***Editor’s Note: The “I Became an Engineer” blog runs every Friday. To share your story email [email protected]***
This week’s story comes from ECN reader Bob Kowalski, senior director of Mechanical Engineering, Intelligent Product Solutions.
I always knew I wanted to be an engineer. In high school, I was good at math and science and liked to tinker with things, whether it was a bicycle or a piece of lab equipment. I was always trying to figure out how to fix things, though I confess that I was not always successful.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Buffalo and a Master of Science degree from New York University/Polytechnic University, I embarked on a wide-ranging career in engineering that has taken me many places—from crawling around in airplanes to install black boxes as part of my job in the aerospace industry, to traveling around the world to meet with clients and manufacturers in my role as product development engineering leader at Intelligent Product Solutions (IPS).
At IPS, I co-lead a team of a dozen talented mechanical engineers. After more than six years at IPS, I have been involved in a wide spectrum of products and innovative technologies, including many Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable technology solutions. The company’s clients are among the leading brands in consumer electronics, medical devices, enterprise and security solution providers, and IoT-connected solutions, including Anheuser Busch (ABI/ZX Ventures), AdhereTech, Google, Steinway, Zebra Technologies, and charity: water.
Product projects undertaken for IPS are both unique and useful, from the widely acclaimed AdhereTech pill bottle to the innovative Google Jamboard. I enjoy the many challenges that go along with these engineering projects. For example, among my many roles on the AdhereTech pill bottle, I researched and scoped out the selection of plastic to meet the stringent list of requirements—it needed to be tough and strong to survive drop tests, have high water permeable capability to protect the pills inside from moisture, and meet the rigid FDA and UL requirements for safety. For IPS client Librestream, I was instrumental in the successful engineering and implementation of key innovation aspects of the Onsight Cube, the company’s Industrial Wearable Camera that was recently launched.
In addition to product development, I have many areas of expertise to ensure products are conceived and produced to highest standards, including building significant knowledge bases and assuming leadership in miniaturization, ruggedization, endurance testing, thermal analysis, integration of electronics, and successful engineering of enclosures for complicated and multi-faceted products. These assignments take me to work multiple locations on multiple continents where IPS’ clients entrust me with final stage execution of optimized products. I have met with manufacturers, suppliers, and customers in China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, Jordan, Canada, and throughout the U.S.
I have been fortunate to enjoy unique and exciting experiences as an engineer working on interesting projects throughout his career, and especially at IPS.
I’ve seen a lot of things most people don’t see and for me, engineering has offered a new challenge every day.
Read other stories, here:
- A Note From The Editor: An Engineer’s Story
- I Became An Engineer: Despite Being Bad At Math
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of A Model Airplane Contest
- I Became An Engineer: So I Wouldn’t Have To Go To Vietnam
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of Sci-Fi Novels
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of A Watch
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of A 1930s Vintage Radio
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Kept Asking “Why?”
- I Became An Engineer: By Studying The Fundamentals
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of Microscope Modifications
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Drew A Flower
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of A Paperback Book On Electricity
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Wanted To Travel
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Tinkered With A Radio
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of Math, Science, And Serendipity
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Loved Discovery And Fixing Things
- I Became an Engineer: Because It Was Hot That Day
- I Became an Engineer: Because of Viktor Frankl and Existentialism
- I Became an Engineer: By Turning Curiosity into a Career
- I Became an Engineer: Because of the Air Force Technical Applications Center
- I Became an Engineer: Because I Went to Work with My Dad
- I Became an Engineer: Because I Always Knew I Would Be One