UCLA

The Harker School

Student at The Harker High School

UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Undergraduate Research Intern – I2BL, Ferrobots Group

Bruin Spacecraft Group at UCLA

Mentor Team Lead – Project Overseer

Project Rapid is BruinSpace's cube satellite (CubeSat) project aiming to provide space heritage to an Radio Frequency (RF) Miniature Xenon Ion (MiXI) thruster payload in collaboration with the Plasma, Energy, and Space Propulsion Lab (PESPL) at UCLA. I have participated in the propulsion, attitude determination and control systems (ADCS), and thermal subteams as part of the project.

Propulsion:
• Devised mathematical models for plenum and pipe sizing for miniature RF gridded ion thruster gas propellant flow system using Python and MatLab, verified using COMSOL

ADCS:
• Designed, assessed, and documented design decisions for Helmholtz cage magnetic testing environment for CubeSat magnetic sensors and magnetic torquers (magnetorquers) using OnShape CAD software
• Compiled bill of materials, manufacturing plan, and design consideration documents based on structural, manufacturing, sizing, timeline, and budget restrictions

Thermal:
• Modeled system-level transient spacecraft heat exchange under LEO and electric propulsion thermal loading conditions in MatLab
• Performed trade study on thermal coatings for effective passive thermal control of satellite
• Created system-level internal heat exchange model to guide target values and margins for internal heat exchange between regions of satellite

Member – Project Rapid

The president of BruinSpace acts as the organization's primary representative, visionary, and liaison for club activities. As BruinSpace's President, I aim to increase club cohesion, communication, and exposure.

• Direct and strategize objectives to increase funds, recruit members, increase awareness, and redesign officer and project structures for a spacecraft engineering student organization of over 50 members and two technical projects
• Communicate between engineering school faculty members, student organization leaders, and a team of 12 officers to represent club interests and resolve logistical issues
• Spearheaded marketing and recruiting efforts resulting in more than doubled engagement across community platforms, over 150 interested students, and more than 30 new members
• Conceived, interviewed, and recruited six new administrative officer positions to address specific club needs, including but not limited to planning skill workshops and creating sponsorship materials
• Oversee transition into membership under UCLA's American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) branch and under new mentorship
• Lead reformatting of introductory high altitude weather balloon project, Project Overseer, into a year-long educational and developmental engineering project

President

As an engineering intern at the Coral Triangle Center, my two main tasks were to assess and report on improved methods for coral reef monitoring and to assist with the development of a mangrove exhibit at the organization's community site.

• Devised a project plan and report for the development of an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for coral reef monitoring costing half of commercially available ROVs
• Utilized literature to guide and support design decisions and compiled a bill of materials for candidate significant components
• Designed mangrove tree root replica structure for educational exhibit using SfM 3D scanning software and CAD techniques
• Communicated with project stakeholders of various technical expertise, cultural and language backgrounds, and organizational roles to assess project goals and requirements
• Presented summary of internship duties to organization members using simple, non-technical language

Coral Triangle Center

Mechanical Engineering Intern

Bruinspace's marketing team handles all external-facing materials and aesthetics. The marketing VP performs the duties of a marketing member, with the additional responsibility of handling all accounts and team tasks.

• Delegate and organize tasks to team members using Trello project management software
• Manage club social media and email newsletter accounts
• Coordinate with officers and project leads for details regarding announcements, events, and project updates
• Increase social media presence with milestones and announcement posts using curated and edited photos, graphics, engaging captions, and community engagement
• Capture media of accomplishments and gatherings, including social events and on-site coverage of the most recent launch of Project Overseer's high-altitude weather balloon
• Gather and disseminate organization and project updates in biweekly newsletter
• Create graphics, posters, infographics, and videos for recruitment, as well as slide templates and merchandise
• Interviewed incoming and outgoing professor mentors for announcement video or post
• Coordinate with software engineering volunteers to refurbish website

Marketing Co-Vice President

My internship at the US offices for Boson motors involved hardware and software testing for the prototype autonomous cart.

• Researched and selected compatible components for microcontroller circuit testing drive throttle, forward/reverse, and brake systems for CAN bus protocol of autonomous golf cart
• Observed task organization and project trajectory planning during attendance of team calls
• Assisted control software testing and electronics inspection procedures

Boson Motors

Engineering Test Intern

As a member of Bruinspace's marketing team, I contributed to all media to be used for marketing our organization and gaining recognition. 

• Designed Google slide template, graphics, and stylized QR code for general club use
• Touched up and replicated filter effects to board member headshots using Photoshop during our polaroid-themed leadership social media campaign

Marketing Team Member

Project Reach was Bruinspace's introductory-level cube satellite team. The project was put on hiatus starting September 2021. 

• Designed circuit diagram and printed circuit board (PCB) for an analog to digital converter (ADC) component using KiCAD
• Participated in weekly subteam meetings and volunteered for available tasks related to the electronic design of the CubeSat

Electronics Team Member - Project Reach

RISE is UCLA Rocket Project's introductory rocketry course aimed towards teachings the physics and terminology behind rocketry to newcomers. The course is associated with the UCLA course ENGR 96R - Introduction to Engineering Design: Rockets.
 
• Implemented principles of rocket design to model two miniature rockets using OpenRocket software and CAD
• Presented rocket design in a preliminary design review to a three-person panel of third and fourth year mechanical and aerospace engineering students
• Familiarized with rocket terminology, physics principles, and subsystems

Sahil Gosain