1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three
   sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

My STEP Signature Project was supposed to be an astrophotography workshop taking place in Acadia National Park. But it also included day photography of different locations and different types of shots. I also learnt about how to process those shots using Lightroom and Photoshop.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the
   world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or
   two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

This was the first time in my life I had seen so many stars with my own eyes, and that was really the best part of this trip, it puts into perspective how much is actually out there, and how much I have left to discover, and that makes me want to explore more places like Acadia. Just travelling alone and meeting other people from different backgrounds was also very cool, it was sort of like doing freshman year of college over again, I am glad I got to relive that experience. Relating to my first point, I also now realize how many people never get the opportunity to see such things because their lives are so urban-centric, and they never might have the time to look at such pretty views, completely disconnected from civilization, and so I feel very privileged to have experienced that.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature
   Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those
   affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences
   completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

Just the act of astrophotography was transformative in itself. As I was setting up my camera with the help of the lead, gazing at the stars as each minute more and more came into view as my eyes adjusted was a pivotal experience. Seeing the galaxy band in visibility across the night sky was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever laid my eyes on, and I doubt there are a lot of experiences that I could experience that match that.

I love a good adrenaline rush, I enjoy activities such as skydiving, board diving, wakeboarding and so on, but this trip (getting to Maine part) beat all of that by far. Because this was around the time of the storm, the weather was really iffy, and so my flight from New York to Boston was cancelled. I took a bus from New York City to Boston in hopes of making my second connecting flight to Bar Harbor, but on my way there, I got another email saying it got cancelled too. So I crashed at one of my friends’ places in Boston for a night, and was scheduled for another flight the next day at 12. I had to make it by 2 for my orientation in Bar Harbor, and it was a 1.75 flight so I would be making it very close. Surprisingly (not), that flight got cancelled too, but I was offered a limo service to bar Harbor which I not so gladly accepted. This experience, while horrendous, taught me a lot about how to stay on my toes and not give in to pressure, and how I could meet certain deadlines by making certain efforts, and also another valuable lesson I learnt was to always have a plan B, had I not had that, I do not think I would have gotten to my workshop at all.

Another pivotal experience was the interactions I had with fellow participants and locals. Each person I met had a unique story, a different perspective on life, and their own reasons for being drawn to the beauty of Acadia National Park. These interactions reminded me of the diversity of human experiences and the common thread of curiosity that binds us. It was reminiscent of my freshman year, where every interaction was an opportunity to learn and grow. This trip was no different; every conversation added a layer to my understanding of the world and the myriad ways people relate to it.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or
   two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your
   academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

There are many reasons why this trip is so invaluable to me, first, the exploration aspect and the opportunity I got to do such a project, I do not think I could get anywhere else, and it really enhances certain soft skills such as leadership, patience, attention to detail and problem-solving. I also developed hard skills such as Photoshop and Lightroom, Astrophotography and long-exposure shots, which really advance my passion for this hobby that is photography.

Academically, it has instilled in me a deeper appreciation for the sciences, particularly astronomy. Understanding the vastness of the universe and our place in it has given me a renewed sense of curiosity and a desire to delve deeper into subjects that explore these concepts. Personally, the experience has made me more introspective and appreciative of the opportunities I have been given, I might even pursue photography as a side job or interest. It is a reminder to always seek out new experiences, to learn from them, and to never take the beauty of our world for granted.

The ‘itty Britty Sports Car

(The car on jack stands being prepared for the engine install)

     In my STEP project, I decided to retrofit a motorbike engine into a small car form the 1960’s. This entailed many tasks, most notably creating engine mounts, making sure the rest of the car is compatible with the engine, and replacing all the old parts to make sure the non-power-train systems are up to specification as well.

This car project marks my first endeavor in such a feat. This means that at the beginning of the project I knew vaguely of what lied ahead, but in no means did I know what I was doing. Couple this with a tight time constraint, and a 4 hour round trip every weekend to work on the car, meant that to complete the project I needed to work hard to keep everything on track. Throughout the project I had to overcome a huge learning curve, and ace project management skills to make sure that all went smoothly. This led to an area of personal growth in my personal confidence in my skills, and organizational skills. However, there is one thing that helped me above all and that was all the skill, knowledge, and encouragement from my peers. They were influential in providing a guide to stick to whenever I had questions, which resulted in deeper friendships that I am very grateful for.

