Deep Tech Institute for Innovation & Leadership

Hi, I’m Owen Anderson! I am an inventor and electrical engineering / philosophy student with a passion for automation and sustainable agriculture. Currently, I am founding my own business designing distributed automation systems for greenhouses and sustainable agriculture. I also serve as VP of Diversity Affairs on my university’s student government, and I founded and now manage the campus food pantry. In these roles, I use servant leadership, problem solving, and collaboration. Some technical tools I utilize include C, C++, Python, Java, NodeRed, SQLite, MQTT, Linux, Blender, and Fusion360. For project management, I primarily use Teams, Nuclino, Monday, Git.. My mentors and friends describe me as detail-oriented, creative, and attentive. Currently, my passion is solving problems in sustainability and agriculture, particularly how technology can beneficially fit into natural ecosystems and human cultures, but I get the most satisfaction from helping meet people’s fundamental needs. A unique experience I had was running my university’s community garden for a year and a half. I hired employees, managed farm logistics, distributed produce, and addressed major challenges that arose. I am currently looking for opportunities where I can apply my technical skills in an innovative environment and grow as a leader, engineer, and person. Right now, I am trying to create my own startup, and am looking for support, collaborators, and programming for it.

In the next year, I plan to launch my startup and gain experience through that and my education. After college, I may continue with that, but given the possibility of it not working out, I hope to work as an embedded systems engineer at a small robotics or automation company. Five years down the line I hope to grow my career by taking on more of a leadership role with a broader and collaborative scope. The impact I want to have is to explore ways that technology can integrate with humans and nature in beneficial ways, and to help people in places that are currently struggling.

I’m Leonardo Campeggi, and I recently earned an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. I’m conducting exoskeleton research in CMU’s MetaMobility Lab, focusing on perturbation detection and balance with machine-learning models trained on IMU and motion-capture data. Trained as a mechanical engineer with industry experience, I’m strongest in design, prototyping, and testing. I work with CAD and FEA tools (SolidWorks, Creo, ANSYS) and use Python/MATLAB for data analysis, ML, and system integration. I’m especially interested in robotics, particularly biomedical applications like surgical and assistive systems, and cross-disciplinary projects that unite mechanics, electronics, and controls. Mentors and peers describe me as driven and optimistic; fun fact, I’m a big MotoGP fan. I’m seeking a full-time mechanical engineering role, including test or manufacturing engineering.

Over the next 12–24 months, I aim to work as a mechanical or mechatronics engineer while deepening skills in material selection, DFM/DFA, electronics, and system integration. In 2–3 years, I plan to step into a more senior role, own subsystems end-to-end, and lead a small team, building hardware products that improve people’s lives by leveraging my mechanical foundation and cross-disciplinary experience across mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems.

Pallavi Gowravajhala is a first-year MBA candidate at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, focused on product management and leadership development in the tech sector. With a strong foundation in business analytics and stakeholder engagement, she is shaping a career at the intersection of innovation, strategic impact, and human-centered design. Her experience spans Life Sciences, eCommerce digital marketing, and tech consulting—each informed by a methodical, systems-driven approach to problem-solving.

As a senior Computer Science student at Western Governors University. I’m a two-time intern at the Mayo Clinic, where I worked in data science and clinical research on projects that utilized tools such as Python, SQL, and Google Cloud Platform, along with libraries like pandas, numpy, scikit-learn, seaborn, XGBoost, BERT, and PyTorch. One project involved building a binary classification model with XGBoost and continued learning, which achieved 84.2% accuracy with an AUC of 0.895, and the results were accepted at three conferences, including one where I presented in person. 

Beyond my internships, I have completed personal projects such as building a data extraction web scraping tool, fine-tuning an open-source LLM to define a research cohort with over 97% accuracy, and am currently developing a vision-language model image-to-text pipeline utilizing tools such as Llama-based models and Google’s Cloud Vision API. 

I am passionate about solving problems with data and continuously learning new technologies to expand my skill set. My mentors and colleagues describe me as driven, collaborative, and committed to producing high-quality work. Outside of academics, I enjoy hobbies such as rock climbing, piano, guitar, volleyball, and chess, and I am now seeking entry-level opportunities in data science, analytics, or engineering.

