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Alex Popov

3/2 Mechanical Engineering: B.S. Physics & Computer Science — University of Redlands • Expected April 2026

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🎯 Summary

I am a hands-on student engineer with a strong interest in mechanical and electrical engineering, embedded systems, UAVs, and robotics. At the University of Redlands I serve as President of both SEDS Redlands and UoR Robotics & Drones, where I lead multi-disciplinary teams designing and building rovers, high-power rockets, and autonomous robots and drones. My work spans CAD and mechanical design, control systems, embedded firmware, and software dashboards for telemetry and data analysis. I enjoy taking ideas from a blank notebook page to working hardware that can be tested, iterated, and deployed in the real world.

🏫 Education

💼 Experience

Robotics & Drones President | University of Redlands — Sep 2025 – Present

  • Lead the design and development of autonomous UAVs and robotic systems integrating flight control, sensor fusion, and real-time video transmission.
  • Manage cross-disciplinary teams working on embedded systems, AI-based vision tracking, and drone control architectures.
  • Oversee organizational growth, project finances, and mentorship of student engineers in robotics and control systems.
  • Promote hands-on engineering and innovation through workshops, demonstrations, and collaborations with other departments.

SEDS Redlands Chapter President | Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) — Apr 2025 – Present

  • Lead a cross-functional engineering team in designing, building, and testing high-power rockets and autonomous robotics systems.
  • Oversee CAD designs/modeling, simulations, and systems integration using SolidWorks, MATLAB, and embedded platforms.
  • Manage project timelines, budgets, and coordination between mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems.
  • Direct research and development efforts focused on avionics, propulsion, and autonomous flight and drive control systems.
  • Mentor new engineers in design principles, embedded programming, and practical robotics workflows.

SEDS Redlands Chapter Vice President | SEDS — Feb 2024 – Apr 2025

  • Supported chapter leadership in organizing meetings, projects, and technical workshops.
  • Helped coordinate early rover and rocket projects and facilitated communication between subteams.

Mathematics Instructor | Kumon North America, Inc. — Apr 2025 – Aug 2025

  • Tutored students in calculus, trigonometry, algebra, and reading to strengthen problem-solving skills.
  • Guided students through individualized learning plans while monitoring progress and providing feedback.
  • Assisted with grading, data entry, and record management to track performance accurately.

Delivery Driver Helper | FedEx (Ground) — Sep 2024 – May 2025

  • Assisted Ground delivery drivers with efficient loading, unloading, and delivery of packages across assigned routes.
  • Ensured timely and accurate deliveries while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
  • Supported route optimization efforts and helped improve delivery efficiency during peak seasons.

Administrative Assistant Intern | FedEx (Ground) — Jun 2024 – Aug 2024

  • Assisted director with driver tracking, compliance, and maintenance reporting.
  • Created and managed incident and maintenance reports to support fleet safety and operational reliability.
  • Assisted with financial documentation, record keeping, and state compliance requirements.
  • Communicated with management to coordinate scheduling, route assignments, and safety updates.

Heating Air Conditioning Service Technician | So-Cal Heating & Air — Jun 2022 – Aug 2022

  • Installed, maintained, and repaired residential and commercial HVAC systems including compressors, condensers, and control units.
  • Performed diagnostics, system calibration, and airflow testing to ensure energy-efficient and reliable operation.
  • Assisted with electrical wiring, copper welding, and component replacement while following safety standards.
  • Worked with senior technicians to troubleshoot complex mechanical and electrical issues.

🧪 Projects (Selected)

Custom Fiberglass Rockets (SEDS)

  • Avionics integration; stability & drag calculations; thrust-to-weight optimization.
  • OpenRocket + MATLAB; parachute deployment recovery systems; certification-ready L1 build workflow.

Multiterrain Rover (SEDS)

  • Fully customized chassis: jackshafts, bearing mounts, sprockets; custom frame; custom mounts, pillow-block bearings, drivetrain.
  • ESP32 motor control over LoRa; Jetson Nano video; planned Jetson-based computer vision based autonomy and telemetry dashboard.

Drone-Based Data Collection (with Redlands GIS)

  • Deployed drones for aerial imaging; Python pipeline processing; GIS integration for faculty projects.
  • Supported Professors and GIS graduate students in data collection and documentation.

Object-Avoiding Vehicle (PHYS310)

  • Autonomous obstacle avoidance using cameras, ultrasonic & IR sensors; custom Python dashboard.

Apop Mining

  • Solar-powered GPU/ASIC operation with automated control, HVAC, and remote monitoring.

🧰 Core Skills

Mechanical & CAD

SolidWorks CAD design, composite airframes (fiberglass/carbon), chassis design and integration, DFM/tolerancing.

Embedded & Control

ESP32/Jetson Nano/Google Coral, motor drivers, sensors, RF/LoRa, PCB layout design, circuitry, power systems.

Software & AI

Python, C/C++, Tensorflow, Pytorch, OpenCV, LLM (Gemini) Jetson/Coral/Raspberry Pi, software data dashboards, basic computer vision models, AWS, Docker.

Analysis & Simulation

MATLAB/Simulink, OpenRocket, stability & thrust/drag calculations, telemetry pipelines.