(Yamaha FJR1300 half way through the stripping process)

    The project had 4 phases, through which all helped my grow in different ways. The first of which was part curation. This project needed two things: a car and a donor motorcycle. The first of these I was able to obtain was the car, a 1964 MG Midget. I used Facebook marketplace to look for a good rolling chassis, that I eventually found in Logan Ohio, which was an hour drive outside of Columbus. The transaction happened on March 19th, but not without issues. Knowing that good planning lays out a successful framework for a project, I had reserved a U-Haul and a full trailer to tow the car home on. U-Haul did not honor my reservation, and instead I was given a tow dolly which was extremely bad for me. A tow dolly relies on the rear two tires to contact the ground as you are driving, which meant that there were a few chances for things to go wrong. Although we eventually got the car home to its final resting place, I noticed that there were a few mechanical problems that came from the improper towing of the old car. Digging further I found that the rear axle had blown a bearing, which I had to dedicate a weekend to fix. After that, I was ready to clean up some wiring and start the next phase of the project, looking for the donor motorcycle.

(Towing with a 10ft Box truck and a 6×12 trailer. ~0.5 in clearance each side!)

    Searching for the motorcycle was one tasks that required the most time. This is because my requirements for the motorcycle were specific, and transportation methods were limited. The motorcycle had to have a salvage title, an engine with greater than 140hp and around 100 lb. ft of torque and be reasonably priced. Previously, I had no knowledge of what motorcycles fit into the requirements. I had to educate myself on dozens of different models and their specifications to know what I was looking for to go into salvage yard auctions with confidence. This rapid searching was a good skill to learn and apply to other parts of the project when trying to figure out which of the “x” different materials or products was best for my application. In the end, I was able to find a 2005 Yamaha FJR1300 in Pittsburgh and finished the auction on top. Next part was logistics, through which I rented a van to transport the motorcycle in. The motorcycle made it successfully to the Center of Automotive Research, where the next phase f the project begins.

(removing the motor from the frame)

The next phase of this project details the integration of the engine into the motorcycle. The main action items that had to be completed were:

1. 3D modeling the engine bay and engine to create motor mounts.

(Rev-0 of the engine mounts)

(As-built engine mounts, 1.25 OD .875 ID mild steel)

2. Repositioning the rear axle

(The car whilst being worked on: welding/bracing the frame for mounts)

3. Making the driveshaft to connect the two together.

(Rear axle removed and on jack stands)

Starting at the first point, 3D modelling the engine bay and engine, which was relatively straightforward. I used a relatively cheap way to scan the engine and engine bay, called photogrammetry. This technique is used to gather imprecise data by taking hundreds of photos surrounding an object, that the program then puts together using algorithms and anchor points in the pictures. The next step was getting precise measurements, which I did by using reference planes and sticks. This worked very well and when put them together, I was able to start creating bespoke motor mounts for the car. After designing the parts, I was able to extract each to get a list of parts and start the next part, which Is fabrication. This included fabricating the driveshaft, engine mounts, and the rear axle suspension mounts. I learned so much during this phase, including a multitude of fabrication methods and techniques including welding, coping, milling, and turning on the lathe. After making all the parts to their specific measurements, I was finally able to put them together in the car, and we moved onto the next phase, integration.

The final phase, integration, was the most difficult to complete because it included all the problem solving behind getting everything to work together. This includes putting a cooling system on the engine, redoing the brake lines to be compatible with the rear, making sure the electrical wiring system works off a standalone battery, procuring new wheels and tires, integrating the end user control functions (acceleration, brake, clutch), and most importantly that the wheels spin the right way when the motor is running. This was tackled after the start of the school year which posed a few problems, most of came in the form of the time constraint. Eventually I was able to get the engine in the car and running, and after it all I realized that all the time and work proved I could accomplish most whatever I put my mind to!

(Stripped interior with stock steering wheel)

    This project taught me that even if a project or endeavor is intimidating, I can tackle it given enough dedication and time. This has had major implications for my motivation in school and has changed my perspective on my future. Specifically, when it comes to completing classes successfully, as well as competing for job positions. The changes I have seen this semester is all A’s in my classes as I go into my major, as well as numerous interviews with employers that I would be excited to join. As for some long-term success, I am excited that I still have 4 semesters left in college and will be using this to further advance my qualifications to make myself a very competitive engineer right out of the gate. Of course, above all, I am very excited to enjoy the spoils of my hard work and effort and drive the car freely on the autumn weekends!

(Current state of car with engine and cooling system displayed)