MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

I am a Mechanical Engineer with an interest in prototyping and design. My path to engineering has been an atypical winding path. I have a Bachelors in Biology and a Masters in Ecology.  In between the two, I taught whitewater kayaking, skiing, snowboarding and took people on extended wilderness expeditions.  After completing my Masters, I taught environmental science at the college level, worked as a research technician, as well as, for both national and local non-profits doing environmental advocacy.  I have also completed an intensive furniture making course at the Center For Furniture Craftsmanship. I took those skills and worked in both commercial and residential construction. I apprenticed with two master furniture makers, and ran my own small business. I have found mechanical engineering to be a great way to meld all these career paths into one. I have a great interest in sustainable design from my ecology background, the ability to problem solve difficult problems from my time spent in the wilderness, and great skill in creating workable prototypes from my time spent working in woodworking and metal shops.  Below are some examples of my design work.