HerbTop – Hydroponic Tower System (2025–Present)
My friend and I are developing HerbTop, a compact, design-focused hydroponic tower system for growing herbs indoors. The goal is to create an all-in-one unit that’s aesthetically clean, space-efficient, and fully automated, combining function and form in a way that makes hydroponic growing simple for everyday users.
So far, we’ve designed a detailed CAD model that captures our vision for the final product - including the vertical frame, modular plant pods, and integrated electronics housing. We’ve also been test-fitting electrical components such as pumps, LEDs, and sensors to refine placement, wiring, and accessibility within the tower.
This project has been an exciting way to apply both mechanical and electrical design skills, combining CAD modeling with real-world component testing. As development continues, we plan to integrate Arduino-based automation for pump control, lighting, and water-level sensing, and transition to a custom PCB for cleaner, more reliable circuit design.
Gardening
Garden Plant Shelf (2025–Present)
When I moved into my new place at the beginning of my junior year, I had an empty front patio and wanted to turn it into something functional. I decided to build a simple plant shelf using three planks of wood and basic woodworking techniques. Using common power tools, I measured, cut, assembled, and finished the shelf to fit the space and support multiple potted plants.
What started as a small setup for growing green onions quickly expanded into a larger collection of plants. Through this project, I discovered how much I enjoy gardening and the process of caring for living systems over time. Unlike many fast-paced projects, gardening requires patience and consistency, which helped me develop a better appreciation for long-term thinking, maintenance, and incremental improvement.
This project reflects how I naturally approach engineering problems in everyday life. I identified an unused space, defined a simple need, and built a practical solution using accessible materials and tools. While the shelf itself is straightforward, it represents the mindset that drives many of my personal projects, using hands-on fabrication and simple design choices to improve functionality and quality of life.
Community Gardening and Regenerative Farming – Grow 2 Zero (2026–Present)
I Recently started volunteering at Grow 2 Zero, a nonprofit organization in Long Beach dedicated to feeding and educating the local community through zero-waste and regenerative farming practices. Their mission focuses on reducing food waste, improving access to fresh produce, and promoting environmental health through sustainable systems.
Grow 2 Zero operates by collecting surplus produce from grocery stores that would otherwise be thrown away due to overstock or minor imperfections. Food that is still safe to eat is distributed to the community, while food that is no longer consumable is composted and returned to the soil to create nutrient-rich growing material. This closed-loop approach minimizes waste while supporting long-term plant health and soil regeneration.
As a volunteer, I help with hands-on work around the farm, including breaking down discarded pallets and repurposing reclaimed wood to construct raised garden beds, compost enclosures, and other functional structures. Seeing materials that would normally be considered waste transformed into useful infrastructure has given me a deeper appreciation for resource efficiency, material lifecycles, and reuse-driven design.
Although this work is not traditional engineering, it closely aligns with how I think as an engineer. The farm functions as an interconnected system where material flow, waste reduction, and practical construction all matter. Participating in this environment has influenced how I approach my own projects, reinforcing the value of simple, intentional solutions that maximize utility while minimizing waste. The principles I’ve learned at Grow 2 Zero continue to inform both my personal gardening efforts and my broader engineering mindset.
Home Garden and Reclaimed Planters (2026–Present)
I maintain a small home garden built using reclaimed materials, including free boxes from facebook marketplace modified into planters with proper drainage. Rather than purchasing new containers, I reused available materials to create a functional growing space focused on simplicity and sustainability.
I grow foods that I use regularly in my cooking, including green onions, parsley, tomatoes, and strawberries. Caring for the garden daily has been a rewarding way to stay connected to the food I eat and better understand the time, patience, and resources required to grow it.
This project has become a meaningful hobby that helps me stay grounded and attentive to long-term processes. While the garden itself is simple, it reflects an appreciation for consistency, care, and intentional use of resources, principles that also influence how I approach my engineering and personal projects.
Modular Seedling Germination Shelf System (2026)
I designed this project to create a dedicated germination area for seedlings on a shelf above my fireplace mantle. Rather than approaching it casually, I treated it as a design-focused system, starting with hand sketches and rough dimensions while paying close attention to proportions, fit, and overall appearance.
From the beginning, I designed the components to match the exact depth of the shelf, ensuring the system sits flush and looks intentional rather than improvised. I also made a deliberate choice to keep each module square and dimensionally consistent, prioritizing visual balance and repeatability. The system was designed to be modular, allowing pieces to be easily added, removed, or rearranged depending on available space or growing needs.
An important goal of this project was to design something that could be shared and reused by others. With platforms like Thingiverse or MakerWorld in mind, I focused on creating parts that are simple, scalable, and adaptable to different shelf lengths or window sills. This influenced decisions around geometry, interface consistency, and ease of assembly.
I am currently fabricating and test-fitting the components, using the process to refine tolerances, alignment, and part interfaces. Even though the parts themselves are relatively simple, this project has been valuable in reinforcing good design and manufacturing practices, focusing on precision, consistency, and thoughtful system-level design. It reflects my interest in creating clean, functional solutions that balance usability, aesthetics, and reproducibility.
Small Projects
Extension Cord Organizer (2026)
I designed this project to solve a small but persistent everyday problem. I had an extension cord block sitting on the floor next to my desk, which I was constantly stepping on or rolling over with my chair. It was unorganized, inconvenient, and easy to damage.
To fix this, I spent about 15 minutes creating a simple CAD model for a wall-mounted organizer that attaches directly to my shelf. I focused on a compact design that securely holds the extension cord while keeping all outlets easily accessible. After designing the part, I fabricated it using rapid prototyping and installed it in my workspace.
As a small added feature, I integrated a shallow slot into the design to hold items like chapstick, making it easy to grab at night. While this project is intentionally simple, it reflects how I approach engineering problems, identifying minor inefficiencies and designing practical, user-focused solutions that improve daily life.
Stretching Station Organizer (2025)
I designed this project to solve a small but consistent everyday problem. At night, I like to stretch in the dark to wind down before going to sleep, but my foam roller and lacrosse ball would often roll around on the floor, making them difficult to find without turning on lights.
To address this, I created a simple CAD model for a compact organizer that securely holds both a foam roller and a lacrosse ball in fixed positions. The design focuses on stability, accessibility, and ease of use, allowing all stretching tools to remain in the same place every night.
While the project itself is intentionally simple, it reflects how I approach engineering in daily life. Rather than accepting minor inconveniences, I look for opportunities to design practical, user-focused solutions that improve routine experiences. This project demonstrates my tendency to identify small inefficiencies and resolve them through thoughtful design and quick iteration.