M.S. in Electrical Engineering
Robotics & AI Engineering, Columbia University
About
Engineering systems from concept to working hardware.
Hi, I'm Shivam Gaind - a mechanical engineer passionate about robotics, advanced manufacturing, and designing systems that make real-world impact. I've worked across national laboratories, defense engineering, clean energy design, and intelligent automation.
Timeline
Education, work, and projects
Education
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University
Internships
May - Aug 2026
Manufacturing Intern
Northrop Grumman
May - Aug 2025Manufacturing Intern
Northrop Grumman manufacturing engineering, tooling, and AR support
May 2024 - Aug 2025Mechanical Engineering Intern
Wabtec / GE Transportation
Jun 2021 - Jun 2022Intern & Research Assistant
U.S. Department of Energy, Fermilab satellite cooling system
Research
Jan - May 2026
Research Assistant
Penn State CEARL: thermal, mechanical, fluid, and electromagnetic optimization
Aug 2023 - May 2024Research Assistant
Penn State Applied Research Laboratory defect-detection algorithms
Engineering Mentor
Guided a St. Charles, IL student team through design reviews for gutter downspout repair solutions
Projects
Jan - May 2026
AI-Based Insect Detection System
Capstone project using YOLOv8, Grad-CAM, ESP32 lighting, and Jetson Nano processing
Mar 2026PlateOptimize iOS App
Published app for topology-optimized base plate design and CAD export
Dec 2025Puzzle Sorting Robot
Vision robotics system for sorting puzzle pieces by edge status and color
Nov 2025Mechanical Automata Exhibit
Children's Museum mechanism project for teaching motion and linkages
Nov 2025AI Chatbot for Medical Clinics
React and Node.js intake tool connected to the OpenAI API
Mar 2025Infrared Wall-Following Robot
Controls project using IR sensing and proportional control
Sept 2024 - May 2025Columbia 100K Strong in the Americas Program
Designed and presented an off-grid energy and water system for rural Colombia
Jul 2024Formboard Wiring
Wabtec wire-harnessing process improvement using stencils
Projects
Selected work
Featured work spans a published iOS/Mac app, Penn State optimization research, and an AI-based insect detection capstone.
Featured Projects
Featured iOS and Mac App
PlateOptimize
Productivity
Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.
Open
Published iOS, iPadOS, and Mac application
PlateOptimize iOS App
Created and published PlateOptimize, a downloadable application for designing optimized metal base plates.
- Built the workflow from engineering inputs to optimized CAD-ready geometry.
- Supports plate dimensions, bolt layout, column geometry, and loading conditions.
- Exports DXF, SVG, and PNG files for manufacturing workflows.
Research Assistant | Penn State Computational Electromagnetics and Antennas Research Laboratory
Thermal and Multiphysics Topology Optimization
Extended topology optimization methods to thermal systems by minimizing thermal compliance and improving heat transfer.
- Combined thermal, mechanical, fluid, and electromagnetic objectives in a multiphysics framework.
- Studied GRIN lens designs that balance electromagnetic gain with structural loading requirements.
- Built an interactive tool to visualize optimization results and connect the research to engineering decisions.
Capstone Project
AI-Based Insect Detection System
Built an insect detection device inspired by a Malaise trap, using controlled lighting, edge computing, and YOLOv8 models for insect classification.
- Designed a trap workflow where insects enter a photo chamber for automated imaging.
- Used ESP32-controlled LED panels, Jetson Nano processing, and two YOLOv8 classifiers.
- Validated model focus with Grad-CAM heatmaps and confidence-score outputs.
- Research is in progress toward an official publication, with demos presented to engineering leadership at Penn State and Ohio State.
Professional & Research Experience
Manufacturing engineering internship
Northrop Grumman Manufacturing Engineering Intern
- Designed an 80 lb radio antenna stand allowing secure mounting and 45-degree rotation in both directions while maintaining full stability.
- Developed a full tool-tracking database enabling technicians to add tools, check them out, return them, and update sharpening or decommissioning status.
- Supported the Shop Floor Augmented Reality project through hardware testing and creating detailed procedures that guided technicians through assembly tasks.
Thermal design
Digital Satellite Cooling System - Fermilab
Designed a thermal system to transfer heat from key satellite circuits to a radiator for space-based detectors.
View PDF
Additive manufacturing
Defect-Detection Algorithm - ARL
Developed sampling-based algorithms to detect and quantify defects in metal AM builds.
View PDF
Manufacturing process
Formboard Wiring - Wabtec
Developed a new wire-harnessing method replacing traditional formboards with stencils.
View PDF
Additional Projects
AI application
AI Chatbot for Medical Clinics
Built a React and Node.js intake tool that asks guided symptom follow-up questions and organizes patient responses for doctors.
Controls
Infrared Wall-Following Robot
Implemented a proportional controller using IR sensing to maintain distance from walls.
View PDF
Mechanisms
Mechanical Automata Exhibit - Children's Museum
Designed an interactive mechanical automaton exhibit to teach motion and linkages.
Watch Demo Video
Sustainable energy
Clean Energy System - Colombia
Designed and presented an off-grid energy and water system for a rural Colombian village.
View PDF
Vision robotics
Puzzle Sorting Robot
Built a Dobot Vision Studio and C# robot workflow that classifies puzzle pieces by edge status and color, then sorts them into organized stacks.
Watch Demo VideoContact