Project Experience
Mission SpaceWalker
Founder, Project Co-lead & Mission Specialist
August 2021-Present
With a passion for research and promoting women and minorities in STEM, I have founded a team called Mission SpaceWalker which focuses on space related research and skill development. A few of our projects are featured below.
As part of the CAN-RGX competition hosted yearly by SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space), we developed 2 robots to test in a microgravity environment aboard a parabolic flight. The purpose was to study electroadhesive robotics for space, and we obtained results which will help give insight into electroadhesive capabilities and testing methods. Through this first project, the team has published an academic paper under IEEE Potentials Magazine. We also received the SEDS outreach award.
During the 2023 campaign taking place at the SAIT Aero Centre, we also devised a superwoman drag and lift experiment that we flew in their wind tunnel.
July 2020-Present
Our mission in partnership with Rokaboo and Parks Canada to study the Athabasca Glacier. Four goals of this project include:
1. Demonstrate a successful citizen research platform and engage the public with preserving and protecting our glaciers.
2. Develop instruments and procedures for glacial monitoring, such as a modular Raspberry Pi sensor and explorational robotics.
3. Develop a clean energy source for a net-zero trailer, such as hydro or wind power.
4. Create a detailed dataset which is analyzed for correlation relationships and further meaningful conclusions.
We trialed these technologies as part of the Canadian Analog Experiment Competition (CAN-ARX) in the summer of 2024.
Tasks
- Translating an adhesive space robotics concepts to a hazard controlled technical experiment for a parabolic flight
- Building unique science technology including an open source albedo sensor and foldable wind turbine
- Creating comprehensive documentation and hazard reports for the Canadian Space Agency and National Research Council
- Developing abstracts, technical papers, and conference presentations
- Participating in Women in STEM outreach efforts including International Women’s Day space panels, high school workshops and summer camps, and campus presentations
- Developing a robot using electrical, software, and mechanical skills
- Overseeing critical decisions such as budget management and mission planning
- Connecting members with a network of professionals with a focus of developing their skills
Skills developed
- Prototyping methods including Solidworks CAD modelling and additive manufacturing
- Testing through calculations, simulations such as FEA, and through vibrational and stress tests
- Electrical hardware layout and sourcing (including motors, servos, and sensors) and soldering components
- Mission planning and flight testing
- Software with Arduino and Raspberry Pi
- Safety in developing Field Activity Plans (FAP) and hazard assessments
- Data analysis including coding processing scripts in python, microscopy, wind tunnel measurements, and video processing
- Technical writing for academic papers
- Analog environment training including microgravity and glacial environments
- Public outreach and presenting skills
- Leadership in founding, operating, and managing a team
CAN-SBX ApM & Careers writer
SEDS Canada
January 2021-Present
The CAN-SBX challenge allows post-secondary students the opportunity to fly their experiments in a high altitude balloon provided by the Canadian Space Agency. As a proud assistant project manager of the CAN-SBX team, I enjoy the challenge of ensuring the projects success and working with my amazing and innovative project team.
Everyones space journey is unique, and as the founder and writer for the Careers in Space blog, my teams vision is to showcase various stories of career pathways to inspire the next generation. Each story reinforces how there is not one right path, and to provide a resource with various opportunities people can take as they reach for the stars.
Tasks
- Monitoring & assessing project progress to ensure groups stay on task
- Working directly with the CSA and reporting to the project manager to ensure completion of project phases and find solutions to concerns, such as the ESDP and PDR/CDR reports and deadlines
- Reviewing documents and revising manuals & Sponsorship Decks
- Attend routinely meetings with the CSA and faculty advisors to address questions and provide solutions
- Planning and scheduling the campaign and organizing the launch, monitoring, and recovery of payloads
- Managing the team social media campaign, coordinating with the CSA and international partners to engage and encourage youth to pursue STEM and their interest in the space industry
- Interviewing various industry professionals and transferring their words into an article with links to related opportunities
Skills developed
- Interviewing and journaling skills
- Website development
- Professional communication skills with established companies such as the CSA
- Collaboration and cooperation with diverse individuals
- Leadership skills and assertiveness
- Strong time management and organizational skills
- Virtual collaboration on platforms like confluence, google meets, zoom, and discord
- Social media planning and graphic design using google drawings and Canva
YouAlberta writer
University of Alberta
September 2023-Present
After being interviewed by the University of Alberta communications team, I was excited to contribute when they asked me to write a blog post. Afterward, the communications lead publishing my post recommended I apply as a writer. The team writes for the YouAlberta blog, which is sent weekly to every student on campus. With this large audience I hope to share opportunities, journeys, and tips in the space industry so more students are aware of the amazing opportunities available to them. Some of my articles are shown below.
