About Me[edit | edit source]
Hey! My name is Nathan Nauta and I am a second year student in Mechatronics Systems Engineering. As an undergraduate student at Western University I am very passionate about making the engineering community thrive and grow. I love to work with my hands and find myself often using a pragmatic approach to solve real world problems. Some of my interests in the engineering field include 3D printing, open source technology, and project management. The work I have done relating to engineering would be in the following situations:
- Carpentry at Windmill Cabinets and Multi Construction.
- Western Engineering Competition.
- Free Appropriate Sustainable Technology (Fast) Lab.
- First year design showcase.
Professional Career[edit | edit source]
Windmill Cabinets[edit | edit source]
During my time working at Windmill Cabinets, I was assigned to various tasks that covered a large section of the cabinetry building process. This job helped cultivate my passion for carpentry, and eventually transition into Engineering. Of the several components in my job, the main duties included the following:
- Cutting and sanding the parts that were used to build the cabinets.
- Painting, varnishing, and staining the doors and exterior parts on the cabinets.
- Helping to implement a "Lean manufacturing system," to the cabinetry building process.
- Learning and abiding by several safe workplace practices.
Multi Construction[edit | edit source]
My work at Multi-Construction was pivotal towards my eventual interest in the engineering field. It provided the perfect situation to learn about a broad spectrum of skills within carpentry. The work done at Multi-Construction was primarily the construction of new residential houses. My job description at the company was as a trimmer, and I was tasked to:
- Install flooring, tile, and doors.
- Apply trim to all areas of the house.
- Attach door Hardware, vent covers, and shelving.
- Be proficient in all manner of power tools (saws, drills, and grinders).
Fast Lab[edit | edit source]
Without question my most diverse experience within the working environment has been at the FAST Lab under the supervision of Dr. Joshua Pearce. Here I was able to apply many of my previous skills to help develop open source technology, as well as learn several new abilities within the engineering field. I originally was hired to assemble several open source projects, but eventually took on the additional responsibility of helping develop and build a hanging 3D printer with the help of my fellow colleague, Ravneet Rattan. Some of the other main responsibilities that I have taken on include:
- Building an open source Microscope - OpenFlexure Microscope.
- Building an enclosure for a 3D printer and adapting this concept to design an enclosure for a CNC machine.
- Assembling a Hyperspectral sensor.
- Maintaining and reorganizing the FAST Lab.
- Becoming proficient with 3D printing and applying it to nearly all other projects.
Academic Experiences[edit | edit source]
GoLead[edit | edit source]
GoLead is a semester-long project that focuses on an entrepreneurial idea that teams of 4-8 will formulate and try to develop into a business. The team I was on during my first year at Western, postulated the idea of growing tropical fruits within Canada in greenhouses that would be cheaper and carbon neutral. Throughout this experience, I developed many soft skills within the parameters of engineering, such as leadership, communication and collaboration. I am now on the executive board for GoLead and am responsible for helping organize the event and recruiting new members.
Western Engineering Competition[edit | edit source]
The Western Engineering Competition (WEC), is a yearly event that brings together all years and disciplines of undergraduate engineering students to compete in 10 categories. While in my first year at Western, I competed in the Junior Design Category of the Western Engineering Competition. The following year I was one of the Co-Chairs for the competition and helped develop new ideas for the competition as well as managed a team of 9 VP's.
