 best inventions. Read the article here.
Project Work at Smart Design
During my Design Engineering internship at Smart Design, I conducted mechanical design for the OXO Good Grips Silicone Cookie Scoop. I worked closely with the Industrial Designer to develop a novel mechanism for easily releasing consistently proportioned cookie dough. Within the seemingly simple plastic scoop exists precise interlocking features that I designed to ensure a strong mechanical bond between the flexible overmold and the rigid substrate, preserving Industrial Design intent under tight dimensional constraints and tolerances. Precise and high-quality surface modeling in ProE was essential to meet design and client requirements.
I contributed to design research and concept development for two additional products in the OXO Good Grips Cookie Suite: the Slice and Bake Cookie Maker and the Double-Sided Biscuit and Cookie Cutters. I tested several competitor products, brainstormed ideas with the Industrial Design team, created rapid prototypes, and presented initial concepts to the client for approval.
Read more on the OXO Good Grips Cookie Suite here.
Project Work at Smart Design
During my Design Engineering internship at Smart Design, I conducted DFM for the OXO Good Grips Fur Broom. I worked closely with the Industrial Designer on the project as well as the client's manufacturing team to preserve design intent as I finalized the design in CAD for injection molding with overmolding. Precise and high-quality surface modeling in ProE was essential to meet design and client requirements.
CNC Machining
Design Intent
‘Attached’ is a belt buckle designed to be lightweight, versatile, and personal to my individual style. Wanting to preserve the delicate nature of the buckle design, I designed a pin attachment mechanism that would not be visible when the belt is worn. Through this project, I aimed to combine geometric and organic shapes for a more dynamic design.
Process
I machined the main body of the buckle on a CNC vertical mill. I constructed my CAD and CAM in SolidWorks and HSMWorks. I modeled a fixture plate and tabs into my stock to ensure a clean part flip, as alignment of the top and bottom sides of the belt was key. I used a 1/32” ball end mill to create a personalized engraving of my initials on the back side of the belt.
The CNC did not lend itself well to the angles and undercutting of the pin design, so I turned the pin on a manual lathe and joined the parts via silver brazing. Even though the pin would not be seen when the buckle is worn, I devoted time to creating a sleek, elegant pin design so that the process of fastening the buckle would be as delightful as the buckle itself.
Lastly, I used leather-working hand tools to create the belt itself, which is detachable from the buckle via a brass snap grommet.
Project Work at Smart Design
During my internship at Smart Design, I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects. I particularly enjoyed contributing to the design of a better food transportation system for a non-profit called Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, whose mission is to reduce food waste across New York and other cities.
I led the construction of a high-fidelity soft goods prototype, my first sewing experience. After testing in the field, I worked with the team to develop a tech pack for a soft goods vendor to produce a refined prototype for further testing.
Custom seashell-inspired set for a Bermudian wedding. Exploration of my relationship to self, gender, nature, and home.
Conducted design, fabric selection, pattern making, prototyping, and final construction.
Human-Centered Design
Context
I worked as a Mechanical Engineer for a team designing a product for transporting shea nuts in Ghana. The project started in Stanford’s Design for Extreme Affordability class. The 4 team members spent 4 months conducting user research through a partner organization in Ghana and a two-week field trip, where they conducted in-depth user interviews with female shea nut collectors to understand their needs.
The team aimed to design an alternative to traditional shea carrying practices that would allow the women to carry more shea in fewer trips, increasing income and reducing physical pain. Their main goal was to design a low-cost, long-distance wheelbarrow that is easier to carry and maneuver than the traditional wheelbarrow.
My Contributions
With 6 weeks to conduct the project and one other part-time teammate, I set out to provide the team with a comprehensive prototype test kit that would allow them to test a variety of concepts, given that the team would have only one opportunity to test in country. I developed 3 prototypes with specific agendas, and produced a bill of materials for each to allow for cost comparison. I also provided the team with CAD assemblies for each design, allowing them to get quotes from manufacturers. With these materials, the team was able to 1) conduct insightful product testing in Ghana; 2) reproduce the prototypes with local materials and launch a pilot program; and 3) obtain Stanford Design Lab funding to continue the project.
Learning Outcomes
I greatly benefitted from frequent testing and analysis. I learned that mechanical analysis alone will not guarantee a successful design. For example, while my initial calculations incorporated the volume of shea nuts and their associated distributed load, this analysis did not take into account the movement of individual nuts, which drastically impacted the load experienced by the user with each tip of the wheelbarrow. The functionality of the prototypes changed significantly when I switched from testing with compact 60-pound sand bags to testing with sacks of corn kernels, the closest proxy to shea nuts I could acquire. This experience solidified the importance of replicating the product’s intended environment as closely as possible when testing.
