Hello! I'm Darby, a senior at Texas Tech University pursuing dual majors in applied physics and electrical engineering. I thrive on challenges and am deeply involved in my academic community through leadership and peer mentoring. I am particularly passionate about applying my skills, and have heavily participated in extracurriculars surrounding aerospace and biomedical engineering. Outside of academics, you'll find me immersed in a good book with a cup of tea or exploring new places. I'm eager to contribute my passion for innovation and problem-solving to a dynamic team.
This was my final presentation at JT4, and a culmination of two months of hard work. The presentation includes both theoretical explanations and my analog testing results. I focused a lot on visualizing frequency-time plots. Full presentation is viewable on my LinkedIn.
Part of my Honors Modern Digital System Design capstone was assembling this Ben Eater inspired 8-bit breadboard computer. Out of all the groups, less than 30% were able to finish the project. My teammate had to drop the class, so I ended up being alone on this project for the majority of the semester. It had a working RAM, ROM, clock, registers and more.
I programmed this rover with a Xilinx BASYS 3 FPGA board, and it was capable of autonomous motion, line detection, and ball shooting. I created several movement algorithms during the evolution of the project. Most of my code is available on my GitHub repository. In addition, I designed an overcurrent protection circuit and PWM control program.
Intermediate physics lab is the pinnacle of the physics curriculum at Texas Tech. The course consists of two week-long experimental rotations where students are given little instruction and many physics-related questions to answer experimentally. I kept a logbook, detailing the results of the complex experiments in this class.
I created this PCB during my electrical engineering internship at Sparx Engineering. It contains adjustable low pass, high pass, and amplifier circuits. The low pass and high pass can be connected to form a band pass circuit as well. I designed and assembled this PCB on my own. I taught myself Altium and PCB design, and got expert opinion from electrical engineers during the design process.
As the president of the Society of Physics Students, I focused on increasing student engagement by organizing more events and activities that brought the community together. My efforts include planning guest lectures, hands-on workshops, and social gatherings that encourage both academic and social interaction among members. By promoting a collaborative and inclusive environment, I am working to make SPS a vibrant and active part of the student experience, fostering greater involvement and enthusiasm amongst physics majors and enthusiasts.
Women in Physics (WiP) focuses mostly on professional development. We will be holding resume critique days, STEM outreach events, interview preparation, and more. Additionally, I aim to increase membership in our mentorship program, hoping to double the population.
Sigma Pi Sigma is the Honors chapter of the physics department. I was recently inducted and appointed Vice President. This position is appointed, not elected, and I was chosen based on character and academic merit. We are promoting mathematic success sessions and a research poster competition.
As Avionics lead, I am responsible for making sure our rocket's most fundamental systems engage during competition next semester. We will be implementing a custom PCB design and creating the controls for a dynamic airbrakes system. I not only design a lot of these systems, but also delegate tasks and promote teamwork in my group.
For 1.5 years, I tutored circuits, leading exam reviews, proctoring exams, and creating project solution keys. However, the most rewarding part was mentoring other students. Circuits is a challenging course, and I was thrilled to help a few students grasp concepts like node voltage, mesh current, and AC current analysis. This experience stands out as one of the highlights of my time at Texas Tech University.
As a Learning Assistant (LA), I tutored calculus for two semesters, supporting large classes. In the first semester, I worked in an online section with over 100 students. Out of the 8 LAs, my breakout room consistently attracted the most students. I developed the ability to balance answering individual questions while providing broader help with practice problems, ensuring that everyone received the support they needed.