About Me
Hi, my name is Caleb Smith I am a mechanical engineering student at Ohio University. I am apart of the Honors Program, Rocket Club, research, and a elected House Captain. I have expertise in astronomy, systems applications, and project management .
One of my opportunities I have had at Ohio University is being apart of the Student Spaceflight Exploration Initiative (SSEP). Our group worked together to develop a proposal for a Field’s metal solidification abord the International Space Station. The purpose of this was going to be analyzing the differences in grain structure and the formation of crystals. We planned to use a scanning electron microscope with a Peltier cooling device to examine samples and take pictures. These pictures would then be analyzed through software such as MATLAB to provide quantitative data on grain structure and percentages of different grain types. I was the project lead on that and worked on writing the proposal. It introduced me to new ideas and ways of thinking. This gave me hands-on experience with real space experiments. There were some problems and things that had to be thought through, such as how much substance should be used and how it could be delivered. I have some connections with facility at Ohio University and gained an appreciation for the science they are conducting.
When looking more broadly at my professional goals I want to go into aerospace, specifically satellite, or telescope design. I have always been interested in space and the advances that could be done through systems controls.
One of my most meaningful experiences I have had is the opportunity to go to Hawaii and Washington DC to sing for the veterans of the United States. We sang next to the USS Missouri and marched in a parade to honor the people who died in Pearl Harbor. Standing there and soaking it all in gave me a deep respect of the sacrifices our soldiers made. I have always read and been interested in history and so going there seeing what happened made it all come into reference for me. That has really had a profound impact on me and the types of things I value. All the museums at I visited gave me a appreciation for the technology engineers make. But this also gave me a healthy amount of respect for the power and ingenuity of our technology. This experience has shaped me in how I approach both my studies in mechanical engineering and my photography. Inspiring me to explore, create, and understand the world with curiosity and caution.