What is a smart man/woman like you doing without my creative prowess? Hmm… Maybe we haven’t met each other, that’s why. My name is Lidvin Calderon, and as a second-year Mechanical Engineering Major, I am here to be your imagination station. Aside from my identification at Rice, I am a Native Houstonian with a passion for music production, art, and poesy.

Despite being a sophomore, the only thing I am affiliated with in Rice is my residential hall, Duncan (as well as the OEDK since I’ve slept in it overnight a couple of times). Other than that, I don’t have a specific role – rather I simply thrive being a freelance problem solver around campus. My mission is to find my place at Rice, and I welcome you on my journey to find my place of comfort.

One thing that I am proud of is the hybrid fastener sorter that I made with my ENGI 200 team. I was able to collaborate with two other great minds who were able to help piece mechanical and electrical systems together to create a functional, machine-learning-based contraption that was able to sort bolts, screws, washers, and nuts with up to 97% accuracy on some categories. This project became the acme of my team’s imagination, and from such, I derived inspiration to continue with my engineering venture.

There are a myriad of things I’d love to do in the future, but I am prioritizing things that will help improve my quality of life. Currently, I have been researching and designing a mechanical, noninvasive replacement for a faulty knee joint. The concept is similar to that of a brace, but more personalized and innovative to where I can support more weight through torsional force, comfort through a stepping damper, and stability using external femoral-tibial restraints.