Nikitha Sam

Experience

• 

  STEMchats

  Jul 2020 - Jun 2021

  • Coached other Marketing Coordinators to create projects for Summer Interns• Administered the social media positing schedules across various social media platforms• Launched new social media accounts and formulated branding guides for new programs• Conceptualized and developed graphics and videos for grants and funding• Moderated marketing coordinators for each program and social media account. • Conceptualized and executed digital marketing campaigns for 5 programs• Advocated for educational equity by creating accessible ideathons and research opportunities for high school students • Acted as marketing liaison for STEMchats programs• Created graphics and edited videos to expand outreach• Organized speakers for Speaker Series and created methods to reach wider audiences

  • Marketing Lead

    Jan 2021 - Jun 2021

  • Marketing Coordinator

    Sept 2020 - Jan 2021

  • Marketing Intern

    Jul 2020 - Sept 2020
• 

  Warsinger Water Labs

  Dec 2022 - now

  • Recruited and managed two years of senior design team with up to 6 members, 2-3 graduate students, 1-3 undergraduate students and 3-4 polytechnic capstone students for the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC)• Acted as liaison between the Warsinger Research Lab, Undergraduate Students, the MECC organizers, and the Purdue Mechanical Engineering department• Budgeted and managed funds for both years of competitions, including deliverable timelines and acting as a buyer.• Designed and implemented four outreach activities serving +120 K-12 students, focusing creating accessible activities on marine energy and physical science topics. Show less • Applied theoretical improvements in batch reverse osmosis (BRO), and desalinization devices into a functioning, marketable product through a collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).• Designed the first 100% renewable energy-powered BRO system for coastal communities with a water scarcity issue.• Simulated various desalinization processes utilizing Simulink, Wave Energy Converter (WEC-sim), and NEMOH.• Planned and implemented two outreach events to teach 6th-7th graders about marine energy, complete with an interactive display.• Facilitated connections with local community leaders and teachers to create an engaging lesson plan for intermediate students.• Presented at the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) at Washington D.C. to industry and government professionals on both the novelty of our research and the business strategy behind our idea. Show less

  • Undergraduate Research Team Lead

    Aug 2023 - now

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher

    Dec 2022 - Jul 2023
• 

  Caterpillar Inc.

  May 2023 - Aug 2023

  Design Engineer

  • Designed heads, blocks, and housings for 3600 and 3500 CAT engines, under the Large Power Systems Division.• Collaborated with fellow core engine components interns to design and evaluate a patent-pending device.• Determined serial number breaks for production critical components and contributed to closing a >600-day issue.• Calculated tolerance stack-ups and analyzed tolerance discrepancies for heads between designs and production.• Organized and presented at department-wide design review sessions for tolerance, and redesigns of 3600 engine head gaskets. Show less

• 

  Eaton

  May 2024 - Aug 2024

  Technical Sales Engineer

  • Ideated and established multiple dashboards, reports, and usage guidelines for Salesforce Lightning for the Atlanta Sales District• Initiated a 200+ opportunity data clean-up for existing bids across Bid Manager, Salesforce, and VISTA• Evaluated multiple plants with existing Eaton and competitor’s equipment to plan how future equipment upgrades and stay up to date with the National Electric Code (NEC)• Forged connections with individuals in different roles across the Sales departments to gain understanding of the local market, distributors, and customers Show less