I am a Master's student in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University in the Peace Corps Master's International Program (PCMI) currently serving in Senegal, West Africa as an Agroforestry Extension Agent. My academic and professional interests are in renewable energy, appropriate technology for poverty reduction in developing countries, and international development. I perform research as part of the Michigan Tech Open Sustainability Technology Research Group.

• B.S. Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech with Minor in Electrical Engineering, 2012
• M.S. Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech, Peace Corps Master's International, 2016 expected graduation
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

Research[edit | edit source]

Current[edit | edit source]

My current research is on improving appropriate technologies for developing countries. I am focused on making performance improvements to treadle pumps available to farmers in the West African country of Senegal. Specifically my research involves testing new materials for piston seals, a component of the pump that is costly and quickly wears out.

Previous[edit | edit source]

To add to the knowledge base of open source 3-D printing, I have done materials testing to characterize the the mechanical properties of printed parts under realistic environmental conditions and compared them to the properties of commercially printed components. My research has shown that open source 3-D printed parts can have similar tensile strengths and elastic moduli as commercial parts.

I have also researched fabrication methods using open-source laser welding of polymers for designing expanded microchannel heat exchangers.

Publications[edit | edit source]

• B.M. Tymrak, M. Kreiger, J. M. Pearce, Mechanical properties of components fabricated with open-source 3-D printers under realistic environmental conditions, Materials & Design, 58, pp. 242-246 (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2014.02.038. open access

Experience[edit | edit source]

• Agroforestry Extension Agent - United States Peace Corps, Senegal, West Africa
• Product Engineering Intern - John Deere, Construction and Forestry Division - Tracked Feller Buncher Engineering
• Product Engineering Intern - John Deere, Agriculture Division - Instrumentation Engineering
• Michigan Tech Alternative Fuels Group Enterprise - Solar Car Team - Founder and Project Leader
• United States Forest Service - Timber Stand Improvement and Wildland Firefighting

Contributions[edit | edit source]

• Evaporative cooling
• Mechanical Properties of Components Fabricated with Open-Source 3-D Printers Under Realistic Environmental Conditions
• Mechanical testing of polymer components made with the RepRap 3-D printer
• RepRap Mechanical Testing Literature Review
• Open-source laser system for polymeric welding

Interests[edit | edit source]

• Renewable energy - solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind
• Appropriate technology for developing countries
• Agriculture and forestry
• Thermal Sciences
• Programming
• Poverty reduction
• Participatory Co-Design
• International development

Links[edit | edit source]

• Category:MOST: Michigan Tech Open Sustainability Technology Research Group
• Michigan Tech PCMI program in Mechanical Engineering
• Engineering For Change