Ethan Ardavin
Ethan Ardavin is a computer engineering student at the University of Florida with a focus on embedded systems, programming, and applied machine learning. He has gained hands-on experience across a wide range of technical areas, including kernel-level development, FPGA programming, hardware debugging, and image compression. Ethan is fluent in several programming languages, such as Python, C++, C, and Rust, and he continues to expand his skills through both academic coursework and independent projects.
In addition to his studies, Ethan contributes to two startups that reflect both his engineering and organizational skills. With Eco Vida, a waste-to-energy venture, he serves as a lead systems engineer, developing technical models and presenting them to stakeholders ranging from local government agencies to agricultural boards. His work has supported the company’s efforts to align technical feasibility with community needs. At VI Kart, a grocery delivery service, Ethan manages the social media and builds large parts of the company’s technical backbone, creating custom WordPress plugins and themes, and designing middleware to synchronize inventory between suppliers and the platform.
Ethan applies engineering problem-solving in ways that emphasize clarity and practicality. From building predictive models in PyTorch to implementing a JPEG encoder in Rust, he treats projects as opportunities to strengthen both technical depth and reach. His work shows a steady focus on making complex systems understandable and usable rather than abstract.
Szander Brenner
Szander Brenner is a 5th-year Electrical Engineering student at the University of Florida, graduating in May 2026 with a minor in Computer Science. He is passionate about embedded systems and robotics, focusing on building practical solutions that bridge hardware and software. Szander has gained industry experience through internships at GE Aerospace, where he contributed to the validation and testing of an experimental torque sensor and programmed a microcontroller to interface with a new hydrogen sensor, and at Duke Energy, where he supported grid reliability projects. On campus, he is a member of the University of Florida’s Machine Intelligence Lab, where he has worked on embedded devices for real-time robotics applications. In his free time, Szander enjoys hands-on hardware design, including developing a custom bubble hockey scoreboard. He plans to pursue a career in embedded systems engineering and continue his education through a master’s program to deepen his expertise in embedded systems.
Harsh Panchal
Harsh Panchal is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering student set to graduate in Spring 2025 from the University of Florida. He loves being involved on campus and is a member of Swamp Launch where he helps design and build the payload of the rocket using Fusion360 CAD software as well as shop manufacturing machines. Harsh is also a member of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) and served as a mentor to other engineering students and helped plan organization events. During his time as a project engineering intern at CertainTeed, he learned about manufacturing processes and contributed to improving operations in the plant. Harsh’s goal is to use his engineering knowledge and expertise to make a positive impact on the world around him.
Matt Szatkowski
Matt Szatkowski is currently pursuing a Mechanical Engineering major and minor in Sales Engineering at the University of Florida, with an expected graduation of May 2026. Throughout his academic career, he has demonstrated technical ability and commitment to excellence through coursework, internships, and engineering projects. During past summers, Matt served as a Manufacturing Engineer Intern for Mayco International, a tier one automotive supplier, where he learned about the manufacturing process and worked to improve cycle times of secondary machine operations. He has also earned a Six Sigma White Belt to further develop his understanding of efficiency and improvement. With career interests that blend mechanical engineering with sales and business development, Matt is motivated by opportunities to connect innovative technologies with customer needs, and his long-term goal is to leverage his engineering foundation and communication skills to build meaningful client relationships and drive impactful solutions in technical industries.
Natalia Piascik
Natalia Piascik is a fourth-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Florida, driven by a passion for medical technology and robotics. During her internship at Edwards Lifesciences, she supported the research and development of mitral and aortic heart valves by designing and optimizing testing fixtures. She is also deeply involved with Dream Team Engineering, a nonprofit organization on campus, where she serves as Vice President. In this role, she leads cross-functional teams and collaborates with clinicians to deliver thoughtful design, software, and research solutions that improve the overall healthcare experience. Natalia enjoys blending technical skills with creative thinking and practical problem-solving to make her projects more useful and meaningful for the people who rely on them.
Nieed Guillaume
Nieed Guillaume is a 4th-year Mechanical Engineering student, minoring in Physics, set to graduate from the University of Florida in Spring 2026, whose lifelong passion for understanding how things work now fuels his academic and extracurricular life. He currently serves as the President of Gator Robotics, a design team competing with battlebots, where he is actively expanding the club’s size and global presence, while personally competing in multiple weight classes. Nieed has gained diverse design, manufacturing, electromechanics, and mechatronics experience through interning at The Tech Toybox, working on the design and manufacturing of products, researching with the UF Machine Intelligence Lab on autonomous vehicles, and with Real World Engineering on a multi-axis 3D printing robotic arm. Ultimately, Nieed plans to pursue a career working in manufacturing or robotics after graduation, bringing his diverse technical expertise and love for competition to the professional world!