About Me
Innovation emerges from systems—connections between people, connections between machines, and connections between people and machines. To this end, I engineer systems to fulfill researcher and consumer needs in order to propel the current reality into a more sophisticated, harmonious ecosystem. I studied mechanical engineering at MIT with a focus in Learning Machines and Physical Systems, and a minor in Computer Science. I've been involved in teaching engineering leadership and human-computer interaction at MIT, and I've also gained valuable research and professional experience in the fields of medical devices, robotics, AI, and human-computer interaction. My goal is to learn and apply these experiences to innovate solutions that bridge the digital and physical realms. To discuss, please connect with me on LinkedIn or at jscott19@alum.mit.edu.
Skills
Education & Experience
For more information, hover over each posiiton title, or have a look at my résumé .
-
Sep 2023 - PresentEngineering Leadership Laboratory Assistant/Researcher
I collaborated with instructional staff in preparing and administering an engineering leadership curriculum designed for undergraduate and graduate students, under the Technical Leadership & Communication department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Leveraging Google Cloud and AI/computer vision resources, I also developed software to mine and parse online data in order to determine correlations between enrolled classes and career trajectories for program graduates.Python Computer Vision Data Analysis HTML Digital Fabrication -
Jan 2023 - PresentOrganizer, Hardware Mentor, Software/Web Developer (Volunteer)
I collaborated with a team to orchestrate and lead an annual VR/AR hackathon at MIT. My responsibilities included designing workshops on digital fabrication and custom VR hardware, as well as managing relationships with sponsors and overseeing laboratory access for hackers. Additionally, I implemented a Python multistage graph traversal algorithm to organize an SQL database of over 500 hackers into hackathon teams, considering their skills, interests, and teammate preferences collected via an online portal.VR AR Algorithm Design CAD Digital Fabrication Python SQL -
Sep 2019 - June 2023B.S. in Engineering
Concentration in Learning Machines and Physical Systems as directed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering
Minor in Computer Science
HASS Concentration in Music
-
June 2023 - PresentTeaching Assistant
I collaboratively designed and administered curricula for two courses focused on teaching the principles of designing and developing extended-reality (XR) software and hardware. The classes were targeted toward undergraduate and graduate students from MIT, Berklee School of Music, UMass Art, and Harvard.VR AR Unity Imaging GenAI Mechanical Design Electronics C# -
May 2023 - Aug 2023Summer Desk Worker
I designed, developed, and deployed a suite of JavaScript-based Google apps to digitize and automate resident management for over 500 students and researchers across three MIT residence halls. I also monitored and facilitated building operations and maintenance at one of these residence halls, Burton-Conner House.JavaScript HTML Google Cloud -
2023Medical Device Engineer
Designed, developed, and programmed a machine and computer vision algorithm for automatic cancer cell colony imaging and analysis; coauthored a research paper for IEEE and presented the device to academics and sponsors.Medical Devices Computer Vision Mechanical Design Robotics Imaging Data Analysis CAD Electronics Python C -
May 2022 - Sep 2022Research Intern, Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek Group
I assisted research into brain modulation by investigating, proposing and implementing computer vision tools in Python, MATLAB, and ImageJ to identify and enumerate neurons and nanodevices in 2D and 3D microscope images.Computer Vision Medical Devices Imaging Data Analysis MATLAB Python -
May 2021 - Sep 2021Research Intern, Multi-Scale Monte Carlo Modeling Lab
I furthered cancer treatment planning by collaborating with medical physicists to create digital simulations of particle interactions during proton-based cancer treatment in small animal phantoms. I used the TOPAS-nBio modeling toolkit, which is built on CERN’s Geant4 particle simulation system.Medical Devices CAD Particle Simulation Imaging -
May 2020 - February 2021Research Intern, High-Energy Astrophysics
I collaborated with astrophysicists at the MIT Kavli Institute to create Poisson-based simulations, modeling the interactions of X-rays within charge-coupled devices (CCDs) used by NASA satellites for imaging galaxies and celestial objects. My contributions included proposing and implementing novel digital tools for data visualization, as well as optimizing and accelerating diffraction simulation algorithms by a factor of ten. I had the privilege of presenting my findings at the institute’s SMURF 2020 symposium.Particle Simulation Optimization C++ Python Julia -
June 2017 - August 2018Research Intern, Robotics (NASA Robot Mining Competition)
I created mechanical designs for a rover capable of traversing and mining regolith for the NASA Robot Mining Competition. I then collaborated with the Kent State Robotics team to prepare a robot for the 2018 competition. Ultimately, our robot managed to outperform forty-one other university teams and achieve a 3rd place in the national mining competition.Robotics Mechanical Design CAD
Projects
Here's a snapshot of several projects I'm proud to have created!
More projects/information will be added soon.
A3C3S
An Accessible Colony-Forming Cell Count System
Over the course of twelve weeks I and two other students, with the guidance of local doctors and professors, consulted with organizations including Canon U.S.A., Inc. and Sumitomo Heavy Industries to design and fabricate a device for automated imaging and analysis of colony-forming cells (CFC) used in assessing the efficacy of proton beam cancer therapy. We designed this device as a means of replacing the tedious and inconsistent work of manually zooming into and counting CFCs using a microscope and the human eye. We succeeded in converting this process to a sequence of automated camera staging and image captures followed by a Python- and ImageJ-based cell enumeration algorithm, able to be tuned precisely to specific cell types using a total of six function parameters—all replicable by any research laboratory for under $6000 (about one third of the price of related commercial cell counters). The project resulted in a presentation to academics and sponsors showcasing our new device and findings, and a research paper poised for publication to the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.
Syringe Pump
A Precision Injection Subsystem for Controlled Medication Delivery
I collaborated with a team to design and build a precision syringe pump for medical applications. The device was engineered to deliver accurate and controlled doses of medication, crucial for treatments requiring high precision. Utilizing microcontroller programming and mechanical design principles, we developed a system capable of fine-tuning flow rates and volumes. My contributions included designing, laser-cutting, and assembling an acrylic fixture that effectively constrained the syringe during operation. This project not only enhanced my skills in both software and hardware integration but also demonstrated the potential for improving patient care through innovative engineering solutions.
MindfleXR
An Interface for Cybernetic Telekinesis
I reconfigured and programmed a single-channel brain-computer interface to communicate with the Meta Quest 2 headset via bluetooth in order to control the position of assets in a custom VR environment built in Unity.
RoboResponse
A AR-Enabled Teleoperation Solution for Remote CPR
I led a team of MIT graduate students to design and create an AR teleoperation system to administer CPR using a Microsoft HoloLens, a UR5 robot arm, and a custom unmanned vehicle, as part of a team-based robotics competition.
Mood Music
An NLP-based voice assistant for user-centric music exploration and playback
Double Agent
Semi-autonomous cable-driven cascading lift competition robot
Open Source Projects
Lyric-Slideshow-Generator
Automatically create karaoke-style lyric slides using Python
Github