Q&A for Naasik Akkas, Test and Automation Engineer

Naasik first started at Bishop-Wisecarver
as an intern last year.

Naasik Akkas joined the Bishop-Wisecarver team late last year, bringing with him a mechanical engineering degree from UC Berkeley and with an internship at Bishop-Wisecarver already under his belt. Invigorated by the knowledge and experience that he was able to gain here during the summer of 2012, Naasik focuses his work on mechatronics as a Test and Automation Engineer. Not only was the team excited to have him the first time, but even more enthused that he came aboard after completing his education. Have a question for Naasik? Leave a comment in the comments section below!

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer, and did you always know that this was something that you wanted to do, or was it a decision that emerged later?

NA: My dad is a mechanical engineer and I saw what he got to do, so since I was very young I always thought I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. Once I was in high school I got really interested in physics and learned more about mechanical engineering, and that helped me decide that it was something I really wanted to do.

Question: Where did you receive your education in engineering and in what area did you specialize?

NA: I received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley with an emphasis in controls and robotics. I ended up working on two sizeable projects: the first project was a robot that used computer vision to detect people and follow them around, and the second project was an amphibious vehicle that is able to travel on both land and water.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team?

Answer: I interned at Bishop-Wisecarver during the summer of 2012 doing job functions very similar to those that I am performing now. Before that, I had an internship in Bangladesh doing work with industrial automation.

Question: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in a career in engineering? Let’s say a middle school student or a high school student.

Answer: Always try to improve your math and physics knowledge. Those are incredibly important subjects for a mechanical engineer to master. Also, for high school students I would say definitely go above and beyond the normal coursework. Most importantly, try to make real world connections with everything you learn.

Question: What's the most rewarding aspect of being an engineer?

NA: When something you build actually works.

Question: Technology plays a big role in the type of engineering that you do. Is it a lot of effort to stay abreast of recent technologies used in your area of expertise?

NA: It can be, but if you are always interested in the subject then it's easy to stay on top of it. I learn a lot from Ali Jabbari (Vice President of Engineering) and George Anwar (Consultant). So talking to the right people and being around the right people in the field helps. Also, articles on the internet and blogs that discuss technology are very useful.

Question: Which aspects of your role at Bishop-Wisecarver do you appreciate the most? In what areas do you find yourself working the hardest?

Answer: I appreciate the amount of creativity we are able to exercise with selecting components and also in other aspects of decision-making. I appreciate the ability to be able to make these types of decisions, and the level of responsibility that we are given is great because I get to learn more by being tasked with solving these problems.

Question: What’s your favorite quote, or personal motto?

Answer: “Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” — Louis L'Amour

Question: Do any of your hobbies outside of work relate to your job, any technical trades, or anything having to do with engineering?

Answer: I play with microcontrollers like the Arduino and the Lego NXT Robotics platform to build small devices and work on personal projects for fun. I like making home automation machines.

Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Answer: I want to see myself running my own industrial automation and robotics company.

Q&A With Mechatronics Engineer Garrett Diulio

Garrett Diulio working on a large
custom actuated linear guide (belt driven).

Garrett Diulio joined the Bishop-Wisecarver Group earlier this year, and with him comes great enthusiasm for all things mechatronic related. As our Mechatronics Engineer, Garrett is focused on projects that require both mechanical and electronic expertise. Have a question for Garret? Leave a comment in the section below!

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer, and did you always know that this was something that you wanted to do, or was it a decision that emerged later?

GD: For me, it was a decision that came later in life, during my first semester of community college. I liked math and science, and fixing things. I’ve always had fun building things and taking things apart and putting them back together.

I started out as an electrical engineer, and I realized shortly thereafter that my true passion was in mechanical engineering. It is so broad, probably the broadest field of engineering. You are exposed to everything. There is no job a mechanical engineer couldn’t do.

Question: What are your earliest memories of putting things together?

