During a unique internship spanning two major business areas at Lockheed Martin in Orlando - Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) and Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) - I contributed to the Lockheed Martin's flagship F-35 program. My role placed me at the intersection of materials science, data analytics, systems engineering, and mechanical design, allowing me to make a tangible impact on both current production and future innovation.

A major project I spearheaded involved optimizing a critical component of the F-35's Electro-Optical Targeting Sensor (EOTS). The program was seeking to outsource the production of the sensor's window frame, which was manufactured in-house at a high cost. My task was to analyze and select a new, more durable and cost-effective material from an external supplier. I analyzed data from rigorous material exposure tests conducted at an Air Force research facility, where material coupons were fixed to a blade rotating at incredibly high speeds while being struck by water droplets to simulate extreme operational wear. I developed scripts to analyze video footage of the material degradation and used MATLAB to plot and compare the performance of various compositions over time. I then presented my data-driven findings to EOTS team leadership, successfully driving the selection of a new material that resulted in a remarkable 78% reduction in unit cost and projects over $70,000 in annual savings.

Beyond production hardware, I was deeply involved in forward-looking Research & Development to revolutionize pilot training. I helped architect a Machine Learning project with the strategic goal of identifying pilots suited for an accelerated fighter pilot training stream, saving significant time and resources. I helped define the critical data parameters for this predictive model-spanning physical pilot data, soft characteristics, and in-flight performance metrics - and conducted interviews with veteran instructor pilots to refine the feature criteria. 

Furthermore, I had made contributions to the delivery of an Integrated Learning Environment (ILE) to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). As a member of the Integration & Test team for that system, I validated the web architecture's ability to consolidate and display vital simulator telemetry, ensuring the data pipeline for future analytics was robust and reliable.

In a unique opportunity to see the program from a completely different perspective, I was cast to play the role of an student pilot in a promotional video for the Integrated Learning Environment. Filmed on-site with Black Hawk helicopter assets at the Sikorsky Training Academy, the experience was invaluable. It allowed me to see the fulfillment of a product's entire lifecycle - from technical development all the way to marketing and business engagement - giving me a holistic understanding of the mission we support.

At Jefferson Millwork & Design, I interned as an Architectural Drafting Intern, where I played a key role in producing construction and renovation drawings for high-profile projects, including the U.S. Canon House and the Federal Energy Regulation Commission renovation in Washington, D.C. Over the summer, I contributed to 76 detailed drawings, including floor and section plans, by creating, editing, and refining designs to meet precise architectural standards. This experience deepened my understanding of drafting techniques and allowed me to make meaningful contributions to significant federal projects.