NAU Senior Design Capstone Project

Wheelchair Trainer

About Us

We are a group of Senior Mechanical Engineering Majors building a Wheelchair Trainer for the Flagstaff Unified School District.

Michael burklund

Michael Burklund is a mechanical engineering major (thermal-fluids emphasis) with a minor in Computer Science.  Michael is our team’s point of contact with our client and co-webmaster with Bryan Flynt.  Michael has worked for 3 years as a research assistant with Dr. Earl Duque, a mechanical engineering professor at NAU. Michael’s research with Dr. Duque includes wind turbine performance predictions using Computational Fluid Dynamics.  Michael can program in Java, Matlab, and BASH.  His internships include a summer at NASA Ames Research Center studying wind turbine performance. Michael enjoys backpacking, SCUBA Diving, flying kites, and woodworking.

E-mail: mdb36@dana.ucc.nau.edu

Bryan flynt

Bryan Flynt, thermal-fluids emphasis in mechanical engineering, is the chief financial officer and co-webmaster.  Bryan has worked as an Engineering Technician for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and most recently completed an internship as an Aeromechanical Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center.  Bryan possesses a strong problem solving ability along with good communication skills.

Patricia Paddock

Patricia Paddock, thermal-fluids emphasis in mechanical engineering, is our team’s chief organizational manager. She has completed an internship with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Dillingham, Alaska this past summer. Pat's skills include heat transfer, machine design, vibration, and programming in Matlab. She is interested in fabricating and prototyping the wheelchair trainer.

Jonathan thom

Jonathan Thom, mechanical design emphasis in mechanical engineering, is the team leader.  He is currently a structural engineering intern for TOR Engineering.  In the summer of 2004 he was a mechanical engineering intern for Cholla Power Plant updating process and instrumentation blue prints.  Jonathan prefers hands-on projects previously working as an apprentice electrician and construction job supervisor.  Jonathan has experience in steel fabrication gained from growing up on a farm and also has previous experience managing projects.

E-mail: btf3@dana.ucc.nau.edu

E-mail: pap7@dana.ucc.nau.edu

E-mail: jwt22@dana.ucc.nau.edu