Experiences

University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMass Rocket Team

Avionics & Recovery Lead

Since joining in October 2023, I’ve been embedded in a highly-competitive, hardware-intensive student rocketry organization that competes in major national and international forums. For two years, we participated in the NASA USLI Competition (University Student Launch Initiative) where collegiate teams design, build, test, and launch a high-powered rocket with a scientific or engineering payload. Our team achieved 8th place out of 73 schools, outperforming institutions like MIT, UMass Lowell, and Purdue University.

In light of budget cuts to NASA’s program reducing entry from ~75 to ~15 schools, we have pivoted to the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) run by Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA). This competition challenges teams with greater performance thresholds — e.g., a target apogee of 10,000 ft, potentially reaching Mach 0.9/transonic regime.

Key Contributions & Impact

Design philosophy shift: I championed a “human-friendly” subsystem design, focusing on installation speed, modularity, and ease of operation. This resulted in a reduction of manufactured and flight-prep time by 85%+, significantly increasing our test-flight cadence and subsystem iteration rate.
Avionics bay overhaul: Completely redesigned the avionics bay, selecting new flight computers, redesigning the wiring harness, and engineering mechanical retention and load-bearing frames. The result: improved system robustness, ease of maintenance, and reduced integration time for upcoming competition flights.
Cross-subteam collaboration: Worked with mechanical, propulsion, payload, and composite teams to ensure avionics and recovery subsystems integrated seamlessly. Led weekly coordination meetings, captured design requirements, and maintained communications across disciplines.
Simulation & testing: Employed tools like OpenRocket, ANSYS (for FEA/CFD), and custom embedded firmware to validate the avionics design, evaluate thermal and mechanical loads, and ensure signal integrity in flight-like conditions.
Industry exposure & outreach: Traveled with the team to Huntsville, AL for the final launch event, connecting with industry sponsors, recruiters, and even an astronaut. Such experiences reinforced mission-driven engineering and real-world aerospace culture.
Transition to higher performance regime: As the team pivots to IREC, my avionics and recovery subsystem redesign is primed for the increased demands of achieving 10,000 ft+ altitude and Mach 0.9 flight. I’m actively preparing our systems for the transonic regime and more complex telemetry and recovery scenarios.

AIAA UMass Charter

Vice Chair

When invited to help launch the UMass chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, I embraced the opportunity to build a vibrant aerospace-community from the ground up. In less than one academic year, our membership surged from just four founding students to over 150 active members. We successfully positioned the chapter within the College of Engineering, earned visibility through a strong presence at the engineering club fair, and were selected to present to the Dean’s Advisory Council as a featured student highlight.

Key Contributions & Impact

Spearheaded membership growth strategy: Through targeted outreach, event programming, and peer engagement, increased chapter membership by nearly 40×, fostering a diverse and active aerospace-interested community.
Established organizational infrastructure: Worked with founding leadership to set up official recognition of the chapter within the college, including club chartering, governance, and integration into the engineering student-organization ecosystem.
Organized high-impact field excursions & workshops:
- Coordinated a facility tour of Test Devices by SCHENCK in Hudson, MA — a leading spin-testing and rotational dynamics engineering firm serving aerospace and propulsion industries.
- Organized a guided tour of the New England Air Museum — giving members direct exposure to aerospace heritage and industry innovation.
- Delivered a mid-power rocketry workshop teaching fundamentals such as aerodynamics, center-of-gravity vs. center-of-pressure, drag and staging—enabling hands-on learning for novices and experienced hobbyists alike.
- Hosted a guest speaker event featuring Todd Barber — senior engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and flight engineer on the Cassini–Huygens mission — providing members with direct industry insights.
- Delivered a tailored aerospace-industry résumé workshop, equipping members with the tools to present their skills and projects effectively to recruiters and hiring managers.
Positioned chapter for sustained growth and relevance: With new events in motion—a movie-night social, a tech-talk with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on avionics/telemetry, and a drone-workshop—the chapter is set to maintain momentum and deliver value to its members.

Scout BSA

Eagle Scout and Troop 75 Senior Patrol Leader

Achieved the Eagle Scout rank as a culminating demonstration of leadership, project-management, and community service. Leading my own charter project, I designed and built four heavy-duty outdoor collection boxes for worn U.S. flags for the town of Andover, MA—enabling the local veterans services office to move from a plastic bin to a robust system built for New England weather. Six months after installation, over 8,000 flags had been collected and respectfully retired. In parallel, as Senior Patrol Leader during the COVID-19 era, I developed and submitted a safety protocol to the Massachusetts Scout Council that became their official guideline for resuming in-person meetings, led my troop back into normalcy without a single COVID transmission, and later led a high-adventure trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico—hiking over 80 miles across rugged backcountry, carrying full gear and guiding a crew of 15 scouts through unknown terrain.

Key Contributions & Impact

Community Impact through Engineering: Designed, built, and installed four heavy-duty outdoor flag-retirement boxes for the town of Andover, replacing an inadequate plastic bin system and enabling the respectful collection of 8,000+ U.S. flags within six months.
Crisis Leadership during COVID-19: As Senior Patrol Leader, authored a safety-protocol proposal to resume in-person scouting activities; the Massachusetts Scout Council adopted it as the official statewide guideline, enabling safe troop operations with zero transmission events.
High-Adventure Expedition Leadership: Led a 15-member crew on an 80+ mile backpacking expedition through Philmont Scout Ranch’s high-altitude wilderness, managing navigation, logistics, and team morale through challenging terrain and unpredictable conditions.
Resilience & Service Mindset: Demonstrated initiative and leadership under pressure—balancing community service, safety, and technical execution while upholding the core principles of Scouting and engineering discipline.

Engineering Peer Mentors

Peer Mentor

Serving as a Peer Mentor for first-year engineering students, helping them navigate the transition into university life and feel welcome in the College of Engineering. As part of the Engineering Peers program, I assist two first-year seminar sections and co-host community events designed to foster belonging and introduce students to campus resources, clubs, and academic success strategies.

Mentorship & Student Support: Partner with faculty and other mentors to guide over 50 first-year students through their transition to college, offering advice on time-management, course planning, and involvement opportunities.
Community Engagement: Helped plan and host social events that strengthen community within the College of Engineering, including a lawn-games social to promote inter-year networking and a Halloween-themed arts-and-crafts event open to all students.
Positive Campus Culture: Contributed to creating a welcoming, supportive environment where first-year engineers feel comfortable seeking guidance, improving student retention and overall satisfaction in the program

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