Hello, I'm Sarah

I am a senior at UIC majoring in Mechanical Engineering with hands-on experience in biomedical engineering research, aerospace engineering design/fabrication, and mechanical/manufacturing engineering practices in the railroad industry as well as the heavy industrial equipment industry.

I’ve worked on a variety of practical projects which are all listed on this site. My first internship was at OPIRA Lab as a Machine Learning for Skin Melanoma Diagnosis Intern, conducting research in optical and photoacoustic imaging. Last summer, I completed a summer internship at TTX Company as a Maintenance & Modification Engineering Intern, where I supported mechanical evaluations, system improvements, and gained practical experience with SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Excel, and time studies. This past summer I completed an internship at EH Wachs, a division of ITW, as a manufacturing engineer intern, where I implemented new manufacturing processes, or optimized existing ones.

In addition, I served as Vice President of UIC’s AIAA section for over a year and as Interim Secretary, where I led rocketry projects ranging from designing custom carbon fiber composite mid-power rockets to leading the vehicle and safety teams for our participation in the 2025-2026 NASA USLI Competition.

Feel free to browse this site to get a closer look at my projects and experiences!

Fidget Toy Design & Manufacturing

Explore the engineering documentation, milestone report, and complete CAD drawing package for the orbit rocket fidget toy.

Project Deliverable

Access the milestone report detailing background research, initial concepts, and criteria considerations for the project.

View Deliverable PDF

Drawing Package

Review the comprehensive manufacturing drawings including the assembly breakdown and ring base specifications.

View Drawing Package

Traffic Light Design & FEA Simulation

CAD assembly, mesh quality diagnostics, and finite element stress and deflection analyses for a commemorative Chicago World's Fair centennial mast-arm assembly.

Figure 1 of 7

Initial Concept

First Draft Structural CAD Model

Original concept model combining a triangular truss mast arm, a hexagonal vertical pole, and non-structural ornamental finials. While aimed at a rustic aesthetic, initial FEA showed excessive deflection and low factor of safety, prompting structural simplification.

Design Stage: First Draft (Iteration 1)
Pole Profile: Hexagonal Cross-Section
Arm Architecture: Triangular Truss Webbing

Comprehensive Engineering Report

Review the complete 18-page technical documentation covering hand calculations, load definitions, boundary conditions, and FEA results.

View Full 18-Page PDF ↗

Ergonomic Wrist Support: Computer Mouse Analysis & Prototype

Ergonomic risk evaluation, REBA/RULA biomechanical assessments, user surveys, and rapid prototyping for CAD-intensive engineering workstations.

Slide 1 of 6

Project Overview

Ergonomic Design: Computer Mouse Analysis

Investigation into computer-related musculoskeletal risk factors focusing on the computer mouse—a critical yet ergonomically taxing tool for CAD drafting and intensive computing.

Author: Sarah Tise
Primary Focus: Computer Mouse & Wrist Biomechanics
Target Workstation: CAD & Engineering Office Setups

Ergonomic Research Presentation

Access the complete slide deck covering user survey data, digital human modeling, REBA/RULA scoring, and rapid prototyping iterations.

View Full Presentation PDF ↗

AIAA Rocketry Projects

Explore the technical documentation, design methodologies, and team onboarding processes for the NASA USLI competition and mid-power rocketry builds.

Flight Footage & Testing

Rocketry Video Archive

Click below to view sample footage of various mid-power flights, L1 certification, USLI fullscale demonstration launches, and ground ejection tests:

▶ Click to View Launch & Test Footage ↗

If you would like access to the technical documentation, design files, or more details in general, please feel free to contact me at sarahtise101@gmail.com!

Automated Color Sorting Machine

ME 250 Project 2 design overview, morphological charts, CAD assembly models, and technical documentation by Team Appleseeds.

Project Summary

Team 10: Appleseeds - Color Sorting Mechanism

Visual compilation featuring physical prototyping, component configuration, and final system integration.

1. Cardboard Build

2. Component Setup

3. Branded Integration

University of Illinois Chicago — Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME 250 Project 2 Technical Memorandum

Review the complete technical report detailing problem definition, functional analysis, morphological charts, concept selection, and bill of materials.

View Full 18-Page PDF ↗

Professional Experience

A chronological overview of my engineering internships, manufacturing optimization projects, and advanced biomechanical research.

Manufacturing Engineering Intern

E.H. Wachs (ITW Division) · Lincoln, IL

May 2026 - Aug 2026

Supporting production and operations by bridging the gap between mechanical design and the shop floor. Focus areas include process standardization, continuous improvement, and manufacturing automation. Spearheaded the design and implementation of an automated SOP development and revision tracker program to streamline shop floor instructions and documentation control.

Process Standardization SOP Tracker Automation Continuous Improvement

Undergrad Research Assistant

University of Illinois Chicago (Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Lab) · Chicago, IL

Jan 2026 - May 2026

Prepared complex biological structures for advanced computational testing. Optimized complex 3D models of human and porcine spinal vertebrae specimens, refining intricate anatomical geometries for Finite Element Analysis (FEA). This work directly supported laboratory research into spinal loading and biomechanical performance by ensuring accurate model generation and simulation readiness.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Biomechanical Modeling SpaceClaim & ANSYS

Mechanical Engineering Intern

TTX Company · Chicago, IL

May 2025 - Aug 2025

Drafted repair drawings using AutoCAD and modeled various parts and assemblies of railcars using SolidWorks, supporting maintenance and modification projects. Conducted a time study on a repair procedure to identify efficiency improvements, and optimized large data sets using Excel, contributing to more streamlined workflows and data-driven decision-making.

AutoCAD & SolidWorks Time Studies Data Optimization

Machine Learning for Skin Melanoma Diagnosis Intern (GPIP)

OPIRA Lab at UIC (Optical & Photoacoustic Imaging Research and Analysis) · Chicago, IL

Jun 2024 - Aug 2024

Conducted research on utilizing machine learning to enhance optical coherence tomography (OCT) capabilities for skin melanoma detection, scalp balding stage analysis, and non-invasive diagnostic procedures to avoid skin biopsies. Performed peer reviews and engineered custom CAD models for replacement and upgraded laboratory equipment components.

Machine Learning Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) CAD Prototyping

Full Professional Resume

Download or view my complete up-to-date resume document detailing my academic achievements, leadership, and technical proficiencies.

📄 View / Download Resume ↗