I am a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) majoring in Design, Robotics, and Manufacturing, and minoring in Dynamics with an expected graduation date of June 2022. I belong to the UCLA
Bionics Lab directed by Prof. Jacob Rosen, where I lead the development of robotic hand exoskeletons for rehabilitation and assist in research on automated robotic surgery.
Additionally, I am a lecturer in the Electrical Engineering Department of Loyola Marymount University (LMU). I obtained my M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA in 2017.
My undergraduate education was at LMU, where I graduated from the Honors Program with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.
My thesis work at UCLA is focused on the design, development, and application of the Opposable Thumb Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation (OTHER Hand).
Additionally, I have co-led and assisted research projects in the automation of robotic cataract surgery, tissue manipulation, and suturing. My work has resulted in 11 publications in international conferences, journals, and books, and garnering over a hundred citations.
Further, along with Prof. Jacob Rosen, I was the editor and primary contact point for the book Wearable Robotics: Systems and Applications.
I have significant experience as an instructor of record and teaching assistant, in addition to multiple years working as a tutor and enrichment teacher at local K-12 schools. My teaching abilities have been recognized through both exceptional student evaluations and teaching awards.
Further, I have mentored several graduate and undergraduate students during my doctorate.
Other prior work experience includes research and engineer positions at a private plasma physics lab, Southern California Edison, and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center.