David Carvajal
David Carvajal is a 4th year Electrical Engineering major at the University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering with an interest in microprocessor and FPGA applications in the field of robotics. His current involvement at the University of Florida is focused on his research assistant position with the Smart Systems Lab (SSL) and his participation in the IPPD program. David’s current work at the SSL is concentrated on a project pursuing FPGA multi-tenancy in the cloud, and past work as part of the SSL’s robotics team had him working on self-navigating ground robots for possible industrial use. David’s coursework at UF has provided him with experience in soldering and electrical equipment use, PCB design, FPGA and microprocessor tools, programming (in C, C++, Java, Python, MicroPython, VHDL, and Verilog), and familiarity with computer aided design resulting in a SolidWorks CSWA certification. In his free time David likes to create interesting objects using his personal 3D printer and enjoys outdoor water-based activities like swimming and fishing. David hopes his pursuit of knowledge in the fields of engineering and robotics can result in new innovations for the betterment of society and nature, especially in the areas of marine life and ocean conservation.
Alex Diez
Alex Diez is currently in his 5th year of study at the University of Florida majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with an expected graduation date of May 1st, 2022. Some of his professional highlights and primary interests include mechanical/structural engineering design and analysis, systems engineering, gas turbine and rocket engines, SolidWorks (Certified), product design and Prototype Development. Alex is a member of various professional student organizations including the University of Florida’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) chapter where he has kept a director position for over two years, and the University of Florida’s Sigma Gamma Tao Aerospace Honor Society chapter, home to the top five percent aerospace engineers based on grade-point-average. Alex uses his leadership involvement with SHPE and SGT as a tool to give back to his community in his spare time throughout the school year and enjoys networking with engineers whom he shares similar career goals with. Alex has sharpened his technical, professional communication, and professional writing skills through the successful completion of two internships: One with The Boeing Company as a propulsion engineering intern, and another with GE Aviation as a technical engineering intern.
Jack Gonzales
In this section write a short bio of yourself. This can Jack Gonzales is a 4th year computer engineering major at the University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering focusing on microprocessors and machine learning in the field of robotics. He is currently working as a research assistant in the Human Systems Engineering Lab. This lab studies the effects that autonomous robots have on humans in the workplace. He is currently working on a literature review and study pertaining to how humans and grocery store robots work together. He is hoping to gain a better understanding of how his contributions to the field of robotics will impact on the lives of the people around the robot. Through the coursework at the University of Florida, Jack has learned an extensive amount about machine learning, data processing, data structures, signal processing, and microprocessor applications. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and hiking in the mountains, reading, and taking care of plants. Jack graduates in the Spring of 2022 and is looking for a full-time job after graduation. He is hoping that this job will expand his knowledge in robotics and allow him to help create a safe working environment between humans and robots.
Neil Kotun
Neil Kotun is a senior undergraduate student, working toward his degree in Computer Engineering. As a student, Neil has developed knowledge on topics including programming fundamentals, software engineering (e.g., agile methodologies, test-driven development), also gaining hands on experience with microprocessor applications and hardware integration (e.g., C and assembly code, hardware level communication protocols). Neil’s primary interests include machine learning, embedded software, and operating systems. Upon graduating this upcoming spring, Neil hopes to apply his engineering skills as a part of a professional organization dedicated to developing and advancing new technologies. Beyond academics, Neil enjoys athletic activities such as cycling, running, and team sports including volleyball and basketball.
Alex Kuzmicki
Alex is an electrical engineering student at the University of Florida, he is planning on graduating in May 2022 with his bachelor’s and May 2023 with his master’s in electrical engineering through UF’s 4+1 program. While in grad school Alex is planning on specializing in signal processing and machine learning. Over Alex’s college career he has worked three separate summer internships with 2 companies. Over the last two summers, he has worked with Northrop Grumman in Melbourne Florida working on the electronics and payloads integrated product team. While at Northrop Grumman Alex worked on developing tools for simulating, recording, and analyzing network traffic as well as worked on Matlab scripts to calculate link budgets for an array of radio frequencies. Alex also had the opportunity to work at GE Aviation in Grand Rapids Michigan the summer between his freshman and sophomore year where he was a test and validation intern on the Boeing 777x cSoc team. There he wrote test scripts to ensure that the chip designed to manage the avionics of the aircraft was able to recover its self from potential errors that were defined by the FAA. Alex is currently the Electrical lead of UF’s machine intelligence lab, a research lab on campus that specializes in designing, building, and competing with autonomous water-based robots. Through his 4 years with the club, he has been a vital member of the electrical team, by designing multiple custom PCBs and assisted in designing the entire electrical architecture for the next generation Sub.
Dylan Lerner
Dylan Lerner is a 4th year mechanical engineering student at UF, born and raised in Gainesville, FL. His most recent internship was this past summer in Melbourne, FL as a Cost Engineer for Northrop Grumman where he conducted “should cost” analysis for 500+ design parts. During this internship, Dylan was recognized for his efforts in performance as a BRAVO Award recipient. The previous summer, he interned online as a Logistics Intern for Northrop Grumman and completed over 30 engineering change notices to document part updates. He hopes to use these experiences to grow into a future working in the aerospace and defense industry. He is currently the president of the Engineering Leadership Circle, a member of Engineering Ambassadors, the Teaching Assistant for Engineering Leadership, and a UF Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Peer Advisor. He is passionate about building and designing products that can make a positive impact on others while still exploring the future of technological innovation.
Jacob Stephens
Jacob Stephens is a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Florida with a graduation date of May 2022. Jacob is passionate about contributing to the development of emerging and innovative technologies, and some of his primary interests include mechanical design for the aerospace industry and additive manufacturing. During the previous summer, Jacob worked for Siemens in Grand Prairie, Texas as an Engineering Leadership Development Program Intern. In this role, Jacob supported the implementation of a prototype wiring system for industrial electrical products estimated to save $3.1 million annually. Jacob sped up the completion date of this project by optimizing the creation of a new CAD library through standardization of mechanical models within assemblies. Additionally, he worked with 8 other interns to develop an application for the Siemens Additive Manufacturing Center that assists R&D engineers with the selection of 3D printing materials. Before this internship, Jacob spent a summer as a Mechanical Engineering Intern for Octex, which is a plastic injection molding company in Sarasota, Florida. Jacob’s main task for this internship was to demonstrate to management a proof of concept for automation in the factory. Over a 2-month period, Jacob designed and built a custom automation work cell that successfully detected contamination in small plastic parts and removed them from the production line by utilizing a robotic arm, a deep learning vision system, and 3D printed components. Jacob also sharpened his mechanical design skills in this role by designing a handful of aluminum loading test fixtures. In addition to his technical work, Jacob spent multiple years in leadership roles with Project Makeover, which is a student run organization that strives to improve 2 low-income elementary schools every year.