2014/2015

As team captain, I was responsible for the production of all of the robot deliverables for the 2015 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) international ROV competition, including the robot, 24-page technical report, marketing poster, and sales presentation to industry experts. This year was especially difficult because the competition asked for an ROV that could could perform arctic exploration and oilfield maintenance tasks in three different extreme polar environments: a wave tank, a flume tank, and an ice tank. The competition took place at the Marine Institute"s ROV test facility in St. John's Newfoundland.

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I designed the ROV to consist of a modular upper level for controls and telemetry and three interchangeable lower levels that consisted of tooling for each pool environment. Throughout the season I learned how to schedule workflow and run meetings to stay on a tight schedule. Managing a full team as captain proved to be both challenging and rewarding;  I loved being at the center of the action and having the largest influence on the final system. This was my first taste of leadership, something I continued to strive for ever since.  

The result of the project was a 1st place winning ROV that was as functional as it was visually appealing. I learned how to make complex fiberglass shapes with simple wire foam cutting and layup techniques. Additionally, I learned how to manage a team and help everyone contribute towards a common end goal.