Click for Brad's Resume

 Engineering Experience:
I enrolled at NAU in 2001, then later spent one year studying at the University of Wales, Swansea in the UK. For my Junior engineering project I helped design the suspension for a high performance sand rail. The same year I undertook an independent study in hybrid renewable energy system design.

In 2003 I worked as a junior mechanical designer for an avionics company where I did extensive CAD work. I was later hired as an engineer for the sand rail company for which I did my Junior project. I began by building frames with CAD, then went on to conduct FEA on the frames, as well as produce several engineering-themed marketing videos for the company. I am currently creating software that uses engineering principles to increase business productivity.

 Personal Interests:
I have raced mountain bikes for 10 years and have been pro for the last three. In 2003 I represented the USA at a cyclocross World Cup in Germany. I currently race for an Italian bike company from Padova. I also enjoy telemark skiing, camping, backpacking, travel, and foreign languages. I speak poor French, fair Spanish, and good Italian.

Click for Lee's Resume

 Engineering Experience:
My engineering work experience is in the automotive field. I have been working for Ford Motor Company at the Arizona Proving Grounds for nine years. My work experiences include durability, heat protection and performance testing as well as instrumentation installation for each testing type.

My collegiate engineering experiences include the junior level design of a wind tunnel for small model testing and future educational use. The design was completed in a CAD environment and analyzed with an FEA software package. An extensive amount of fluid mechanics was applied to maximize function and efficiency. My sophomore level design was of a motorized search and rescue robot for fire fighting in structurally compromised buildings. This included a functioning scaled down model and testing in an obstacle course and in class competition.

 Personal Interests:
My hobbies include auto mechanics, motorcycle touring, time at the gym, and quality time with friends and family.

 Engineering Experience:
I enrolled at NAU in 2001. I am the first in my family to attend college and definitely the first one in my family to pursue a career in Engineering. Lee Olson and I were on the same junior level design team as well as attended the same sophomore level design class and therefore have essentially the same background in design over the last two years. Junior level design included the design of a small wind tunnel to which much time was spent in a CAD environment as well using extensive fluid mechanics to understand and manipulate air flow through the tunnel. The sophomore level design included the design and subsequent implementation of a small-scale "Search and Rescue" vehicle which had to perform its duties in a competition-style environment. The summer of 2004 found me at one of NAU's partner German engineering schools, the Hochschule University of Applied Sciences, in Zittau, Germany pursuing an understanding of the German language and subsequently the German culture.

I had no prior work experience in anything remotely close to engineering before starting at NAU. Since then, however, I have been involved in independent projects with Dr. Tom Acker in alternative energy solutions and Dr. Earl Duque in the renovation and upgrade of his cluster computer which solves and models complex fluid dynamics problems/programs. The summer of 2005 was spent interning for Arizona Public Service Co. at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Phoenix, AZ. There I spent my time in the Systems Engineering side or more specifically in NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) Engineering. My tasks included determining a root cause of failure and an unofficial technical review on the Low Pressure Safety Injection System performance calculation. I competed against three other interns for the opportunity to pursue a part-time position with APS that I would keep over the school year and was asked to stay on and work.

 Personal Interests:
Ever since I can remember I have been horse-back riding. I love it! I grew up with them and I plan on owning them when I finally settle down. I also enjoy photography immensely and plan on having my own studio as soon as I own a roof over my head. I enjoy all of the things that are available to me in a place like Arizona. I got my first taste of snowboarding this last winter and plan to try it as well as skiing again this year. Just recently I took a hiking trip down into the Grand Canyon and I truly believe that if you have the ability to do so, you should. I enjoy running and have entered myself into my first half-marathon in Phoenix which will take place sometime in January. Just recently I have taken an interest in drawing and am slowly but progressively teaching myself the basics from books I acquired. I'm also very excited that I will be starting my first guitar lessons next week.

 Engineering Experience:
I’m currently a senior at Northern Arizona University, studying to become a mechanical engineer. Over the years I have worked as a mechanic at Meadow Brook Dairy, dealing with rebuilding various types of engines, metal fabrication, and electrical work.

As a student I have been involved with many team design projects. My Junior Level design project was to develop a product that would independently brake the rear wheels in unison with steering input for sand rails in soft sand. This included countless hours of CAD work designing custom parts, and copying off the shelf parts into the computer program, as well as analyzing the parts with FEA to see if they would fail under load. I am currently trying to start a small retail business catering to board sports.

 Personal Interests:
In the little spare time that I have away from school I take time to enjoy backcountry skiing, surfing, and skateboarding. My passion for skiing has evolved over the years from racing when I was younger to hiking in the backcountry. I like to travel to new places in search of mountains, or waves.