Rohan Patel

SciML Research Assistant (for credit and pay) at Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Food Science

01/2025 - Present

Working with Prof. Corvalan in SciML as

• Simulated fluid dynamics of microdroplets for use in 3D printing
• Used Finite Elements and Physics-Informed Neural Networks to solve differential equations with mixed boundary conditions
• Experimented with biased Neural Autoencoders to statistically test food rheology data
• Inferred phase transition properties in metabolism using PCA and Variational Autoencoders
• Modeling metabolism as a dynamical system in latent space of Variational Autoencoders (currently drafting paper)

Tutor at EdHelper LLC

06/2022 - 08/2022

• Taught classes on middle and high school math
• Graded SAT practice tests
• Developed an automated system with Excel, WhatsApp, and Python to score tests and send score reports for 100+ customers

A dynamic LaTeX theming engine that adjusts document page and text colors based on the time of day

Image-based pipeline for extracting drag coefficients and vortex-shedding frequencies from soap film flow visualization experiments. Features cylinder detection, pathline velocity extraction, wake model fitting, and Dynamic Mode Decomposition for frequency analysis across varying Reynolds numbers and surface roughness values.

Uses differential evolution to minimize housing depth while satisfying AGMA gear stress, DE-Goodman shaft fatigue, bearing life, key, and retaining ring safety constraints. Optimization is constrained so that all selected components come from standard catalogs.

Theme Park Engineering and Design

• Led over 45 members in designing and manufacturing a 1:30 scale roller coaster
• Developed a full kinematic simulation and ODE solver in Python with NumPy, Matplotlib, Scipy, logging, etc.
• Optimized track segmentation and structural support placement to minimize print time and beam deflection
• Created SolidWorks macros (VBA) for members to model track
• Presented Roller Coaster Track and Support Structure: Dynamics, Simulation, and Optimization at Undergraduate Research Conference
• 23-24 Manufacturing Documentation Video

I organize, write, and maintain this open-source robotics documentation project.

• Largest open source knowledge base for competitive robotics
• Over 40K monthly pageviews
• Some of my most educational articles are on flywheels, four-bars, and center of mass.
• My Commits

• Trained neural network (PyTorch) to separate Standard Model and Supersymmetric Data
• Presented at Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium

• Translated CAD to URDF
• Programmed PID controller with multithreading to simulate robotic hand in a virtual environment

Created a post-processing image filter (using PIL and ffmpeg) that animates an image using progressively smaller bokeh circles to unveil the final picture

• VEX Robotics World Championship
  1. 2025 Division Amaze Award (Team BLRS2 Mechanical Engineer)
  2. 2023 Design Award (Team 81P Design & Build Lead)
  3. 2022 Excellence Award - Highest award presented in the world (Team 81P Design & Build Lead)
• 22-23 Worlds Robot Showcase
  

• Analyzed data from the American Solar Challenge to simulate car and optimize physical parameters
• Combined sensor data from CAN bus, motor encoders, GPS, weather, and solar panels with pandas, SciPy, SymPy, and Matplotlib

An old video (from highschool) on the physics of amusement park teacup rides made with Manim CE

Prof. Taylor Daniels (email and website)

Differential Equations Professor

You did exceptional work this semester, and it deserves note from your department. I want to personally refer your name to [your advisor and head of undergraduate programs].

Volunteer at Numerous Robotics Events

Coding Hotline Helper at Techpoint Youth

12/2024 - Present

• Helped 25+ VEX IQ and VRC teams with mechanical and coding issues in 30-minute virtual video calls
• Schedule a session here