Michael Lorello

At Whelen Aerospace Technologies, I collaborate with other team members to develop innovative lighting solutions for aircraft. This role has given me the opportunity to learn about high intensity LED lighting solutions and become familiar with the certification requirements of the FAA and military for aircraft-related devices. Since joining Whelen in December of 2020, I have already learned a lot and am looking forward to many years of creative innovation with this team. Of course, I have to throw in a cheesy tagline from the 1980's pop music scene: "The future's so bright....I gotta wear shades." My nearly ten-year role at Assa Abloy involved the design and development of the electronics for the access control portion of door opening solutions. Products include electronic locks and door openers. Technologies included low-power battery operated microcontroller-based designs along with wireless and wired communication. During my tenure there, I was given the role of team leader for the Electrical Engineering group. This gave me the opportunity to learn how to lead others and experience some of the administrative side of Engineering. I spent 13 years at Pitney Bowes designing the electronics for embedded motion control systems for mail creation and mail finishing equipment. My typical designs involved sensors, stepper motors, DC motors, solenoids, microcontrollers, and programmable logic. My preference is to work directly with the hardware, whether it be design or testing in the lab. I also like the mix of hardware and software, where I can write test code to exercise the hardware. Outside of work, I like to use my abilities to accomplish numerous projects as well as teach others where possible. In January 2017, I published my first "DIY" video on YouTube. I have found it very enjoyable to combine the completion of various projects with the art of video production and ability to educate others on the various techniques and knowledge I have learned over the years. The most rewarding part of this adventure is the comments viewers leave indicating either how my video helped them or constructive feedback on how things can be done better, which helps me learn as well. In March 2018, I gave a talk to middle school students on careers in Engineering which I found very fulfilling. I was very impressed with the level of engagement and questions that were asked. This has inspired me to think of more videos I can produce to serve as lessons for those looking to learn more about the field in which I work.