GD: I remember trying to take apart a cell phone as a little kid.

Question: Where did you receive your education in engineering, and in what area did you specialize?

GD: I received a degree from UC Berkeley and my major was mechanical engineering. I had to do a senior project that was very similar to what I’m doing here at BWG; my senior project was on mechatronics. Mechatronics is just a fancy word for a combination of electrical, software, mechanical, and controls engineering.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team?

GD: I had a few internships. I had one internship where I did a lot of mechanical design, which I do a lot of here as well, although the industry was different (the medical field). It was a company that made heart pumps and I had to design the connectors in CAD.

I had another internship as an analyst reviewing bone strength data, and I would use finite element analysis in order to find the varied strengths from patients; usually older patients. The software was used to predict when patients could potentially fracture their hip or pelvis… they recently got FDA-approved.

I did have a third internship that are similar to my duties at Bishop-Wisecarver. My responsibility for that job was to figure out how to make the robot navigate autonomously through a maze. I focused on software and the electrical portions of the project. This was preliminary research for a firefighting robot.

Question: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in an engineering focused career? Let’s say a middle school student or a high school student.

GD: Make sure you are very passionate about the aspect of engineering you select — it really makes a difference in engineering. You can really tell a difference between people who come to work just to earn a paycheck and those who truly love what they do at the office. In engineering, it’s the little details that matter the most.

Question: What's the most rewarding aspect of being an engineer?

GD: Finishing a project — the point at which all elements are functional and operating the way they’re supposed to... that's a really satisfying feeling.

Question: Technology plays a big role in the type of engineering that you do. Does it require much effort to stay abreast of recent technologies used in your area of expertise?

GD: Going back to how passionate you are — if it’s what you love, it’s pretty easy to stay on top of it all. You’ll be willing and have the desire to keep learning, and it will come naturally to you; second nature almost. I think the key is always trying new things.

Question: Which aspects of your role at Bishop-Wisecarver do you appreciate the most?

GD: The thing that I must focus on the most is planning and scheduling; ordering due dates and logistics. It is always critical to make sure that everything comes together in the allotted time frame. Without planning and preparation, you are doomed.

Question: What’s your favorite quote, or personal motto?

GD: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs

Question: Do any of your hobbies outside of work relate to your job — any technical trades or anything having to do with engineering?

GD: I still work on my senior project sometimes. It’s kind of a hobby. I still work on it because I want to showcase it someday. You think you’re close to perfection, but really, there’s always more to refine.

Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?

GD: Within five years, I hope to have created and launched my own product line based on the concept of autonomous machinery.

Catching Up With Our Engineering Interns, Shail and Naasik

Hi everyone, Eleanor here! It's been a couple of weeks since we last caught up with the engineering interns, Naasik and Shail, and since they were last interviewed they've been hard at work on some really interesting projects! We thought it was about time to meet up with them again to discuss what exactly they've been working on, what they've learned since starting their internships, and what they like most about their time here at Bishop-Wisecarver.

1. What types of projects have you been working on since you started your internship?
N & S: BWC is getting into the market of integrated systems containing motors and controllers. We are learning more about how these systems behave in order to recommend the best solutions to customers in this new market. We are designing different test apparatuses to monitor how beams react when they are hit in different places and how they react to different weight loads being placed on them. In addition, we are looking into how an integrated [ LoPro ] system reacts to different input commands in order to figure out what is the best control algorithm.

2.  What is your favorite part of being an intern at Bishop-Wisecarver?
N: The ability to get hands-on experience in designing control systems.
S: Work experience and getting to work so closely with many mechanical engineers who have a lot more experience than I do. Also, I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone at BWC. People here are so friendly!

3. Are there any concepts/lessons that you learned at university that have been particularly useful when applied to your work at BWC?
N: Mainly subjects to do with control such as data acquisition.
S: In my last project class at UC Berkeley, I had to divide work up and assign tasks. This process occurs a lot at BWC. In fact, Naasik and I work together a lot in order to split up tasks. We work really well together!

