Graduate/Undergraduate Work
Below are a selection of projects that I have worked on over the past couple of years.
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Smithsonian Internship
Over the Summer of 2016, I had the opportunity to intern at the Smithsonian Institute’s Office of Facilities Management and Reliability (OFMR) in Washington, D.C.
The primary task was conducting a procedural analysis of the emergency building shutdown across all Smithsonian buildings. This work involved a great deal of coordination between myself and the maintenance crews across all sites and also necessitated conducting supervised surveys of the individual sites. The final product included a template checklist for use during shutdowns and a master Excel database that included all HVAC systems at each site. A final analysis reported was created detailing the response time of each unit and the steps necessary to complete a shutdown.
The primary task was conducting a procedural analysis of the emergency building shutdown across all Smithsonian buildings. This work involved a great deal of coordination between myself and the maintenance crews across all sites and also necessitated conducting supervised surveys of the individual sites. The final product included a template checklist for use during shutdowns and a master Excel database that included all HVAC systems at each site. A final analysis reported was created detailing the response time of each unit and the steps necessary to complete a shutdown.
Balance Board Project
Image Credits: Charis Bian, Siyu Tang & Andrew Wills
This project involved working with SWAN Rehab, an outpatient center, in Phoenix that works with stroke patients. The goal of this project was to develop or improve a product used in the rehab of the patients. Stroke patients deal with many challenges including maintaining balance while walking or simply standing. Therefore, this project was focused on the balance boards used by therapist to teach proper balance. Balance boards promote equilibrium of the body by stimulating muscles to support the skeletal frame.
The design process involved a great deal of observations and brainstorming ways to address the problem. Our initial solution involved completely redesigning the balance board with three forms of feedback (Auditory, Haptic and Visual) built into the board.
Two team members were tasked with coming up with creative designs for the board from which the design could be simplified to aid cost-effectiveness. During this time, research into haptic feedback systems was done. The inclusion of this system proved to be problematic as time would not allow for the necessary testing and technical programing of the logic board. Therefore the team chose to focus on designing with visual feedback options only.
The final design solution consisted of a laser line level in a small box. The laser was wired to a small battery pack inside the box with a simple on/off switch. The box was designed to be small, low and narrow in order to not impede the patient during therapy session. The box had velcro on the bottom to affix the box firmly to the clinic’s current boards.The box was chosen as it allowed for future testing without having to completely build a prototype board. 3D CAD modeling helped further define the box dimensions and materials used.
The product was presented to the clinic’s therapists at the end of the term. Response to the box concept was mostly positive, however tweaks to the intensity of the laser would be needed for future testing.
The design process involved a great deal of observations and brainstorming ways to address the problem. Our initial solution involved completely redesigning the balance board with three forms of feedback (Auditory, Haptic and Visual) built into the board.
Two team members were tasked with coming up with creative designs for the board from which the design could be simplified to aid cost-effectiveness. During this time, research into haptic feedback systems was done. The inclusion of this system proved to be problematic as time would not allow for the necessary testing and technical programing of the logic board. Therefore the team chose to focus on designing with visual feedback options only.
The final design solution consisted of a laser line level in a small box. The laser was wired to a small battery pack inside the box with a simple on/off switch. The box was designed to be small, low and narrow in order to not impede the patient during therapy session. The box had velcro on the bottom to affix the box firmly to the clinic’s current boards.The box was chosen as it allowed for future testing without having to completely build a prototype board. 3D CAD modeling helped further define the box dimensions and materials used.
The product was presented to the clinic’s therapists at the end of the term. Response to the box concept was mostly positive, however tweaks to the intensity of the laser would be needed for future testing.
Low Income Sustainability Project
Image Credits: Jenna Crosswait & Jiwei Huang
This project involved developing a product solution for a low income group that was focused on sustainability. Based on the suggestion of a fellow team member, this project chose to focus on cart merchants along Ranade Road in Mumbai, India. The Mumbai metropolis is one of India’s most densely populated cities with an economic demographic that hosts billionaires as well as the biggest slums in India. Occupations of slum dwellers can be varied, but most are small business owners, such as cart merchants. The site of Ranade Road is located next to the Dadar Railway station, one of the prime transit centers in Mumbai. This site is a common spot for cart merchants to set up and sell their goods. These merchants vary in terms of wares available necessitating a variety of cart designs. Other considerations included navigating the crowded streets, the heat and heavy monsoons. Therefore a design with easy storage, shade, product display area made of environmentally sustainable materials was paramount.