AlbertaSAT
Mechanical Team
July 2020-December 2022
Ex-Alta 2 is the current mission being conducted at AlbertaSAT, which is a 3U cubesat designed to measure infrared light in partnership with the CSA. This information will allow analyzation of the earths surface to provide information on the after effects of wildfires. AlbertaSAT is also working on the Northern SPIRIT missions in aiding the Yukon and Northwest Territories to develop 2U satellites for separate scientific tasks.
Tasks
- Pioneered a stand-in CAD model of a battery pack and re-modelling of the satellite structure using Solidworks
- Participating in the thermal analysis and modelling the testing mount apparatus
- Preparing a 3D printed model to verify harnessing
- Administered feedback and researched ADCS systems for the satellite, including cost and performance comparisons
- Contributed to weekly team wide meetings and mechanical team meetings to assist team members and problem solve together, often including update presentations to faculty advisors
- Attended integration of Ex-Alta2 at the Canadian Space Agency
Skills developed
- Ability to adapt to a variety of different assigned tasks
- Cooperation with a large group of teammates
- Producing quality results prior to an expected deadline
- Ability to take critical feedback to improve a product
- Solidworks virtual 3D modelling and assembly skills
- Virtual collaboration on platforms like google meets, GrabCAD, and Slack
termin8
Founder
December 2022-Present
Founded in response to the YSpacE competition, Termin8 was formed to help create a cleaner and more sustainable space industry. The first pitched invention was a termination device for stratospheric balloon flights. Compared to rockets, stratospheric balloons are a more sustainable platform for near-space research, however, a termination device to control the flight would make the platform much more reliable for industry. This idea was pitched, and the idea won first place at the Canadian Space Conference YspacE entrepreneurship competition.
Tasks
- Forming a team of students interested in sustainable space development
- Literature reviews of current sustainable technology
- Developing a business plan for pitching inventions to the market
- Researching and developing further space solutions including 3D printed lunar houses and space junk removal devices
- Entered the YspacE entrepreneur competition for the development of a stratospheric balloon termination device
- Pitching ideas to potential investors and researchers
Skills developed
- Business case analysis of the space market
- Idea pitching skills to attract public interest
- Literature case study review skills
- Innovating new technologies from the idea to development phase
Mec E 360 design project
University of Alberta
September-December 2020
As a team project, Mec E 360 students were tasked with designing a 6 speed transmission with a reverse for a race kart. Students were expected to design the transmission and produce a full final report with detailed calculations on the shafts and gear stresses.
Tasks
- Developed a sequential transmission
- Conducted shaft and gear analysis for stresses and required materials
- Utilized SMath to create an optimization algorithm to simply detect the optimal stepped shaft configuration
- Manufactured a full working prototype with a sliding gear mechanism and dog clutch
Skills developed
- Analysis of stresses and fatigue
- Optimization of design through automation in SMath
- Prototyping through additive manufacturing
- Practical design by considering competition constraints
Mec E 260 design project
University of Alberta
September-December 2020
Challenging the Mec E 260 students, the University of Alberta held a major project to be done in teams. Students were expected to create a fully functional Solidworks model of a vehicle capeable of shooting pucks across a shufftle board to specified distances given a finite choice of materials. Students were also marked on their ability to create formal reports and solidworks drawings for manufacturing.
Tasks
- Developed an original vehicle for a shufftleboard competition
- Analyzed gear-motor systems using dyno tests to meet power and efficiency requirements
- Produced formal reports and drawings
- Engineered a fully developed virtual model of the vehicle
Skills developed
- Virtual communication and collaboration with teamates on platforms like zoom and microsoft teams
- Solidworks drawings and 3D design modeling skills
- Ability to manufacture parts when given stock material
- Writing techniques on progress reports, gantt charts, and preliminary and final reports