Merritt Vassallo

Experience

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  Computer History Museum

  Jun 2017 - Dec 2020

  Restoration Team Member and Docent

  The Computer History Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the stories and artifacts of the information age, and exploring the computing revolution and its impact on society. Took part in the Computer History Museum's Restoration Team meetings. Learned about the inner workings of historic computers, such as the iconic IBM 1401 and the PDP-8, through hands on experience as well as reading through old documentation and schematics. Assisted with the fixing of computers when they break down. Show less

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  Project Invent

  Apr 2018 - Jun 2019

  TetraTile Founder and Team Lead

  Lead a group of 6 high school students in the design thinking process (need-finding, brainstorming, etc.) to develop a product to help people with Parkinson's. Focused on developing a product to help people with Parkinson's combat their tremor and use mobile phones. Winner of the Invention Studios Demo Day award.

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  FRC Team 4904: Bot-Provoking

  Jun 2018 - Jun 2020

  Electrical Engineering Lead

  Led a group of 20 students in designing the electronic control system for a robot competing in FRC robotics. Trained new members, managed a variety of different projects, and designed complex custom PCBs using Altium Designer. First female technical team leader, worked to improve the gender ratio up to 50-50 on the electronics team, mentored new female team leads.

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  PRENAV

  Jun 2019 - Aug 2019

  Robotics Intern

  Mechanical engineering intern, helped with the construction and design of custom drones at a 25-person startup focused on using autonomous sensing and machine learning to inspect critical infrastructure. Worked to implement a high-precision torque measuring device.

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  California Department of Water Resources

  Jun 2022 - Sept 2022

  Shultz Energy Fellow @ CDWR

  Conducted an analysis and wrote a paper on the feasibility of developing solar installations over the California Department of Water Resources' State Water Project aqueducts. Compared and contrasted multiple solar deployment systems (floating solar, span solar) to determine the best routes for further research and pilot projects. Assisted on a $20 million pilot project to develop solar over irrigation canals in Turlock, CA.

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  Engineers for a Sustainable World

  Dec 2022 - Jun 2023

  Biochar Project Lead and Engineer

  Lead team of engineers to develop low-cost, sustainable biochar kiln for use in rural Malawi. In conjuction, designed water filter to filter heavy metals and biological contaminants for those without access to clean water.

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  Arrow McLaren IndyCar

  Jun 2023 - Sept 2023

  Engineering Intern
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  Stanford University

  Sept 2023 - now

  Computer Science and Engineering Peer Tutor

  Selected as a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) tutor, assist fellow Stanford students in engineering and CS classes. Classes include: Intro to Statics, Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Fluids, Programming Methodology, Programming Abstractions, Computer Organization and Systems, Mathematical Foundation of Computing