Outreach Committee

Akshay Kakkkad is a Junior from Austin, TX majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University with a minor in Intellectual Property Law. At Purdue, he is a member of the Purdue Electric Racing Vehicle Dynamics team where he works with a team to create a suspension and steering system for optimal lap timing. Last summer, he interned with Audi as a Engineering Intern for the launch of the Audi Q5. He also is a part of Alpha Tau Omega, a nationally recognized leadership development fraternity. Akshay is the Committee Head for the Outreach team with Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors. As well, he is a part of Purdue Old Masters, where he is a host. In his free time, he enjoys pickleball, basketball, golf, and spending time with friends and family.

Carter Holbrook is a junior from Plainfield, Illinois majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in Spanish. This past summer, Carter worked as a Lifecycle Management Intern for Caterpillar, Inc. in their large natural gas engines division. He gained a valuable aftermarket solution skillset while also developing technical skills in the areas of engine oils and structural dynamics. Previously, Carter interned at the City of Joliet in Public Works, assisting with critical city infrastructure projects such as road reconstructions and manhole repairs. Carter is on the outreach committee of PMEA and will be working on a Rube Goldberg machine project with local teachers. Outside of PMEA, Carter is the Internal Development Committee Head on the Purdue Engineering Student Council, where he plans all internal events including the facilitation of intramural sports. Last year, Carter led the PESC team to a championship victory in innertube water polo. Carter also previously served as the registration lead for the 2025 EXPO Career Fair and was a member of the Campus Relations committee beforehand. This semester, Carter will be conducting research under Dr. Shirley Dyke on lunar launch and landing pads. In his free time, Carter enjoys going to concerts, lifting weights, playing video games, and spending time with friends.

Aaliyah is a junior from Roseville, CA, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Electrical & Computer Engineering. This past summer, she was a Process Engineering Intern at AB CNC, conducting quality inspections across production lines and identifying defects against engineering specifications and ISO standards. For major issues, she diagnosed problems and recommended process improvements. Previously, Aaliyah worked as an Operations Intern at Cedar Point, refining SOPs for Lost & Found services, worked as a Manufacturing Engineering Intern at AB CNC, focusing on the operation of CNC lathes and mills across multiple production lines, and studied ME 200 (Thermodynamics) in Prague under Dr. Carl Wassgren. She also is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Meta Acoustics Lab at Herrick under Dr. Junfei Li, assisting with experiments on Ultrasonic Deicing for Refrigeration and Heat Pumping Equipment. Besides her involvement in PMEA’s Outreach Committee, Aaliyah currently serves as Social Director for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and is part of their Grand Prix Team. Additionally for the past two years, she has been a Team Supervisor and Team Leader for Boiler Gold Rush (BGR). In her free time, Aaliyah enjoys swimming, playing different instruments, spending time with friends and family, and rating grilled cheese.

Luke DeLorenzo - Junior from Syracuse, NY | Mechanical Engineering | Propulsion Test Engineering Intern at ISSI | Mechanical Engineering Intern at Crane Aerospace & Electronics | Generative Design Olympic Bicycle, SLM/LPBF Additive Manufacturing | FEA in Rome Maymester, May 2025 | Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors Outreach Team | Alpha Tau Omega President & Signature Event Chairman | American Society of Mechanical Engineers Director of Community & Racing Team | Purdue Undergraduate Rocket Propulsion Lab Turbojet Team

Luke DeLorenzo is a junior from Syracuse, NY majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. He has had 2 internship experiences: one with Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc. (ISSI), where he designed test infrastructure for a turbine engine and ran test operations on RDEs, & one at Crane Aerospace & Electronics in Cleveland, where he developed test fixtures, led engineering-driven tests, and conducted engineering investigations into failed pumps returned from the field. Luke enjoys staying very involved in the Purdue community. He is a Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassador on the Outreach Committee, the Director of Community for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a member of the Turbojet team of Purdue Undergraduate Rocket Propulsion Lab. He is also very involved in his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, serving as the President and Signature Event Chairman. Here, he heads the organization of the fraternity’s Signature Event, Tri For Tim, in honor of a brother who passed away 2 years ago while training for a triathlon. He has also completed 2 semesters of undergraduate research in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Under Dr. Jitesh Panchal, he researched the AI-based generative design of the pedal & crank mechanism of a bicycle for use in the 2028 Olympic games. Under Dr. Benxin Wu, he researched the optimization of Selective Laser Melting/Laser Powder Bed Fusion additive manufacturing methods. Outside of academics, Luke enjoys film photography, listening to new music, watching movies, and spending time in nature.

