Alex Nguyen

Engineer interested in robotics and product design.
Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto (2023-2027).
Minor in Robotics & Engineering Business. CSWA certified.

Work Experience

University of Toronto Supermileage ›

aero-structural lead, designing hydrogen-powered vehicles for Shell Eco-Marathon

utsm.ca

sep 2023 – present

Leading a 20+ member team on the end-to-end mechanical design of UofT's third-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle for the 2026 Shell Eco-Marathon.
Designed the monocoque chassis and aerodynamic shell in SolidWorks, meeting Shell Eco-marathon regulations while balancing mass, stiffness, and manufacturability.
Performed structural FEA in ANSYS to evaluate stress, deflection, and safety factors, driving material down-selection from four candidates to one.
Executed CFD analysis achieving a drag coefficient of 0.22 — a 38% year-over-year reduction — through 7 complete design iterations.
Owned full-scale manufacturing: CNC machining, composite layups, and rapid prototyping.
Reduced BOM cost by 18% ($4,000 saved) through supplier outreach and bulk purchasing.
Delivered all design, analysis, and manufacturing within a 4-month turnaround.

Cd 0.22 38% drag reduction YoY $4,000 cost saved 4-month design-to-build

V3 shell / mold

CFD pressure contour

CNC mold machining

composite layup

Projects

Neuro-Echo ›

wearable assistive device converting visual text to audio, 1st place at UTEK 2026

Low-cost wearable that converts visual text into real-time audio feedback for visually impaired users. ESP32-CAM for image capture, Arduino Uno for system control, OCR-based text recognition, and an LCD display for partial-vision support.

Placed 1st in the UTEK Senior Design Competition, January 2026.

1st place — UTEK 2026 ESP32-CAM + Arduino Uno Python · OCR

device prototype

award ceremony

UTSM Velocity — Hydrogen Vehicle V3 ›

integrated monocoque chassis and aero shell, 38% drag reduction over prior generation

Integrated monocoque chassis and aerodynamic shell for the 2026 Shell Eco-Marathon. Applied CFD-driven design across 7 complete iterations to achieve a 38% aerodynamic improvement over V2. Positive and negative composite molds complete; carbon fiber shell production in progress.

Cd 0.22 38% drag reduction 7 design iterations carbon fiber shell

CAD iterations

mold progress

shell surface

3-DOF Robotic Arm ›

Arduino-controlled arm with cycloidal-drive joints, completing 70% of competition tasks

SolidWorks model and physical prototype of a 3-DOF robotic arm with cycloidal-drive joints for improved torque capacity, reduced backlash, and precise motion. Arduino-based motor control. Completed 5 of 7 competition tasks (70%), placing among the top-performing teams at the Ontario Engineering Competition.

70% task completion cycloidal drive joints Arduino control

Hobbyist CNC Router ›

cost-constrained CNC router validated at 73× intended load via FEA, built under $2,500

Hobbyist CNC router designed under ISO 23125 safety principles within a $2,500 budget. Timing belt and lead screw motion, vacuum spindle mount, vacuum workholding board, transparent safety guard, and modular interchangeable parts. Structural integrity validated at 73× the intended load via FEA.

73× FOS $2,500 budget ISO 23125

SolidWorks render

FEA results

UTSM Momentum — Hydrogen Vehicle V2 ›

carbon fiber vehicle competed at Shell Eco-Marathon 2025, hinge system cutting cost by 90%

Second-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle. Refined design methodology from V1, with improved structure, packaging, and system integration. Designed door and hinge system integrated into the body shell, reducing hinge cost by 90%. Executed the full carbon fiber shell from composite molds. Competed at Shell Eco-Marathon 2025.

90% hinge cost reduction carbon fiber body Shell Eco-Marathon 2025

competition photo

hinge system CAD

Solid-Wood Guitar Humidifier ›

autonomous wall-integrated humidification system maintaining ASHRAE humidity comfort ranges

Wall-integrated, waterline-fed autonomous humidification system to protect solid wood guitars. Evaluated 100+ engineering solutions in SolidWorks; delivered a fully functional prototype meeting ASHRAE comfort ranges (43–55% RH) within a $300 per-guitar budget.

43–55% RH target $300 per unit autonomous operation

working prototype

CAD section view

UTSM Mist Rider — Hydrogen Vehicle V1 ›

first-generation hydrogen vehicle built from scratch, establishing the foundation for all future generations

First-generation hydrogen-powered vehicle built from scratch with no prior reference design. Designed the door hinge system and was actively involved in manufacturing the aero body — composite layups and sanding to achieve aerodynamic contours. Established the design and manufacturing baseline for V2 and V3.

Mist Rider — finished vehicle