Marissa Kruse

• Responsible for identifying inefficiencies and implementing countermeasures across 20 machines and 2 processes
• Communicate clearly and efficiently with engineering teams, production staff, and technicians to ensure that production quotas are being met across all machines each month
• Implement changes to processes to ensure safety of the operator
• Mentor undergraduate students by improving their communication and technical skills while providing career guidance

Individual Contributions:

• Tune, calibrate, and fabricate DNA origami-based sensors for measuring osmotic pressure in the intervertebral disc
• Construct a MATLAB code to analyze large datasets of single molecule time traces
• Develop COMSOL simulation models for analyzing the mechanical and transport properties of hydrogels in microfluidic channels

Summer Intern Mentor:

• Create and implement a plan of action that will allow the student to contribute to the project while learning complex topics and skills related to the research project
• Train the student on technical skills and procedures for the lab
• Provide feedback and guidance for the student's final PowerPoint and poster presentation summarizing their work

• Install and program buffer system to increase production of a packing machine by 94 parts per day
• Identify the bottleneck and implement changes to increase line production by 225 parts per day
• Update graphic screens to correctly categorize downtime for each machine on the production line
• Modify current vision program to correctly calculate dunnage tray layer to ensure operator safety, increase moral, and eliminate downtime

• Optimize robot movement to increase production of a lathe machine by over 300 parts per day
• Design a mechanical system to inspect part quality and decrease manual labor
• Automate calibration process of a packing machine to ensure safety of the operator