4.  What projects are you going to be working on in the upcoming weeks?
N & S: We are going to be designing an integrated system for a customer and finishing up modal analysis and frequency response test benches.

5.  Since your internship started, what new things have you learned about mechanical engineering?
N: For me, I have learned that there is never a limit to the amount of knowledge one can gain about mechanical engineering and engineering in general.
S: I have learned that there is a lot more collaboration and group work involved in mechanical engineering than I initially thought.

Q&A with the Bishop-Wisecarver Engineering Interns

Hi everyone, Eleanor here! I'm already hard at work in my role as the new marketing intern and have been commissioned with the fun task of interviewing Bishop-Wisecarver’s first-ever engineering interns, Naasik Akkas and Shail Shah. Both attend UC Berkeley College of Engineering, both are in their junior year and both said they're very excited to work here for the summer. Even in the first couple weeks with us, the pair has put their engineering knowledge to the test by working hands-on with our LoPro linear actuators and learning about mechatronics in the process. I sat down with them for a bit to get to know more about their backgrounds and interests [ read past Q&A blog posts ].

Got some questions of your own? Feel free to ask them in the comment section!

Why did you want to study engineering?

N: I was good at math and physics in high school.
S: I liked taking things apart when I was young.

Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineering student?

N: My dad. He was a mechanical engineer and I wanted to learn more about what he did and what mechanical engineering involved.
S: My dad as well. He encouraged me to study math and science in depth.

What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team? What prompted you to apply to Bishop-Wisecarver specifically?

N: I worked as a student instructor at a community college, where I taught physics and math. I also had an internship in Bangladesh at Greenfield Automation Technologies, at which I specialized in industrial automation. I heard about BWC from my professor at Berkeley.
S: Last summer I interned at Boeing at its headquarters in Seattle. In my role there, I did a lot of materials testing and worked in labs. I heard about the BWC internship directly from Ali, BWC's VP of Engineering, who came to speak at UC Berkeley this spring.

Which areas of engineering interest you most?

N: Robotics and control.
S: Controls and green technologies.

What do you enjoy most about being an engineering student?

N: I enjoy being able to apply what I learn at university to everyday life.
S: Knowing how things around me work.

What extracurricular activities do you enjoy doing?

N: Flying RC Planes.
S: Soccer and running. I also volunteer at Richmond High school, where I help kids make electric bicycles.

What would be your dream engineering project?

N: Making a fully autonomous humanoid robot.
S: Making remote control toys and squirt guns.

Q&A with Ali Jabbari, Vice President of Engineering

Get to Know Bishop-Wisecarver’s Vice President of Engineering, Ali Jabbari!

Ali joined our company just recently [ view press release ] and holds an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University and graduate degrees from University of California, Berkeley. Ali can be reached via e-mail at alij@bwc.com

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?

Answer: I was always interested in taking things apart and trying to figure out how they worked. Engineering seemed to be a natural choice for someone who was curious to learn about man-made devices; how they worked, how they were put together, and the thought process that went into their design.

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?

Answer: I am not sure if there was a single individual that was the biggest influence on me. I had a few teachers along the way that mentored me and encouraged me to continue with my education. The most noteworthy of these was my PhD advisor, Prof. Tomizuka at UC Berkeley. There are a couple historic figures who have also been inspirational for me; Da Vinci and his creativity, along with Edison and his indefatigable determination, come to mind.  

Question: Where did you go for schooling?

Answer: I received my undergraduate degree from Northeastern University, and my PhD from UC Berkeley in Mechanical Engineering. My area of specialty was Dynamic Systems and Control.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team?

Answer: I started as a research engineer, and as my career progressed, I transitioned into jobs with a focus on practical engineering. I have worked on next generation Lithography machines at Nikon Research Corporation, and more recently on electromagnetic transducers at Tymphany Corporation.

