Undergraduate Student Researcher
Background
I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. I am the Founder and President of the Gaucho Rocket Project, a student-led initiative with the goal of landing a rocket and expanding the capabilities of amateur rocketry. Outside of UCSB, I am a regular snowboarder, multi-instrumentalist, director, actor, and solo traveler. After graduating, I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or Materials Science.
Research
Ceramic materials possess significant potential to transform the aerospace and electronics industries due to their exceptional thermal and electrical properties. However, their inherent brittleness presents challenges when manufacturing complex geometries. Vat Photopolymerization enables the 3D printing of ceramics into structures that would otherwise be unachievable with conventional manufacturing methods. Our objective is to predict the material properties of these printed components by systematically modifying printing parameters, such as geometry and resin composition, and characterizing the resulting parts using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Micro-Computed Tomography (MicroCT). These characterizations will be followed by stress testing to evaluate the performance and reliability of the printed ceramics.
Education
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2023-Present - B.S. in Mechanical Engineering & Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara