Kendall Rettig

I have the leadership, training, expertise and motivation necessary to successfully carry out the proposed research project and have demonstrated success many times in project management positions for engineering based projects. Most notably from August 2016 to June 2017, I was successful in leading a twenty-person Senior Design in Aerospace Engineering project to a second-place finish in an International aerospace design competition (SAE). In this position, my responsibilities included utilization of effective project management tools such as resource planning and optimal scheduling to maximize work efficiency, commitment to system optimization through identification and resolve of inefficient processes and procedures, developing trade studies for winning UAV sizing and configuration, conducting PIV experiments to examine airflow boundary layer over wing, designing experiments to test composite structures in variable loading conditions, implementing advanced manufacturing techniques for composite materials and research and development of an innovative propulsion system.

This project gave me first-hand experience working with UAVs. I also gained an immense amount of technical knowledge regarding advanced material manufacturing, composite structure design, structural FEA, aerodynamics, avionics and propulsion systems. I am aware of the importance of frequent communication among project members and of constructing a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget. Finally, I developed a concrete understanding of what makes a team successful and how to facilitate a relaxed but purpose driven environment, keeping everyone cooperative and motivated to accomplish their tasks and objectives.

March 2018