A place built from mechanics, memory, and melodies.
Engineering projects, experiments, and innovations
Sustainable Engineering • Design Project
Led a 5-member team designing a solar-powered, self-tumbling composting system using DFM/DFA principles. Created detailed CAD components and integrated renewable energy solutions for community-scale waste management—engineering for environmental impact.
Aerospace • Propulsion & Aerodynamics
Designed and launched rockets through Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, focusing on achieving consistent stability metrics and optimizing flight performance. Gained hands-on experience with aerodynamic analysis, propulsion systems, OpenRocket software, and the precision required for successful aerospace engineering.
Mechanical Engineering • Instrumentation
A ~0.1g accurate accelerometer created using objects found at hardware stores. Currently measures between -1.2 and 1.2g of acceleration. This device uses viscous damping and a mass-spring damping system with 2 springs in order to accurately measure acceleration in under one second, and minimal to no spring oscillations.
IoT • Robotics • Ongoing Project
Converting the classic singing fish into a remote communication device controlled by my phone. Billy Bass now serves as my voice in another room, combining nostalgic animatronics with modern IoT technology. This ongoing project blends programming, servo control, and a healthy dose of humor.
Computer Vision • Arduino • Future Project
Taking a Harry Potter wand I got at Universal Studios as a kid, and using an infrared camera and recognition to make the wand activate something, or make something happen. I plan on getting a camera and using Arduino for my first efforts.
Maker Engineering • RC Electronics
I have always enjoyed propeller hats and their humorous look, and I was struck with the entertaining idea of motorizing it. After some careful planning, deconstructing, and reconstructing, my first design was complete. A propeller hat which nearly spins fast enough to lift off my head, but not quite. A mark II is needed.
Physics • Electronics
My first engineering project - attempted to build an acoustic levitation device using ultrasonic transducers from an Instructables kit. While the project ended in a shorted circuit due to my beginner soldering skills, I gained invaluable hands-on experience with electronics and learned that failure is just another step toward mastery.
Future Project • Manufacturing
A long-dreamed project to build my own CNC machine from scratch, planned for senior year or post-graduation. This will be a dream workshop tool, allowing me to create custom high quality parts. This will improve the range and quality of future projects!
Building the foundation of mechanical understanding
My first experience with real Mechanical Engineering problems, not just math. It initially threw me for a loop, but it became natural with practice. It became very satisfying to solve these problems.
CompletedThis class made physics 1 kinematics feel like a warm-up. A real, true summation of the engineering and math classes that came before! I had a great deal of fun working on projects and applying all the skills and knowledge I gained in this class.
CompletedA solid continuation of concepts from Statics. With solid foundation skills, this class came very naturally to me. This class made me feel like a civil engineer testing strains and different materials under various loads.
CompletedA refreshing change from the various structure-based engineering classes I was taking at the time. I had this class at 7:30 am, and regardless of the rough timing, I never missed a class, always excited to see what concepts would be taught.
CompletedThis class was a real test of the MATLAB and math skills I had built up to this point. Lots and lots of difficult problems that required complex solutions that only MATLAB could handle well.
CompletedMy very first time using MATLAB. It was foreign and took getting used to, but after enough practice, it felt like I was getting fluent with the language.
CompletedThe first electrical engineering-related experience I will get outside of having fun with hobby projects. I am excited to learn how to analyze circuits and apply this to all my projects and make my work even better!
Fall '253D modeling is already something I do in my spare time for projects and 3D printing parts. I'm excited to get to use this in an academic setting and improve my skills even more.
Fall '25I'm excited to take this course after my experience with Fluid Mechanics. I'm hoping this will be another breath of fresh air in a similar way.
Fall '25The art of organized sound and creative expression
Had so much fun meeting my fellow saxophists, showing off my practice, work, and getting to hear everyone else every week! I learned a lot about how to manage the feeling of presenting to my peers.
CompletedSmall group jazz performance focusing on improvisation, ensemble listening, and musical conversation. Playing in this group every week is easily the highlight of every week.
CompletedLarge ensemble jazz performance exploring the rich history of big band music. From Count Basie to Duke Ellington, I found myself playing lots of Clarinet here.
CompletedDistinguished Research Scientist - Career Blueprint
My foundation as an engineer is firmly built upon my father, and his position as a role model in my life. He was quirky, really smart, and a very hard worker, who loved what he did. I loved watching him work on his little projects, making my Universal Studios Harry Potter wand work on something around the house, designing and creating a cigar humidity tester, or making lego batman dance to Arduino motorized LEGO. His passion certainly rubbed off on me.
Unfortunately, he passed away when I was 16. I never truly knew the depths of his love of engineering or the intricacies of his work until I matured and looked back on his writing. Notebooks, research, work papers, I use them as a fond way to remember him by. I now compare his notes to some of the work I do in my classes and think, "Hey, I learned how to do that!" I remember my dad the most by taking his place in the workshop out back. Each tool in that workshop tells a story, and I'm continuing the story my dad started with them.
Jazz • Engineering • Creative Problem Solving
The creation of a jazz tune is essentially the engineering of harmonic structure. Playing with dissonance and consonance, various harmonic tools (Ex: ii-V7-I) are used to create tension and release within the structure of a song.
Much like harmony, rhythm can be used to create tension and resolution using tools. Syncopation contributes to tension in what you hear. For example, off-beat, awkwardly spaced rhythms create pent-up musical energy.
Improvisation is not complete on-the-spot creativity as most would think. It's much more similar to the way that you and I form sentences. Jazz is a language in the same way. You develop a repository of "licks" over time, and become fluent.
Each tune is like a puzzle, restricting you to using certain harmony in your playing. It can be compared to a puzzle with infinite solutions, there are many ways to solve it, and the fun part is solving it in your own personal way.
Hollywood Bowl
Performed with the LAUSD All City jazz group for an audience of 12,000+
The Nash Jazz Club & Student Recital Hall
Performed with various faculty small groups, playing various tunes at The Nash Jazz Club and the student Recital Hall.
ASU Music Building
A Big Band group that performed lots of Count Basie and Duke Ellington tunes. I had the opportunity to feature lots of clarinet work here, along with many solos as the first-chair tenor.
Various Venues
I frequently attend these and get the chance to play with fellow peers in various improvisatory settings. It's always a ton of fun and spontaneous.
Joshua Redman
An absolute masterclass in energy building and emotional expression in technical playing.
ListenPanam Panic
Modern jazz fusion tune that exemplifies contemporary chord movement and improvisation.
ListenTakuya Kuroda
Virtuosity meets modern groove - technical mastery serving musical storytelling.
ListenJuly 27, 2025
There's a reason why so many engineers are drawn to jazz. Both fields require you to master technical fundamentals before you can truly innovate. The creative breakthrough happens when technical mastery becomes second nature.
July 27, 2025
Swing in jazz is known for being precisely imprecise. In an ironic twist, swing is the perfect representation of tolerance in engineering. Swing works in a range of ratios in the same way that tolerance is a given range in the clearance of parts.