EU / ENGINEERING PORTFOLIO

PURDUE UNIVERSITY / AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Ethan
Underwood.

From electrical integration to aerospace structures, I’m building the hands-on experience to turn engineering ideas into working systems.

Explore my work
West Lafayette, INStructures · Materials · Systems
Purdue VIP boat outdoors with the project team
01 / FIELD NOTESVIP autonomous boat project

SELECTED WORK

Engineering in practice.

Projects that connect design, integration, and hands-on problem solving.

01

FRESHMAN YEAR / PURDUE VIP

Autonomous boat integration

Electrical + mechanical

My role

As a member of the integration team, I helped bring together the systems of a boat our team fully designed. My work focused on setting up the electrical components inside the boat and designing a crane to complete project challenges.

What I contributed

  • Helped set up the boat’s internal electrical system and battery arrangement.
  • Designed a crane for challenge-specific tasks, working from prototype components to a physical setup.
  • Collaborated with the team to integrate electrical and mechanical components into the boat.
System integrationElectrical setupCrane designPrototyping
Crane setup on the Purdue VIP boat
Crane setup alongside the boat.
Green prototype components for the crane
Crane prototype components
Battery installed in the boat compartment
Battery installation inside the boat
Top view of the boat and its onboard systems
Onboard system layout
View more project photos
Side profile of the VIP boat
Boat side profile
Boat radar and mounting structure
Radar and mounting structure
Battery and wiring setup on a workbench
Electrical setup on the workbench
02

PURDUE UNDERGRADUATE ROCKET PROPULSION LAB

Rocket test infrastructure

On PURPL’s test infrastructure and fluids work, I contribute to panels and structures for rocket engine testing and fluid-panel design. The Avatar modular test stand supports quick changes between engines and components.

Focus: test infrastructure, fluid panels, and P&ID drawings in Microsoft Visio.

03

PURDUE AERIAL ROBOTICS TEAM

Aircraft structures

As part of PART’s aeromechanical subteam, I work on wing and tail construction while developing practical experience with aircraft structures and collaborative design.

Focus: wing and tail building, aeromechanical integration, and teamwork.

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

Making systems work
in the real world.

SUMMER 2026

Controls Engineering Intern

Toyota Automated Logistics

Traveled to warehouse sites with Toyota’s automated logistics team to help integrate warehouse automation systems. My summer included work at GM in Michigan, TJX in Dayton, Ohio, and Sephora.

  • Worked with Rockwell Studio 5000 on PLC logic, I/O mapping, and conveyor controls.
  • Performed I/O checks, sensor alignment, device configuration, and system troubleshooting.
  • Configured and validated Cognex DataMan barcode scanners and documented settings in a scanner spreadsheet.
  • Used AutoCAD Electrical and Bluebeam to produce and interpret electrical schematics.
Overview of warehouse conveyor lines at Sephora
Sephora / Conveyor systems during site integration
PLC control panel at GM in Michigan
GM, Michigan / PLC panel for the automation system
Blue gantry automation system at GM
GM, Michigan / Gantry and material-handling system
Conveyor lane and scanner setup at TJX in Dayton Ohio
TJX, Dayton, Ohio / Conveyor and scanner setup

COURSEWORK / MFET 163

Building a foundation in CAD.

In MFET 163, I’m learning to model individual components in Siemens NX as we work toward a complete pipe and butterfly valve assembly.

These images show my work using the references provided by my professor in the course. Reference models: Travis Fuerst, MFET 163.

Full Pipe Design — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Full Pipe Design
Butterfly Valve Arm — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Butterfly Valve Arm
Butterfly Valve Body — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Butterfly Valve Body
Butterfly Valve Elbow — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Butterfly Valve Elbow
Butterfly Valve Retainer — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Butterfly Valve Retainer
Butterfly Valve Shaft — modeled by Ethan Underwood using Travis Fuerst’s MFET 163 referenceTravis Fuerst MFET 163
Butterfly Valve Shaft
Portrait of Ethan Underwood

ABOUT ME

Hands-on foundation.
Aerospace direction.

I’m a sophomore in Aerospace Engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, pursuing a minor in Materials Science and Engineering. I transferred from Purdue Indianapolis, where I began in Electrical Engineering.

My background in mechatronics and industrial controls shapes how I approach aerospace problems: understand the system, build carefully, and learn from what happens in practice. I’m especially interested in structures, materials, and thermal protection for space vehicles.

Tools & interests

Design & documentation

Siemens NX · Teamcenter · AutoCAD Electrical · Bluebeam · Microsoft Visio

Controls & integration

Rockwell Studio 5000 · PLCs · I/O checks · Electrical schematics · Device commissioning

Aerospace focus

Structures · Materials · Thermal protection · Rocket test infrastructure

Campus involvement

PURPL · PART · AIAA