Martini Research Group

Exciting News! I’ve been selected as one of ten finalists for UC Merced’s Grad Slam! This competition challenges grad students to share their research in a three-minute presentation for a broad audience. My work focuses on greases in electrified conditions—testing lubricants designed for combustion engines to find grease formulations that will improve EV performance and extend vehicle life, contributing to cleaner air in the Central Valley and beyond. Special thanks to my colleagues at Martini Research Group and Dr. Ashlie Martini for their support and coaching me along the way! #GradSlam #UCMerced #EVResearch #SustainableMobility #CleanAir

I’m thrilled to share that I officially passed my Qualification Exam and am now a Ph.D. Candidate! A huge thank you to my advisor, my committee, and the incredible support from the Martini Research Group. I couldn’t have done it without you all!

It was our pleasure to host collaborators from Chevron Lubricants here on campus yesterday!

Yesterday, I got to start my first day as an Adjunct Faculty at Bakersfield College, as part of the Faculty Diversification Internship. It was so wonderful to be a teacher to the next generation of engineers as I am teaching Intro to Engineering! #teaching #communitycollege #engineering

Today I started a two-week visiting technologist experience at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory supported by the NSTGRO fellowship! It was amazing to see the fascinating work going on here. I’m so excited to learn and contribute in the Tribology Lab ????

2025 MRG notebooks are in! Each group member's research is represented by a science-is-art image on the front or back cover. Come visit us next year to get your copy.

I'm thrilled to announce that I have successfully defended my M.S. Thesis and will soon be graduating with a Master's in Mechanical Engineering! I am incredibly grateful to my advisor, Dr. Ashlie Martini, my committee members, as well as my friends and family for their invaluable guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support throughout this journey!

On Saturday, UC Merced hosted its first-ever ME Grad Symposium, where my peers showcased impressive work through poster presentations and talks. I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in the talks, sharing a bit about space tribology ??? and machine learning ??. A huge thank you to the faculty and organizers for making this event possible; I'm already looking forward to more in the future!

New paper "Evaluation of a Commercial MoS2?Dry Film Lubricant for Space Applications" published in Lubricants MDPI. Great collaboration with Space Tribology Consulting, Inc., The Aerospace Corporation, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory! https://lnkd.in/gBgBfDmy

July 31st, 2024 is a date I will always cherish. Today is the day I successfully defended my Master’s Thesis at the University of California, Merced. I want to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my advisor and friend Dr. Ashlie Martini. Thank you very much for pushing me towards greatness and overseeing my growth as a Mechanical Enginner. Thank you to my committee members Dr. James Palko and Dr. Alejandro Gutiérrez for your time and valuable insight. Your panel challenged me to become a better engineer and I was privileged to have you both as my professors. Thank you to the Martini Research Group for all of your help and support, and being my family and friends away from home. Lastly, thank you to my family and friends for all of your love and support through my educational journey. I am honored to be the first in my family to achieve an advanced degree.