Research Advisor: Prof. Jonathan K. Pokorski
Dissertation: Novel Methods and Materials for Additive Manufacturing

Research Advisor: Prof. Laurent Pilon
Thesis: Experimental Study on the Aerospace Applications of Photoreactive Nanomaterials

Engineering and intellectual property consultant on a variety of subject areas for customers in the San Diego area and abroad. Registered Patent Agent #82,411. R&D Consultant for Johnson and Johnson subcontractor: improved infrared heat cured polyurethane adhesives process reliability on $15M product line. Redesigned ultraviolet light emitter for adhesives curing system, eliminated power supply and valve failure modes, improved reliability by 50%. Designed, built, programmed and scaled up production of custom pneumatic controller system. Hands-on prototyping and machining of components on short deadlines. CNC machining, welding and fabrication of metal prototypes. Provisional, NPR and PCT drafting and claims construction for individual and corporate customers. Chemistry and PCB design/fabrication and embedded systems prototyping including high power systems >2 kW.

Business co-founder developing novel high energy pulsed power supplies for defense, aerospace, and industrial use. Development of miniaturized/handheld gauss rifle and railgun technology for defense applications. Technology featured by Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Hackaday, New Scientist, Futurism, Discovery Channel, and others. Chief functional architect for electrical systems design, MEMS, and mechanical design of 1.2 kV and 150 kA rated pulsed power supplies.

Junior patent examiner tasked with searching for prior art, drafting office actions and evaluating patent applications on the merits for technical completeness, formal requirements, novelty and non-obviousness. Primarily served as an examiner for the Electrochemistry and Wave Energy Art Unit 1795 and an additional detail with Battery and Capacitor Charging and Discharging Art Unit 2859.

Specialized in materials engineering with focus on additive manufacturing under Dr. Jonathan K. Pokorski. Developed SLA/DLP resins, performed materials characterization, and worked on polymer and composite materials engineering, micro-injection molding, electro-conductive polymers, synthetic biology, and in-situ resource utilization. Published in Nature Nanotechnology, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Chemistry of Materials, and Polymer. Most impactful work: a novel post-expanding foam resin for DLP/MSLA 3D printing expandable up to 40× by volume using di-tert-butyl dicarbonate in a linear poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) resin. Served as TA, delivered guest lectures, and mentored two high school interns and two undergraduate students.

Inventor of novel electrochemical 3D printing process—Stereo-Electrochemical Deposition (SED) / Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing (ECAM). Lead functional architect for fluid system design and high-temperature corrosive chemical solutions. Led team of 16 technicians, advisors, and engineers through 3 phases of early-stage printer demonstrations. Conducted SEM/EDS investigation, grain structure analysis, BSE, and surface roughness analysis. Designed, engineered, and fabricated prototypes from concept to demonstration.

Led technical threat analysis on a $7.2B USAF project. Developed AI-based anti-proliferation software for NASIC. Commander’s Action Group at AFRL headquarters. Served as AFRL/HQ point of contact for science communication to distinguished visitors regarding advanced capabilities at the materials, propulsion, and sensors directorates and human performance wing.

Led team of 7 engineers and technicians to test feasibility of challenges for Discovery Channel’s “The Big Brain Theory.” Developed innovative solutions including a novel high temperature composite material and 100 N liquid CO₂ thruster for a $1M+ budget television production.

Researched photoreactive nanomaterials for solid rocket engines under Dr. Laurent Pilon with AFRL funding. Invented a first-of-its-kind re-startable solid rocket motor. Project selected by the Chief Scientist of the Air Force as the most influential cadet research project in 2011. Demonstrated thrust vectoring, throttling, and re-starting of a solid rocket using light-activated nanomaterials.

Conducted research in Dr. Richard Wirz’s laboratory on electromagnetic spacecraft propulsion systems including the MiXI (Miniature Xenon Ion) engine. Focused on electronic power supply design and machining of ceramic and composite materials.

Led discussion sections, midterm and final review sessions. Prepared and delivered guest lectures on additive manufacturing. Provided regular out-of-class student support. Topics included polymer science, mechanical analysis, material characterization, thermodynamics, smart materials, phase transitions, self-assembly, viscoelasticity, DLS, NMR, FTIR, Raman, and GPC techniques.

Prepared lesson plans and taught science lessons to grade school students in the L.A. Unified School District. Focused on simplifying college-level engineering and science concepts for grade-school instruction.