Question: What is your area of expertise?

Answer: Motion control, automation, and dynamic systems.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?

Answer:  Designing, building, and analyzing electromechanical systems. Also, having the opportunity to be creative and analytical. 

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?

Answer: Seeing your designs come to life, and performing as they were intended to do.

Question: What is the toughest project you have worked on?

Answer: An E-beam lithography machine for Nikon. This was a joint project between Nikon and IBM, and I was in charge of developing the control architecture and algorithms for the system. 

Question: Any advice to aspiring engineers?

Answer: Don’t see failure as your enemy, it is your friend. It is a cliché, but as an engineer you learn much more by incrementally testing your designs, and using the feedback from your test results to converge on a robust and elegant design.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?

Answer: I like to keep active, and I do this by running 25 miles a week, and using my bicycle as a preferred mode of transportation. I make it a priority to travel and learn from other cultures; for me, it is the closest thing to being a child again (you don’t know the language, everything is new, and you do not have any established routines). I enjoy restoring old mechanical watches. I have always been fascinated by time and the ingenious devices we have built to quantify it.

Q&A with Applications Engineer Benjamin Domingo

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Applications Engineer, Benjamin Domingo!

Benjamin joined our company in May 2010, and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the second bilingual customer service representative who can assist customers with their application requirements in either Spanish or English. Benjamin can be reached via e-mail at BenD@bwc.com

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?

Answer: I was always curious about how things worked and loved to build stuff as a kid. Naturally, this led me to an interest in engineering.

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?
Answer: My mathematics teacher in high school was my biggest influence. I never really enjoyed math but she taught it in a way that sparked my interest in solving mathematical/engineering problems.

Question: Where did you go for schooling?
Answer: I attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team? Any internships?
Answer: I was involved in robotic research at school. I worked with a grad student and a professor on autonomous robotic control. It was a great experience and an enjoyable one that I will never forget.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
Answer: I enjoy helping people.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?
Answer: The most rewarding thing about being an engineer is seeing all your hard work become a solution to something.

Question:  What is the most creative project you have worked on?
Answer: Building a soccer playing robot where I was primarily focused on designing the kicking and dribbling mechanisms and omni-directional movement.

Question: Any advice to aspiring engineers?
Answer: Keep yourself motivated. Do what you love.

Q&A with Product Manager Brian Burke

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Product Manager, Brian Burke!

Brian joined our company in February 2003, and holds a BS in Manufacturing Technology from
California State University in Chico and an AA in Industrial Drawing from Bakersfield College.
Brian can be reached via e-mail at Brian@bwc.com -- Connect with Brian on LinkedIn.

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?
Answer: I have always been fascinated by the things that are designed and built by mankind to solve technical challenges.  Some examples would include Hoover Dam, the internal combustion engine, and the space shuttle program. My interest in engineering evolved from the question of “How did they make that?”

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?
Answer: My scientific parents were my biggest influence as a child. Both of my parents were Microbiologists with in-depth technical understanding of the micro world around. They have always been a great resource in my quest for understanding “Why?”

Question: Where did you go for schooling?
Answer:    C.S.U. Chico, BS degree in Manufacturing Technology
                  Bakersfield College, AA degree in Industrial Drawing

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team? Any internships?
Answer: I spent several years working as a CAD designer for residential architects as well as HVAC and plumbing engineers.  I also worked as a CAD modeler on electronic temperature control systems which were purchased by Intel for research testing on computer processors.

Question: What is your area of expertise?
Answer: My expertise has been focused on manufacturing processes and the work methods utilized in the creation of products.  At BWC this includes the layout of machinery, the design of the tools and fixtures used to produce, inspect and assemble products, and the CNC machining process. 