Over the next few years, I want to work at a larger company with big data, focusing on data science and analytics while continuing to build skills in data engineering. In my first role, I plan to provide value by taking on diverse projects, learning as much as I can. Longer term, I aim to move into positions where I can mentor others and create impact by helping my team and organization succeed through data-driven solutions.

I’m Pranavi Rohit, a second-year student in the integrated BS/MS program in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University with 4+ years of research experience applying technology to solve human health problems. Right now, I’m building KBIT-2 Rapid Score, an automation tool that uses Python, OpenCV, and Tesseract OCR to cut cognitive test scoring time from 25+ minutes to under 2 minutes. I also love going to hackathons—from Harvard’s Rare Disease Hackathon to HackMIT—where I’ve built projects like Heatheria, an AI-driven global rare disease map, and received multiple travel scholarships for my work. My technical toolkit includes Python, TensorFlow, Keras, OpenCV, Tesseract OCR, Pandas, and CMU Graphics, and I’m most drawn to challenges in healthcare, sustainability, and clean energy. A unique part of my story is that I built a machine learning model that identified 145 new cancer drug candidates after my high school teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer, sparking my journey into computational biology. My peers describe me as curious, interdisciplinary, and impact-driven. I’m currently seeking internships and research opportunities in AI, healthcare technology, and human-centered engineering where I can apply my skills to real-world challenges.

In the next 1–2 years, I want to grow as a software engineering or AI research intern in healthcare or neurotech, building stronger foundations in applied machine learning by working on problems like diagnostic tools and cognitive assessments. Over the next few years, I hope to contribute to interdisciplinary research and lead projects that move from prototypes at hackathons to solutions with measurable impact in people’s lives. Ultimately, I want to bridge engineering and storytelling—using both algorithms and visuals—to advance medicine, make complex science more accessible, and solve pressing problems that improve human life.

My name is Donald Russell. I'm a 2023 graduate of Penn State with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, currently working as a Mechanical Systems Engineer at GE Vernova. In this role, I apply tools like CAD, GD&T, and advanced mechanical design to solve complex engineering challenges. I'm particularly drawn to industries where mechanical engineering intersects with intelligent systems, especially robotics and AI. I'm known by peers and mentors as adaptable, detail-oriented, collaborative, and curious. I bring both technical depth and a growth mindset to every project. I currently have an active security clearance, which enables him to contribute to sensitive and high-impact initiatives. Looking ahead, I'm seeking interdisciplinary project experience, ideally through a role that sharpens my management skills and positions me for leadership in the future.

Over the next 12–24 months, I’m seeking a role that bridges mechanical engineering with intelligent systems, ideally within an R&D lab or advanced automation team. This opportunity would allow me to build skills in AI-assisted design, systems integration, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In the following 2–3 years, I plan to expand my scope from component level work to systems level ownership, leading full platforms and applying tools like generative design and predictive modeling to solve complex problems. My long term goal is to create intelligent, resilient systems that transform how industries operate and how people interact with technology. With a solid foundation in mechanical engineering and a growing ability to lead and communicate across disciplines, I’m well suited to make that impact.

I am a senior at Penn State University studying Mechanical Engineering with a concurrent degree in Biomedical Engineering. I currently work as an engineer at Humotech, serve as an advisor for Penn State’s Formula SAE team (Nittany Motorsports), and conduct research in the Gait Optimization Lab, where I focus on mobility and assistive technology for older adults. In my work and studies, I use CAD, prototyping, MATLAB, experimental design, and data analysis. I am most interested in biomechanics, wearable robotics, medical devices, and technologies that improve human mobility and quality of life. My mentors and peers would describe me as collaborative, driven, and innovative. A unique detail about me is that I combine my passion for engineering with my love of athletics by researching mobility in older adults while also contributing to high-performance motorsports. I am looking for opportunities in biomedical engineering, robotics, or medical device development where I can apply my technical skills and passion for human-centered design.

In the next 12–24 months, I want to work as a biomedical or mechanical engineer in the wearable robotics or medical device industry, where I can continue developing expertise in prototyping, product development, and human biomechanics. Over the next 2–3 years, I plan to grow my career by taking on leadership roles in cross-disciplinary teams, expanding my knowledge of human-centered product design, and contributing to impactful projects that bridge engineering and healthcare. My long-term goal is to develop technologies that enhance mobility, independence, and quality of life for people with disabilities or age-related limitations.