Tanisha is a senior from Newton, Massachusetts studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Film and Video Studies. Last summer, she interned at Procter & Gamble at their Gillette Manufacturing Center in South Boston and has previously interned for P&G at their Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. She has also studied abroad in Florence, Italy whilst completing ME 270 and finished a practical training at Braun in Kronberg, Germany where she worked on a project in their Additive Manufacturing department and spent her time creating and analyzing different models of shavers on various 3D printers. Tanisha is currently involved in PMEA, EPICS, and BGR Orientation Programs as a Team Supervisor. She is also an undergraduate TA for ENGR 133 and 132, is one of the Course Coordinators and Instructors for “How Stuff Works” (ME 199), and serves as the PMEA representative on the ME Community and Belonging Taskforce. In her free time, Tanisha loves playing IM volleyball, going to Purdue basketball games, playing guitar, and spending time with her friends!

Sofia Velarde - Senior from San Diego, California - Purdue Lunabotics - Resilient Extra Terrestrial Habitat Undergraduate Researcher - How Stuff Works TA - Goodyear Lunar Tire R&D Intern - Solar Turbines Test Engineering Intern - Incoming Solar Turbines Test Engineer

Sofia Velarde is a senior from San Diego, California, studying Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. She previously interned at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as an R&D intern, where she prototyped lunar tires for NASA’s Artemis Mission and explored her passion for research and planetary engineering. Most recently, Sofia interned at Solar Turbines in San Diego with the Test Execution Group, working on test engines designed for diverse applications, including powering AI data centers. After graduation, she will be returning to Solar Turbines full time as a Test Engineer. At Purdue, Sofia is deeply involved in Purdue Lunabotics, leading and collaborating with a team of undergraduates to design and manufacture a lunar construction robot for NASA’s annual competition. She has also conducted undergraduate research with Purdue’s Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitat Institute (RETHi), where she designed and simulated concepts for future lunar habitats. Outside of engineering, Sofia enjoys reading, working out, and spending time with friends.

Hayden Krisko is a Junior in Mechanical Engineering from Dunn Loring, Virginia. He has interned with Procter and Gamble this past summer on the R&D Analytical and Measurement Science automation team working on developing autonomous liquid handling and sample preparation applications. On campus, Hayden is a Project manager with Purdue Solutions, working with a diverse set of global clients to deliver unique products. He’s also the Recruitment officer for the Mechanical engineering honor society. He also did undergraduate research with Dr. Chortos, designing a dielectric elastomer 3D print apparatus. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball, pickleball and working on personal projects.

Eric Xie is a junior from Fremont, California, studying Mechanical Engineering. Previously, he was a mechanical engineering intern for Lutron Electronics, doing tooling work for new product assembly. He was also a design extern for George Marks Children’s House, designing projects for pediatric palliative care patients to do with their families. The experience reinforced his understanding of the design cycle and taught him the importance of working with the end consumer. For his work, he received a California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition. This summer, he will be a Mechanical Engineering Intern for Lutron Electronics. On campus, Eric works as an Undergraduate Assistant for the Knowledge Lab, a TA for the Becthel Design and Innovation Center, and is a tutor for the School of Mechanical Engineering. He is also involved with the Purdue Space Program Spaceport team and the Chinese American Student Association. Besides academics, Eric enjoys skiing, flower arrangement, and listening to music.

Emily is a senior from Evansville, Indiana, studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Design and Innovation. This past summer, she interned with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Princeton, Indiana. At Toyota, Emily worked as a manufacturing engineer over a process in the paint department, looking to improve material application efficiency and spearheading line issues. As a member of PMEA, this semester Emily is a member of the Outreach Committee and an ME 199 “How Stuff Works” instructor. Outside PMEA, Emily is involved with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), serving on the board of directors and previously the club’s External Vice President. In her free time, Emily enjoys playing soccer, volleyball, knitting, baking, and doing arts and crafts.