Sam Nguyen

Mechanical Engineering · Iowa State University

Building toward a career in space exploration.

More to come.

Experience

Designed and managed large electrical substations in Autodesk Inventor using point cloud data and engineering drawings to produce a digital twin of real-world equipment and environments.
Developed models of electrical substation equipment, producing over 1,000 parts and subassemblies.
Built and managed a library of standardized substation parts and assemblies, reducing design and assembly turnaround time from a few hours to mere minutes.
Operated 360° LiDAR scanners and cameras to capture point cloud data across entire substations on-site.
Prepared weekly reports on modeling insights and progress, contributing to the project timeline.
Adhered to modeling principles and requirement standards to ensure proper integration with existing parts, assemblies, and naming conventions.

Iowa State University — B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 4.00 GPA
Expected May 2029 · Ames, Iowa

Independently designed and manufactured a static strain-gauge calibrator, involving statics calculations, hands-on tooling, and welding, producing significant data for the team's strain-gauge R&D.
Created and implemented 3D-printed jig parts to precisely locate critical suspension components on all four corners of the vehicle, including front and rear A-arms, push rods, and tabs.
Researched and designed solutions to connect suspension blade components to the anti-roll bar.
Collaborated with external design teams to ensure seamless integration between suspension parts.
Analyzed bearing options to determine the best solution for the specific use case.
Modeled parts parametrically for easy scalability.

Obtained SolidWorks CSWP certification through weekly CAD assignments and a rigorous final 3-hour assessment testing part modeling, design iteration, and assembly skills, scoring 100%.
Elected Sophomore Representative after just one year of membership.
Assisted club members in learning core SolidWorks skills through 1-on-1 feedback.
Strengthened the club's knowledge base by encouraging peer-to-peer learning.
Recruited new members by promoting the club to underclassmen and first-year ME students.
Review and evaluate engineering drawings in accordance with ASME Y14.5 and GD&T standards.

Assessed design requirements and measurements to ensure proper integration.
Developed and revised the design using paper sketches and SolidWorks CAD models.
Manufactured and constructed the final design through 3D printing.

SolidWorks CSWP Autodesk Inventor 3D Printing (FDM) Python Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word Microsoft PowerPoint

Iowa creeks and rivers, mostly wading — targeting bass and trout, with pike as an occasional catch.

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More to come — YouTube channel and drawings.

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Open to conversations about internships, co-ops, and roles in vehicle dynamics, mechanical design, or aerospace.