The University of Dayton

Alan Jennings

Objective / Seeking a university teaching position in mechanical or electrical engineering
with research opportunities, especially related to control and robotic applications.
Summary / I approach engineering with a hands-on attitude drawn from youth manufacturing programs to collegiate challenges and in my current research. My aptitude lies in finding the insight to see how a problem can or can’t be solved. Currently, I optimize black-box processes using memory functions to help robots learn autonomously.

Education

The University of Dayton

Electrical Engineering Ph.D. 4.0/4.0 GPA Jan 2008 - May 2012

•Dissertation: Autonomous Motion Learning by Complex Systems for Near Optimal Control

Electrical Engineering M.S.4.0/4.0 GPA Aug 2006 - Dec 2007

•Thesis: Near Optimal Solutions for the Path Planning Problem of a Small UAV in Wind

The University of Akron

Mechanical Engineering B.S.3.9/4.0 GPA Aug 1999 - May 2006

•Senior Project: Design and build pneumatic legs to pedal a bicycle 2 year hiatus for service

Journal Papers

•“Accuracy of Texture Based Photogrametry”

AIAA Journal, Accepted

•“Pan-Tilt-Zoom Hybrid Camera System For Dynamic Tracking and Measurement”

AIAA Journal, Sep 2011

•“Vibrometer Steering System for Dynamic In-flight Tracking and Measurement”

Experimental Mechanics, Springer, Jan 2011

Conference Papers (full paper reviewed underlined, undergraduate co-authors italicized)

•“Memory-Based Motion Optimization for Unbounded Resolution”

Computational Intelligence and Bioinformatics, IASTED, 753-31, Nov 2011

•“Population based optimization for variable operating points”

Congress on Evolutionary Computation, IEEE, Jun 2011

•“Constrained Near-Optimal Control Using a Numerical Kinetic Solver”

Robotics and Applications, IASTED, 706-21, Nov 2010

•“Waypoint Navigation Heuristic for a Small UAV with Non-uniform Settling Lengths”

Guidance, Navigation and Control, AIAA-2010-8331, Aug 2010

•“Biomimetic Learning, Not Learning Biomimetics: A survey of developmental learning”

National Aerospace and Electronics Conference (NAECON), IEEE, July 2010

•“Texture Photogrammetry Surface Reconstruction of Membrane Wings Using Tracking Cameras”

Aerodynamic Measurement & Ground Testing, AIAA-2010-4358, Jun 2010

•“Effect of Camera Setup on Photogrammetry Texture-Based Surface Reconstruction”

Gossamer Spacecraft Form, AIAA-2010-2749, Apr 2010

•“Pan Tilt Zoom Camera System for Dynamic In-Flight Tracking and Measurement”

Gossamer Spacecraft Form, AIAA-2010-2804, Apr 2010

•“Dynamic Performance of Vibrometer Steering System for Dynamic In-Fight Tracking and Measurement”

Gossamer Spacecraft Form, AIAA -2009-2159 May 2009

•“Calibration and Performance of Laser Steering System for Dynamic In-Flight Tracking and Measurement”

Symposium on Smart Structures/ Nondestructive Evaluation, SPIE, Mar 2009

•“Dynamic Programming Applied to UAV Way Point Path Planning in Wind”

International Symposium on Computer-Aided Control System Design, IEEE, Sep 2008

•“An Ant Colony Optimization Using Training Data Applied to UAV Way Point Path Planning in Wind”

IEEE Swarm Intelligence Symposium, Sep 2008

Relevant Experience

Teaching
/ University of Dayton Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Teaching AssistantDayton, OHAug 2009 - Present
•Electrical Circuits Laboratory (ECE201L) and Electrical and Electronic Circuits (ENG203)
•Sophomore level class to introduce electrical concepts, electronic components and lab reporting
Research
/ Air Force Institute of Technology Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Research AssistantWright Patterson Air Force Base, OHJun 2008 - Present
•Set up measuring system that tracks targets in real time for flexible structure research
•Contractor through SOCHE from Jun 2008-Aug 2010
•Maintained U.S. Government Security Clearance
Industrial / Cleveland Steel Container Co.
Semi-automated Line OperatorStreetsboro, OHMay 2006 – Aug 2006
Teaching
/ University of Akron Academic Development Programs
Peer TutorAkron, OHAug 2003 – May 2006
•Tutoring Chemistry, Physics, Mechanics of Solids, Dynamics and more.
Research
/ Western Michigan UniversityMechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Department
Research AssistantKalamazoo, MIMay 2005 – July 2005
•Modeled pneumatic piston theoretically and empirically and evaluated open loop precision
Industrial
/ ERICO Products Inc.Concrete Reinforcing Products
Mechanical Engineering Co-opSolon, OHMay 2003 – Dec 2004
•Analyze, test and document new and existing mechanical couplers
•Updating AutoCAD and Mechanical Desktop 2-D and 3-D prints
Industrial
/ Endura Plastics Inc.
Plastics Press OperatorKirtland, OHMay 1999 – Aug 1999
Star Precision Products Inc.
CNC 5 Axis Mill OperatorWilloughby, OHMay 1998 – Aug 1998
Auburn Career Center
Manual/CNC Machining and DraftingConcord Twp, OHAug 1998 – May 1998

Competencies

Control (adaptive, optimal, nonlinear), Mathematics (integral equations, calculus of variations, numeric methods)

Image Processing, Microprocessors, Mechatronics, Artificial Intelligence, Kinematics, Kinetics and Presentations

MATLAB (very proficient), LabVIEW, Office (including OneNote), AutoCAD (including Inventor), SolidWorks,

Limited web design experience, Currently Learning Japanese

Professional Organizations, Honors and Awards

Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC): PhD Fellow, Stipend and tuition, 2009-2012
3rd place in the 2009 Great Midwest Regional Space Grant Consortia Poster Contest

Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute (DAGSI): PhD Fellow, Stipend and tuition, 2006-2009

University of Akron Scholarships: Honors Scholarship, Soderquist (Mechanical Engineering Faculty Selected)

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Control System Soc., Robotics and Automation Soc. and Computational Intelligence Soc.
Helped start “Student Lead Tutorials” and Mechatronics Club

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE, lapsed)
Aero Design Team 3 year member, Captain, Best Presentation and 1st Place of 2004 West Coast Competition

Tau Beta Pi (Service oriented engineering honor society, Scholarship committee member)

Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout

Willing to travel, Passport is currentNo Geographic Limitations