Sponsors
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Dr. Juan Ordonez
UFPR
UFPR Team Lead
Kaelyn is a senior Mechanical Engineering major at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and is currently studying abroad at the Federal University of Paraná as part of the FIPSE Sustainable Energy and Aeronautical Engineering Program. For the past two years, she has worked as an undergraduate researcher at the High Performance Materials Institute in the Industrial and Manufacturing department studying carbon nanotube and fiber characterization. This past summer Kaelyn worked as a research, development, and innovation intern for Harris Corporation (formerly Exelis Inc.) within their Space and Intelligence Systems division. After graduation, Kaelyn hopes to return to Harris for a yearlong co-op and, afterwards, intends on pursuing a graduate degree with a focus on innovation in engineering. In her free time, Kaelyn enjoys spending time with family and friends, participating in service projects, drawing, and exploring the new places.
FSU Team Lead
Yuri Lopes is a Mechanical Engineering student at Florida State University. He is interested in aerodynamics and automotive engineering and is currently an undergraduate research assistant at the Florida Center for Advanced Aero Propulsion. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his friends and playing sports. Yuri plans to pursue a masters degree in mechanical engineering and is currently applying to graduate schools in the U.S. and in Germany.
Financial and Inventory Manager
Ben is a senior Mechanical Engineering major at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. After graduation he is desiring to pursue a master’s degree in the subfield of mechatronics. If he does not travel overseas to serve elsewhere, he can most likely be found in the mountains of Colorado or North Carolina. In his spare time he enjoys playing sports, singing, reading the Bible and having meaningful conversations.
Scale and Process Engineer
Courtnie Garko is senior in Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. For the past four years she has pursued an officer slot in the United States AIR FORCE through means of Florida State University Air Force ROTC. After graduation she plans on commissioning as a second lieutenant and serving as a Developmental Engineer at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Courtnie enjoys hiking, skiing, rock climbing, and spending time with family. Her interests include deep-space, cooking, and movies.
Lead Mechanical Engineer
Tomas is a senior in Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and is currently studying abroad at the Federal University of Paraná as part of the FIPSE Sustainable Energy and Aeronautical Engineering Program. For the past four years, he has served as the project manager for the Off Grid Zero Emissions Building and for the past three years, he has worked as an undergraduate researcher at the Center for Advanced Power Systems. After graduation, Tomas intends on pursing multiple graduate degrees in thermodynamic optimization and electrochemistry. In his free time, Tomas enjoys playing soccer, chocolate, and learning new languages
Hydraulics Specialist
Benalle is in his third year of Mechanical Engineering at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). Currently he works as fellow of the scientific initiation program at the Center of Research and Development for Sustainable Energy (NPDEAS) and is responsible for the equipment maintenance sector. Benalle participated in a 660 hour internship in the Chemistry Department of the Lactec Institute and became a technician in oil and natural gas. He is a Christian, loves playing bass in the church on weekends, enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and plays soccer whenever he can. Benalle intends on becoming a competent mechanical engineer that is active in thermal projects or academia. He dreams of one day being a university professor, teaching classes of thermal content.
Team 9 would like to thank the FIPSE-SEAP Program, as well as the partnership of Florida State University and the Federal University of Paraná for making this senior design project possible. We would like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Juan Ordonez, our sponsor and FSU advisor; to Dr. José Viriato Coelho Vargas, our UFPR mentor and coordinator of the Center for Research and Development of Self-Sustainable Energy (NPDEAS); to André Bellin Mariano, the program manager of NPDEAS and principal investigator for this project; to Lorena Panage Moura; to Diego Araujo, a UFPR M. Sc. in Mechatronics, for his assistance with process automation and circuit engineering; and to Dr. Duncan Sousa and John Spear at the BSIR Center at FSU.