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
Answer: I enjoy solving new challenges and improving upon established solutions.  I particularly enjoy taking rough design concepts and refining them down into simple and elegant solutions.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?
Answer: The most rewarding thing about being an engineer is having the opportunity to implement new ideas, concepts, and designs.  New ideas must be tested and real world feedback helps to confirm whether or not your efforts directly contributed to success. A great sense of accomplishment can be felt after successfully implementing new ideas.

Question: What is the toughest project you have worked on?
Answer: The most challenging project I have worked on involved the design of production and assembly tools utilized to make a new generation of Lithium battery. The tools are required for mounting fragile, rigid components to flexible films.

Question: Any advice to aspiring engineers?
Answer: There can be many acceptable solutions to a given problem so keep an open mind to the possibility that other people can be a resource.  Solutions are often iterative so be prepared to improve as you go.  This means that you may have to abandon your initial ideas quickly.  Working together in a team can help to bring out the best in people.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?
Answer:  I enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking, and camping.  At home I work on many home improvement projects.  Recently I helped a friend with a complete house remodel. In summer months my wife and I enjoy our vegetable garden.  I build my own computers and have been thinking about getting back into radio controlled airplanes which I did extensively in my teens.

Q&A with Mechanical Engineer Ariel Oriel

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Mechanical Engineer Ariel Oriel!

Ariel joined our company in January of 2000, and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Davis. Ariel can be reached via e-mail at ArielO@bwc.com

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?
Answer: As a child I was always fascinated about how mechanical things worked, are put together, etc.  Ever since then I strive to learn or understand about things I come across that interest me.

Question: Where did you go for schooling?
Answer:  U. C. Davis, BS degree in Mechanical Engineering  

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team? Any internships?
Answer: Yes, I worked with medical diagnostic equipment, pyrotechnic actuated devices, and medical robots.

Question: What is your area of expertise?
Answer: Mechanical design, and designing custom components to meet specific customer needs.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
Answer: I enjoy interacting with other engineers to discuss ideas that help things come into fruition.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an engineer?
Answer: The most enjoyable moments for me as an engineer is when the things I design work really well for the customer.

Question: Any advice to aspiring engineers?
Answer: My advice to aspiring engineers is that don’t be afraid to try new ideas, or “think outside the box”.  Also, learn from mistakes, and don’t get discouraged, for they will happen.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?

Answer: I like reading car magazines to see the latest and greatest being offered by the various car manufacturers. I also build model cars from time to time.

 [ Check out footage from earlier this year of Ariel at a high school career fair ]

Q&A with Mechanical Engineer Ricardo Iraheta

Get to know Bishop-Wisecarver's Mechanical Engineer Ricardo Iraheta!

The bilingual speaker joined our company in December of 2008. He is one of two Spanish speaking mechanical engineers on our world-class engineering team. Originally from San Salvador, El Salvador, Iraheta holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer?

Answer: Because I have always liked to solve problems.

Question: Who was your biggest influence in becoming an engineer?

Answer: When I was a kid, my neighbors were engineering students. I would spend a lot of time with them and I would see their projects. It caught my attention. My interest in engineering was born. Then, when I was in high school, my physics teacher was a mechanical engineer. He was awesome. It was because of him that I picked mechanical engineering.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the BWC team?

Answer: None. This is my first job right after college.

Question: What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?

Answer: The ability to use your imagination.

Question: Any advice to aspiring mechanical engineers?

 Answer: Don't be afraid to share your ideas and to put your imagination to work, but most importantly, don't be afraid to make mistakes and to ask for help. Also, never give up on your dreams.

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about being an Engineer?

Answer: My customer's satisfaction. To be able to help a customer make the right choice. To be a leader.

Question: What do you like to do outside of work?

Answer: I love soccer (the real football, lol). I have been playing it ever since I remember. I also enjoy listening to music, although to be honest, after driving so much, I don't even listen to the radio anymore. Also, I definitely like going to the movies. My favorite types of movies are mystery, historical and of course, comedy.