Who am I?

Well, from the employment point of view, I am a design engineer and I have a passion for exactly that ‘design engineering’. I am intrigued by all things technical, innovative and original. I hate bad design, of which sadly there are so many examples. My professional goal is to work for a company whose ethos coincides with my own and that allows me to create people centred products that are high quality, inclusive, innovative and present a challenge.

From the personal point of view I am a fun loving, outgoing, adventurous person. I have always had more hobbies, clubs and interests than I can ever afford or have the time for, I just love to try new things! Current hobbies include rock climbing, kite surfing, mountain biking, scuba diving, orienteering, photography and photoshop. I enjoy travelling and have recently returned from a year working in Australia. As a finale I completed an arduous but rewarding 1400km unsupported bike tour from Brisbane to Sydney.

I have an optimistic outlook on life and have a great many plans and hopes for the future. I have set my standards high and will strive to achieve them.

I am a graduate of the University of Strathclyde with a Masters of Engineering in Product Design Engineering. I spent an enjoyable 5 years in Glasgow obtaining my degree which included an outstanding exchange year to California Polytechnic State University, Pomona in Los Angeles..

While at University I was a member of a number of clubs and organisations that I feel greatly added to my learning while at university. Most noteworthy of these were the Cal Poly Rose Float, which entailed the design and manufacture of a hydraulically animated float for the Rose Ball Parade. From this club I learn basic machining and welding as well as an appreciation for the realities of manufacturing something on such a scale involving so many people. I was also a member of the Strathclyde Formula Student team, this entailed the design and manufacturing of a formula one inspired race car that then competes with other university teams from around the world. This required a sound working knowledge of car design and great attention to detail in manufacture..

While at university I also had two work placements, first at a company called AJ Engineering and second at a company called Varis Engineering. Both were steel fabrication companies, although there specialism's and management structure differed significantly. My primary role at both was CAD technician, using AutoCAD and a little Solidworks. These proved great learning experiences.

Upon graduating I worked at a company called Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries as a design engineer. The company designed and manufactured furniture, likened to ikea furniture but with a number of custom pieces for various clients. The workforce at the onsite manufacturing facilities were predominantly disabled, as a designer I had to work to develop the required product for the client while working closely with the manufacturing team to suit their particular requirements. This presented an extra challenge, but one that was quite welcome.

While travelling Australia I worked for five months at an Architecture firm in Brisbane, Australia. The primary project was the Gold Coast University Hospital. I undertook many specific roles within the company including managing a small team at various stages. Generally however the goal was to get the drawings approved for construction by coordinating with all the various consultants involved with the project. This included a range of task from positioning of appliances to making major structural changes. The project was primarily designed using a highly modified version of AutoCAD. This proved to be an excellent company to work for, I learnt a tremendous amount and gained a new appreciation for all the design elements that goes into the construction of such a building.

Most recently I have been lucky enough to obtain an internship at 4c Design, a product design company based in Glasgow, Scotland. I have quickly been integrated into the team and find myself fully involved in some major contracts. The internship is extremely beneficial as in return for my services the company makes considerable effort to fine tune my design, fabrication and business skills. I am extremely grateful to 4c for all the time they have invested in me and find myself inspired to push myself further and harder.