Gabrielle Z.

Full-stack hardware engineering of robots that build solar farms

At Urban Machine, I designed, built, tested, and field-deployed robots that clean nails and screws from wood. Owned the robotic band saw and metal detector cells. Designed the wood motion system on the nail/screw remover cell. Areas of expertise: rapid hardware iteration, electrical system design, machine safety, sensor integration

At Zeiss, I led a small mechanical engineering team to design a home monitoring device for eye disease. Areas of expertise: opto-mechanical design, motion components, design for manufacturing, additive manufacturing, 3D surfacing, human-machine interfaces

At the National Ignition Facility, I designed mechanical systems for the multidisciplinary Direct Laser Impulse project. Areas of expertise: risk assessments, systems engineering, structural analysis with FEA and hand calculations

As a GSI, I taught lab sections for two first-year engineering classes. Course topics included CAD, circuits, sensors, and Arduino programming, in the context of creating prototypes.

At Radio Flyer, I developed concepts for a children's ride-on toy and a folding wagon accessory brake. I designed mechanisms, built prototypes, tested function, and evaluated play-value with preschoolers.

I was a member of the Michigan Hybrid Racing Team for four years. My freshman and sophomore years, I was on the aerodynamics and human-machine interface teams, learning how to design and manufacture carbon fiber parts. My junior and senior years, I held leadership positions as Human-Machine Interface Lead and Team Captain, respectively. As captain: - Led 75+ member team to create a Formula-style hybrid-electric race car - Project management for 7 sub-teams to meet design, manufacturing, unveiling, testing, and competition deadlines - Reported on the car’s design, safety, sustainability, and project management - Designed and implemented a compact, light, and ergonomic pedal box with regenerative braking - Trained and mentored team in composite mold design, CNC machining, CAD, and composite layups - Created and maintained relationships with corporate sponsors to obtain otherwise cost-prohibitive resources - Started an engineering club volunteering program at a local middle school to expose students to STEM

At Garmin, I designed and prototyped a watch band with a quick-release mechanism, custom springs, and injection- and compression-molded components.

Taught lab sections and held office hours for first-year engineering students.

Investigated the mechanical durability of microbial aggregates in wastewater.