University Projects
San Francisco State University
The Lumaire Nightstand was a project focused on creating a bedside table tailored to the needs of a busy parent with a young child. The design aimed to address common challenges like clutter, harsh lighting, and safety concerns while providing functional and user-friendly features.
To meet these needs, I designed the nightstand with touch-controlled LED lights for adjustable brightness, making it easy to operate without disturbing sleep. Motion-activated floor lights provide gentle illumination for nighttime movement, reducing the risk of accidents. The smooth, rounded edges ensure safety for children, while soft-close drawers prevent noise during use. A spacious top surface accommodates essential items like phones and watches, and the enclosed storage keeps the area organized and clutter-free.
X-Acto Knife Re-Design
This goal of this class assignment was to design an edible Jello mold that conveyed a symbolic message. By recreating a plastic clamshell container in an edible Jello form, my project encourages reflection on waste and the presence of microplastics in our environment and bodies.
To create the mold, I began by designing the clamshell shape in CAD software. I then 3D-printed the design, which served as the base for a vacuum forming process to produce a reusable mold. This mold allowed me to shape the Jello into a realistic clamshell.
Oregon State University
Capstone Senior Design Project
For my senior capstone project, I worked with four engineering students over six months to design and build a full-suspension mountain bike using recycled wood and carbon fiber composite. The goal was to create a bike for Celilo Cycles that could handle rugged terrain while maintaining the sleek aesthetics of a cross-country bike. We developed multiple prototypes to optimize the frame geometry for performance and durability, culminating in a design that will be added to Celilo Cycles' product lineup.
My role included researching and determining the frame geometry, creating a cardboard prototype, and building the initial wooden prototype using my certification in the Oregon State University wood shop. I also contributed to refining the second wooden prototype, 3D-printing small components for accurate sizing, and assisting with project reports. Our team CNC-milled the wooden frame, laid up carbon fiber, and assembled the bike, producing two final prototypes tested for safety and performance.
The project was showcased at the Oregon State University 2022 Engineering Exposition and received an award from Daimler Trucks North America for its innovative potential. This experience gave me practical skills in design, manufacturing, and teamwork.
Assembling a rough cardboard prototype
Simulation of rear wheel travel for chosen bike geometry
First all wood mock up prototype
Second all wood prototype and shock undergoing flex testing
Half of the final frame with carbon fiber lay-up
CNC milling the carbon fiber interior to shape
Attaching the two halves of the frame together
Final wood composite bike frame
3D Printed Educational Toy - Intro to Design (ME 382)
For my Intro to Design course, I worked with three classmates to create "Create-A-Plant", an educational toy designed for children in quarantine. The goal was to make a toy that could be built at home for under $25 while being engaging and educational. Create-A-Plant consists of 3D-printed plant parts that children can assemble, with leaves and flowers that interlock with stems and a pot base. Each part is labeled with its name to help children learn about plants. The prototype was made with PLA and ABS plastic and cost $12.64 to produce.
I contributed to all stages of development, including researching social, economic, and technical (SET) factors, identifying stakeholders, and defining customer requirements and engineering specifications. To understand needs, I interviewed two families and used their feedback to shape the product. My idea for Create-A-Plant was selected through team brainstorming and set-based design. I sketched initial concepts, modeled the pot and stems, and used 3D printing to produce the final prototype. I also helped with reports and reviews, ensuring clear communication of our work. This project gave me hands-on experience with design, prototyping, and working effectively as part of a team.
My initial concept sketch for Create-A-Plant
Render of the final product in one of its configurations
Final prototype that I 3D printed
Product Ideation Sketches - Intro to Design (ME 382)
These are seven of my brainstorms for the term project for Intro to Design (detailed above). The product needed to be a children's toy that could be made from home and would cost under $25.
Drawings for Drawing Core Studio (Art 131)
Below are my projects from a drawing core studio class at Oregon State University. The studio focused on introducing drawing techniques and developing skills in perception and visual organization. All are drawn on 18" x 24" drawing paper.
3 point perspective drawn in graphite
Cluster of objects drawn in charcoal and graphite
Sphere drawn in graphite
Sphere drawn in charcoal
Rhododendron bud and leaves drawn in graphite
Dancing Sound Reactive Robot - Intro to Instrumentation (ME 351)
For my Intro to Instrumentation term project, I worked with a teammate to create a dancing robot that reacted in three different ways to three sound-based inputs. The robot used a SparkFun Sound Detector to measure sound amplitude and frequency, which triggered changes in LED colors, flashing patterns, and dance movements. We used four servo motors for movement and implemented a fast Fourier transform (FFT) function, EasyFFT, to filter noise, detect beats, and identify common frequencies. A rolling average filter smoothed volume fluctuations to prevent LED flickering. The final system included a robot with two actuators on each side, a breadboard with the sound sensor, an RGB LED that changed colors based on volume, and a red LED that flashed in time with the music’s beat.
I contributed to several key parts of the project. My primary role was writing and modifying code for FFT analysis, beat detection, and the robot’s dance movements. I also developed code for the LEDs to react to sound input and researched the SparkFun sound sensor to fully understand its capabilities. I 3D-printed the robot’s body, set up the sound sensor on the breadboard, and ensured it worked properly. To stabilize the robot while allowing movement, I designed a support system for the breadboard and Arduino. This project strengthened my skills in coding, hardware integration, and problem-solving.
First rough design of robot detailing components
Breadboard setup for LED lights, servo motors, and Sparkfun sound detector
LED light color cut-offs for amplitude (volume) of sound
Rolling average filter applied on raw sound amplitude data to fix LED flickering
Raw sound data from Sparkfun sound detector
Most common sound frequencies filtered from raw sound data by applying an FFT function
Oregon State Honors College Thesis - Mechanical Properties of Hemp Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites
As part of my honors degree at Oregon State University, I conducted original research and wrote a thesis on the mechanical properties of hemp-reinforced polylactic acid, a composite material. Over two years, I planned and carried out experiments to analyze the material’s performance, developing a solid understanding of its characteristics. This process gave me valuable experience in conducting research and strengthened my technical writing skills.
SkuratowiczBerkeley2023.pdf