Hello all! My name is Amelia Pillar, and I am a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering. At Rice, I’m involved in RISE Today (Rice Initiative for a Sustainable and Ethical Today) and the SA Environmental Committee. I took ENGI 120/FWIS 188 my freshman year, and had a great time getting to know my way around the OEDK and improving my hands-on engineering skills. I’m taking ENGI 210 to expand my knowledge of prototyping tools and be more confident in my ability to use the machines in the OEDK. I hope to learn more about using machines that I have little to no exposure to, like the CNC machine and SLA printer. 

I’ve worked on various projects that I’m proud of, both at Rice and in high school. In my ENGI 120 class, my group and I built a prototype of an outdoor electric scooter parking and charging station. Our prototype had a fully functional solar powered charging system, and a medium fidelity scooter “bay” and lock. In high school, I participated in FIRST Robotics (a robotics competition for high school students). I gained exposure to laser cutting, 3D printing, and silicone molding. I’m particularly proud of a 3D printed vacuum pump and suction cup system my team and I made to pick up and maneuver game elements. 

This semester, I’m excited for the midterm project. I’m interested in moving mechanisms, so I feel like it will be a cool way to experiment and learn more about manual mechanical motion. In the future, I hope to work more on projects relating to the environment and the climate crisis. In addition to a minor in Engineering Design, I’m also trying to minor in Environmental Studies. I want to tie what I learn in my ENST classes to my engineering classes to create a difference.