In order to make carts sustainable, it was determined that a partnership should be created with local metal shops. Thus reducing the need for new metal products. The results of a Life Cycle Assessment showed that our designs could be viable solutions.
In order to make carts sustainable, it was determined that a partnership should be created with local metal shops. Thus reducing the need for new metal products. The results of a Life Cycle Assessment showed that our designs could be viable solutions.
Why They Come: Factors Influencing Graduate Student Decisions to Use Remote or
Onsite Library Resources. (An Undergraduate Research Project)
Image Credit: Andrew Wills, Elizabeth Baylor, Miranda Hartley, Maura Stephens, Evan Alvarez.
ANT 450: Ethnography is a research methods course through the anthropology department at the University of Alabama. It is a project-based learning model in which undergraduate students meet with University Library stakeholders, determine what they would like to investigate, and then design and conduct a real-world study using anthropological research methods. We were asked to answer two questions: how do graduate students decide whether to physically go to
Gorgas Library or to use electronic resources remotely, and what barriers prevent graduate students from going to the library?
The sampling frame came from a list of 549 graduate students at the University of Alabama. Potential participants were selected using a random number generator. Via email, the graduate students were asked to undergo a face-to-face ethnographic interview and two pile sort exercises. As an incentive, the participants were given a $5 Starbucks gift card. Also, we conducted weekly participant observations at the Gorgas Library and graduate student lounges to better understand the data collected from our face-to-face interviews.
Based on the data collected, it was determined that the majority of graduate students preferred the comfort of working from home and the convenience of online sources. This allowed them greater control over their environment. Reported use of the physical library was only for accessing resources that had been reserved via the school’s online research portal.
Those in the minority reported consistently staying at the library for extended periods of time. Most would lay claim to an area of the library by spreading out their belongings. Despite having a preference for the physical library, the respondents mentioned loud noises and overcrowding as major distractions. Other reasons for choosing not to use on-site resources included: difficulty parking near Gorgas Library, a desire not to use public transport or walking and general safety traveling after dark.
Based on the analysis of the data, the following recommendations were presented to the Gorgas Library shareholders:
Strictly enforcing floor level noise designations to minimize distractions, thus creating a more desirable environment.
Offering/advertising more tutorial/instructional programs for those graduate students wishing to learn more about the resources and services provided by the Library.
Implementation of wireless printing at the library, allowing graduate students to print directly from their laptops.
Halfway through the project, the cohort was given the opportunity to present at the 2012 Southern Anthropological Society Conference, in Johnson City, Tennessee. This provided a great opportunity to experience speaking at a professional conference and networking.
Myself and another member had the opportunity to present the research at the University of Alabama’s Arts & Sciences Annual Research Competition.
Gorgas Library or to use electronic resources remotely, and what barriers prevent graduate students from going to the library?
The sampling frame came from a list of 549 graduate students at the University of Alabama. Potential participants were selected using a random number generator. Via email, the graduate students were asked to undergo a face-to-face ethnographic interview and two pile sort exercises. As an incentive, the participants were given a $5 Starbucks gift card. Also, we conducted weekly participant observations at the Gorgas Library and graduate student lounges to better understand the data collected from our face-to-face interviews.
Based on the data collected, it was determined that the majority of graduate students preferred the comfort of working from home and the convenience of online sources. This allowed them greater control over their environment. Reported use of the physical library was only for accessing resources that had been reserved via the school’s online research portal.
Those in the minority reported consistently staying at the library for extended periods of time. Most would lay claim to an area of the library by spreading out their belongings. Despite having a preference for the physical library, the respondents mentioned loud noises and overcrowding as major distractions. Other reasons for choosing not to use on-site resources included: difficulty parking near Gorgas Library, a desire not to use public transport or walking and general safety traveling after dark.
Based on the analysis of the data, the following recommendations were presented to the Gorgas Library shareholders:
Strictly enforcing floor level noise designations to minimize distractions, thus creating a more desirable environment.