Human-Centered Design
Context
Through Stanford’s Design for Extreme Affordability course, I had the opportunity to work on a team of 4 and partner with Rare, a global conservation organization. Working with Rare’s Brazil branch, we were tasked with reducing crab mortality in the transport of mangrove crabs throughout the state of Pará, Brazil. Through our 4 month project and 10 day field trip to Brazil, we conducted in-depth user interviews and research to unpack the problems with the crab supply chain and user needs.
While this summary barely skims the surface of the crab supply chain’s the deep complexities, I’ve attempted to distill our major insights and provide a roadmap of our solution. By the end of our project, we provided our partner, Rare, with a prototype of our solution to be tested with users in the field, along with an extensive business model and implementation plan.
Learning Outcomes
This project became the most interesting design challenge I had tackled to date, because it points to the crux of sustainability problems. How might we successfully implement this environmentally conscious solution that is at odds with the user’s economic needs? When human-centered design meets sustainable development, a tension arises as human and environmental needs do not always seamlessly align. I am deeply fascinated by the intersection of social-environmental systems, and I am grateful for the opportunity to develop a joint approach to human-centered design and sustainability.
CNC Machining
Design Intent
I aimed to design a simple, sleek maze that would bring an elegant aesthetic to a desk or work space. Wanting to create a mindless fidget device as opposed to a complex game, I gave the maze no clear start or finish, resulting in a “choose your own adventure” style. The maze itself depicts a tree growing from roots, and the juxtaposition of wood and metal represents the interaction of natural and urban environments.
Process
I machined the aluminum on a CNC vertical mill. I left a machine finish on the maze tracks and sanded the remaining surfaces to a matte finish so that the tree would pop in the design. I re-sawed and planed a 1” cedar plank to a precise thickness, and then laser cut the wood pieces. I sealed the parts together with a laser cut square of acrylic and two screws which were countersunk to preserve the maze’s sleek design.
Manufacturing challenges included part flips and fixturing on the CNC, and achieving the specific dimensions for the wood to sit flush with the machined pockets of the maze and hold without any adhesive.
Silversmithing
Design Intent
Through this project, I challenged myself to make a differentiated jewelry set out of a singular wax pattern. A gift for my Norwegian mother who raised me in Bermuda, ‘Cradle’ aims to combine themes from traditional Norwegian jewelry with an island flair. I adapted the classic 2D swirl motif of Norwegian jewelry by adding a subtle twist to the swirls of the necklace and earring pendants, creating an ocean-like flow. I placed pearls in the earrings to further convey my island heritage.
Process
In creating a wax pattern for investment casting of silver, I decided to 3D print castable wax to ensure a smooth twisting motion. I modeled the wax pattern in SolidWorks. The complete wax part became the pendant for a necklace, and I made two earrings out of the top swirl. I made a few 3D printed prototypes out of a cheaper filament before printing in Formlabs’ castable wax resin, to test size and dimensions.
After 3D printing my final model in castable wax, I made a silicone mold of the wax and replicated my part by injecting wax into the mold. Once I had three multiples that I liked, I cut the top swirl off of two of them (which would become the earrings) and cast the parts in silver. I drilled a hole through the top of the pendant and the earrings for the necklace chain and earring hoops. I attached pearls to the earrings by drilling a hole in the silver and soldering a metal post into the hole where the pearl would be inserted and secured with epoxy. I finished all three parts to a high-polish.
Sand Casting
Design Intent
My ninety-year-old Norwegian great uncle starts every morning making Norwegian waffles. An old-fashioned man, he insists on using his antique, cast-iron, stovetop waffle iron which is heavy and hard to maneuver given his arthritis. Through ‘Vaffeljern’ (the Norwegian word for waffle iron), I sought to design a sleek, lightweight, aluminum waffle iron while maintaining the traditional heart-shaped design of Norwegian waffles. This project marked my first fabrication experience at Stanford, and spurred my love for design and manufacturing!
Process
This project was my first experience with computer-aided design. Once I learned I would be using a wood CNC router to machine my pattern, my CAD had to become very precise. I eventually used the VCarve CAM software to model my tool paths. I used a 5-degree tapered ball end mill to create enough draft to ensure a clean pull from the sand.
After ramming up the foundry’s largest snap flask and acquiring the nickname “chimney sweep” from all my friends, I cast my pattern twice in aluminum and moved on to post-machining. I milled the slots for the hinge which would be joined by a press/slip fit dowel, and faced the outside surfaces of the waffle iron, contrasting a machine-finish on the outside with the cast-finish on the inside. Lastly, I added a small dowel pin and hole to the handles for alignment.
