About the Inventors

Jennifer Luu

jl3585@drexel.edu

This is me, Jennifer Luu. I am a freshman mechanical engineering student at Drexel University. I came upon this career choice from my high school experiences. I graduated from Aviation High School, a trade school in which their students are educated and experienced with maintenance of aircrafts. I recall from my days at Aviation, I spent three and a half hours each day working with aircrafts. I decided my career path when I was a senior. Upon the arrival of senior year, students had to decide to either focus on airframe, the exoskeleton of an aircraft or powerplant, the engines and hydraulics of an aircraft. I chose powerplant as my focus. I learned all that I need to know about engines, propellers, and other necessary skills such as: inspection of defects, and engine run-up. Although I was interested in the mechanics of aircraft I was not interested in performing aircraft maintenance for the rest of my career. Therefore, I decided to create aircraft parts instead. This was how I led myself into the mechanical engineering field. 

Vanessa Papadimitriou

vp386@drexel.edu

Hello, my name is Vanessa Papadimitriou. I am currently a freshman at Drexel University studying Electrical Engineering. I chose this as my career path because I have always loved to question “why?” to everything from when I was a little girl to now. It is what keeps me grounded. With these questions I never knew what I truly wanted to be until I came across a camp when I was in fifth grade, and I did a robotics camp, where I learned on how to solder. I was the only little girl, and it was the best camp of my life. This experience told me that something good was to happen in the future, I did not choose engineering till my sophomore year of high school, where I was told that I was very good at math and science and should consider a field in engineering. So I did some research and I came upon a program known as “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day”, it was held at none other than Drexel University, and I became in love with it. End of sophomore year, we had to choose classes at my high school, Upper Merion Area High School, and I chose to take some engineering courses. I took an Introduction to Engineering course, and I was the only girl, it reminded me of my robotics camp all those years ago. I knew this was where I belonged, so I held my head high and completed all the challenges, I even won a few, which made some of the boys turn their heads, and think twice about a girl engineer. I chose electrical engineering and my focus, well because of that robotics camp, I loved soldering and working with circuitry and electricity, and I knew it would be my future here at Drexel University.

Olivia Proops

olp24@drexel.edu

Welcome! My name is Olivia Proops. I am currently a freshman Architectural Engineering student at Drexel University. I am in the Bachelors/Masters five year co-op program, and hope to also receive a minor in music composition and theory when I graduate. Throughout my life I have been creative, whether it dealt with building crazy Lego sets, drawing, or playing music. I did not know what career I wanted to pursue when I was in high school, but I was certain I wanted to do something that involved “creation.” I went to Morristown High School, where I was a member of the Science Academy, and had the opportunity to do my own independent research in the field of biomedical engineering. I wrote several grants for both my research and for funding for my high school. I love to write, especially scientific writing, and had the ability to combine fiction and facts together by being an author for Curious Young Writers (cYw). Curious Young Writers is an online scientific blog that is sponsored by the Biomedical Association of New Jersey.  In the future, I hope to combine my love for music, nature, and science my building sustainable amphitheaters.

Facts about me:

1. I Lived in seven states

2. I Love to teach kids

3. Worked on an organic farm

4. Was flute section leader in my high school concert band

5. Write my own songs

6. Family and Friends are extremely important to me

7. Was tennis team captain in high school

Valerie Nduese-Udom

vun24@drexel.edu

Hello! My name is Valerie Nduese-Udom. I was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Nigeria on 23 October 1996. I went to the British Nigerian Academy, a boarding school located in Abuja. When I was fourteen I moved to America to start a new life. I restarted high school at the Real Life Christian Academy in Clermont, Florida while dual enrolling in Lake Sumter Community College. I later transferred into East Ridge High School where I became highly involved with school clubs and affairs.

While at East Ridge High School, I joined the FIRST Robotics team there where I fell in love with robotics. During my senior year, I was elected as head of mechanics and led my team to a very successful meet. I am currently a student of Drexel University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am a mechanical engineering major with a minor in musical theatre and art history. I am currently a member of many Drexel clubs including the Drexel African Students Association, Drexel Protobowl Team, Drexel African Dance Team, Freshman Engineering Learning Community.

I plan to make an impact on the community and the younger generation; to let people know that they can be whatever they want to be if they work hard enough and strive to achieve their goals.