Offering/advertising more tutorial/instructional programs for those graduate students wishing to learn more about the resources and services provided by the Library.
Implementation of wireless printing at the library, allowing graduate students to print directly from their laptops.
Halfway through the project, the cohort was given the opportunity to present at the 2012 Southern Anthropological Society Conference, in Johnson City, Tennessee. This provided a great opportunity to experience speaking at a professional conference and networking.
Myself and another member had the opportunity to present the research at the University of Alabama’s Arts & Sciences Annual Research Competition.
Verizon AgTech Solutions
Image Credits: Andrew Wills, Sky Eigen & Jeremy Robertson
This graduate student group project involved partnering with Verizon Communications' IoT Product Development Team. Verizon's offers a variety of IoT solutions to agricultural groups that can greatly improve the sustainability/productivity of cash crop production. The focus of this project was on creating an evidence-based critique on current IoT regulations (State and Federal) regarding Agricultural Technology (AgTech) and propose improvements or next steps for future projects. At the State Level, Verizon were interested in the IoT regulations of Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. The AgTech solutions were divided into three specific targets: Chemical Usage, Water Usage and Energy Usage. Each target was further divided into three recommendations: Data Collection, Analysis and Automation. At the moment, there are no real regulations regarding the usage of IoT in agricultural settings, but there are regulations in place for chemical, water and energy usage. Any IoT solutions moving forward should be focused on aiding farmers in complying with those regulations.
NCAA Final Four Project
This was a graduate student class group project done in association with the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee. The instructor for this class was the Chair of Sustainability for the PLOC and was our primary stakeholder on this project. The focus of this project was creating a sustainability "playbook" for the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four Tournament that was held in Phoenix, Arizona. It was our instructor's goal that this playbook could serve as a template for use at all future final four host cities, creating a lasting impact on the tournament. The project was divided into four categories: Transportation, Marketing, Water/Energy Conservation and Waste Disposal. For this project, I focused my efforts on transportation surrounding the downtown Phoenix festivities during that week. Over the course of the Fall 2016 semester, my team reached out and coordinated with multiple transportation entities including: ValleyMetro, Tempe Bicycle Action Group, Uber, Lyft and GridBike. Multiple meetings were conducted with shareholders to create a partnership between the PLOC and entities to insure a sustainable viable option for patrons of the downtown festivities. Formulas were created to establish a metric for understanding the impact of using public/rideshare transportation during the event.
Upon the completion of the Fall 2016 semester, the playbook was presented to the PLOC for final preparations for the event. I elected to volunteer with PLOC in implementing the social media campaign for the event. With a PLOC member, I helped create the various social media posts used to promote participation in the various public transportation offerings available.
Upon the completion of the Fall 2016 semester, the playbook was presented to the PLOC for final preparations for the event. I elected to volunteer with PLOC in implementing the social media campaign for the event. With a PLOC member, I helped create the various social media posts used to promote participation in the various public transportation offerings available.
High Income Sustainability Project
Image Credits: Shelley Esplin, Cristina Salinas, Xin Li & Andrew Wills.
This project involved designing a product for a high income group that was focused on sustainability. After much discussion, the cohort chose to focus on designing an environmentally sustainable prepackaged frozen meal for people in the United States with incomes of $50,000+. To be more specific, the project focused on people who consumed large quantities of red meat.
A standard Kid Cuisine dinner was used as the basis for our product, however we would substitute tofu for any commonly used red meat.
Based on the bill of materials, we chose to base our meal on the original mini corn dogs as our solution. Corn dogs would be swapped for tofu and the plastic tray would be replaced with a recycled plastic. Information gathered on the economic cost of various red meats showed that tofu was an economically viable alternative that could aid in lowering production costs allowing for the product to be sold at a competitive price.
A standard Kid Cuisine dinner was used as the basis for our product, however we would substitute tofu for any commonly used red meat.
Based on the bill of materials, we chose to base our meal on the original mini corn dogs as our solution. Corn dogs would be swapped for tofu and the plastic tray would be replaced with a recycled plastic. Information gathered on the economic cost of various red meats showed that tofu was an economically viable alternative that could aid in lowering production costs allowing for the product to be sold at a competitive price.