I'm a third year undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Florida, with minors in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. I love all things engineering and don't mind going out of my way in the pursuit of knowledge.
I conduct research at the University of Florida as a part of the FASt and GatorKits Labs, in bioinspired swimming robots and educational engineering kits respectively. I am a former NREIP intern at NSWC PCD, where I developed a rigid bioinspired propulsor design.
Project: Modular Soft Bioinspired Pneu-Net Propulsor
PI: Dr. Patrick Musgrave
Institution: Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Time: Summer 2023 - Present
My project thus far has been the development of a modular bioinspired swimming propulsor to teach the concepts of undulatory/oscillatory propulsion. The compliant body of the propulsor is actuated with Pneu-Net soft fluidic actuators.
My responsibilities include design, manufacture, testing, experiment design and execution, documentation and presentation.
The propulsor has already been demonstrated at the US Senate Robotics Demo Day (5/24) and the Cade Museum (6/24) and will be presented at ASME's SMASIS 2024. Currently, I am working on a journal publication involving this propulsor's dynamics.
Project: Low-Cost Universal Mechanical Testing Kit
PI: Dr. Matthew Traum
Institution: Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Time: Spring 2023 - Present
GatorKits Lab specializes in the development of STEM kits for use in educational settings, with a focus on engineering lab instruction.
Currently, I act as a mentor of a small team of second-year undergraduates who were introduced to the lab in their first year.
My team's focus is the design of an affordable mechanical tensile tester from off-the-shelf components. We plan to deploy the prototype in UF Mechanics of Materials Labs and have presented the research at the Spring 2023 and Spring 2024 UF Undergraduate Research Symposiums.
My responsibilities include coordinating meetings and presentations, design, manufacturing, assembly, programming, and electronics.
Project: Rigid Thunniform Propulsor for Low-Cost UUV
Mentor: Dr. James Prater
Institution: Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City
Time: Summer 2024
During Summer 2024, I worked as a Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program intern under Dr. Jim Prater at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City, Florida.
My research project at NSWC PCD was the design of a thunniform bioinpsired propulsor for a low-cost UUV. The project is currently in the process of being publicly released so that I can continue developing it with FASt Lab.
While my project was primarily mechanical, I learned a great deal from interacting with interns and mentors with projects in robotics, machine learning, and signal processing.
Supervisor: Denise Dixon
Institution: University of Florida
Department: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Time: Spring 2024 - Present
I have served as a part time group and one-on-one tutor for the UF CLAS in both a volunteer capacity and as an employee. I currently tutor Calculus I and II, Physics I and II, and a range of engineering and mathematics courses.
The experience has not only improved my interpersonal communication skills but has provided valuable lessons about mathematics and engineering education as well.
It's not all fun and games; I do actually attend my classes from time to time.
GPA: 4.0
Accolades: President's Honor Roll, Dean's List
CAD (SOLIDWORKS) - EML2023
MATLAB - COP2271
Intro Aero Engineering - EAS2011
Professional Comm - ENC3246
Statics - EGM2511
Materials - EMA3010
Design Manufacturing Lab - EML3233L
Thermodynamics 1 - EML3100
Numerical Methods - EGM3344
Dynamics - EGM3401
Mech of Materials - EGM3520
Programming 2(C++) - COP3503C
Discrete Structures - COT3100
Computer Organization - CDA3101
Autonomous Vehicles - EML4842
Elem Electrical Engineering - EEL3003
You can access my resume by clicking on the image. Here are some highlights:
Email: yatestrevor@ufl.edu, trevorlyonyates@gmail.com
Call or SMS: (407) 451-1672
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevor-yates