Portfolio — 2026
Courtney
Lee
Engineer driven by thoughtful innovation, collaboration, and a genuine curiosity that crosses domains.
Portfolio — 2026
Engineer driven by thoughtful innovation, collaboration, and a genuine curiosity that crosses domains.
I am a dual-degree mechanical engineer from Boston University whose work has always lived at the intersection of technical depth and strategic thinking — from analyzing invention portfolios to researching AI navigation systems and aerospace design.
What I find most compelling is the moment where an engineering problem becomes a strategic one: where understanding how something works unlocks a decision about what to do with it — and it shapes how I approach every project I take on.
Beyond my background, I enjoy running, golfing, and caring for my 5lb Yorkie and Lionhead bunny. As an avid reader, I invest deliberately in what I read — you'll find what's currently shaping my thinking in the Reading section below.
Experience
Office of Technology Development, Boston University
First-ever intern in the role. Built the patent portfolio evaluation framework from scratch across 5 simultaneous active portfolios spanning MEMS, semiconductors, ML, advanced polymers, and neural modulation. Performed patentability assessments, FTO analyses, and patent landscape research. Reduced prior art cycle time ~10% via generative AI integration.
Boston University
Applied FFT analysis and vibration pattern modeling in MATLAB to characterize causal drivers of complex noise behavior across campus infrastructure. Reports adopted into ongoing lab protocols.
Boston University · FAR Part 23 / NASA Challenge
Led cross-functional team through full FAA-compliant design cycle. Competitive benchmarking of composite materials and self-piloting software drove 5% weight reduction and 10% cost reduction against targets.
Boston University
Developed a cognitive error-mitigation framework integrating LLMs and VLMs for autonomous robotic navigation. Achieved 15% improvement in real-time accuracy against adversarial conditions.
Education
Boston University · GPA: 3.73 / 4.00
Accelerated dual-degree program. B.S. concentration in Aerospace Engineering; M.S. specialization in Solid & Thermal-Fluid Mechanics. Four graduate research projects across AI, acoustics, CFD, and aerospace.
Finnegan IP University · Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
Curriculum covering patent prosecution, claim drafting, USPTO examination procedure, PTAB inter partes review, and IP strategy. Taught directly by Finnegan practitioners.
Credentials & Skills
NASA Challenge — Self-Piloted Civil Utility Aircraft
Sep 2023 – May 2024 · Boston University · ME461 Capstone · Team of 4
Year-long capstone responding to NASA's University Engineering Design Challenge for a self-piloted aircraft serving rural and suburban needs. Led STOL technology research, FAA regulations analysis, aircraft modeling, and fuselage design. The final design — a fixed-gear, high-wing, single-engine turboprop — weighs approximately 8,500 lbs, cruises at 228 knots, and meets all FAR Part 23 requirements. Competitive benchmarking of composite materials and autonomous flight hardware drove a 5% weight reduction and 10% cost reduction against NASA challenge targets. Economic analysis prioritized cargo operations with autonomous night flights to maximize utilization and revenue.
Computational Fluid Dynamics — Oscillating Cylinder
Nov – Dec 2024 · Boston University
Modeled transient oscillatory flow around complex geometries using COMSOL finite element analysis with Navier-Stokes equations. Produced velocity profiles, stress distributions, and pressure field maps across cylinder and plate geometries. Validated simulation accuracy through iterative comparative analysis — findings formed the evidential basis for modeling parameter recommendations carried into subsequent lab work.
Closed-Loop Control Simulation
Apr – May 2023 · Boston University
Four-deliverable project modeling a rigid rotor system with stick-slip friction behavior and implementing a closed-loop speed controller to maintain constant rotor velocity under time-varying friction torque. Built a SolidWorks motion model of the rotor-rubber block system, performed FEA on a prismatic AISI 1020 steel beam to extract stiffness K, then replaced the open-loop rotary motor with a closed-loop torque controller using rotational velocity feedback. Final deliverable exported friction force data to MATLAB for FFT analysis, comparing frequencies, amplitudes, and vibration behavior between the beam midpoint and the rubber block.
Truss Design & Structural Optimization
Mar – May 2022 · Boston University
Designed, optimized, and physically built a truss to maximize theoretical load capacity within a cost constraint. Used MATLAB to model load distribution, predict member failure, and iterate on joint positions and member lengths across candidate configurations — selecting the design with the highest theoretical load accounting for structural uncertainty. The final truss was fabricated from acrylic and duct tape and load-tested with hanging weights to validate the MATLAB predictions against physical performance.
Stress Biomarker Detection via Quantum Dots
Apr 2025 · Graduate Seminar Presentation · ME 500, Boston University
Research presentation exploring a novel application of quantum dot technology for non-invasive, real-time stress biomarker detection in athletes. Investigated streptavidin-conjugated quantum dot biochips (Sav-QD) on nitrocellulose membranes for detecting heat shock proteins Hsp90 and Hsp70 — stress proteins linked to fatigue and recovery in endurance athletes. Covered biochip fabrication, the TIQD portable optical imager for field deployment, and detection results within 15-minute incubation windows. Compared quantum dot biosensing against conventional ELISA tests and wearables, highlighting advantages in signal-to-noise ratio, photostability, and multiplexing capability.
Books I return to, recommend without hesitation, or am currently working through — organized by what they taught me.
Currently reading
Talking to Strangers
How default assumptions and context shape human judgment — feels directly relevant to reading an inventor's disclosure for the first time and understanding what they actually mean versus what they wrote.
PsychologyOn stillness
How to Dream
A gentle, meditative guide to accessing the deeper wisdom that surfaces in rest and reflection. A reminder that clarity often comes not from working harder but from learning to be still — something I return to when work gets loud.
MindfulnessOn thinking better
Think Again
The case for intellectual humility — why the ability to reconsider what you think you know is one of the most valuable skills anyone can develop. Particularly resonant in fields where the technology is always moving.
Intellectual HumilityOn reasoning
Rationality
A rigorous defense of clear thinking — covering probability, logic, and the cognitive biases that trip us up. Directly useful for anyone doing analytical work where the cost of flawed reasoning is a wrong recommendation to a client.
ReasoningRecommended
Freakonomics
A masterclass in applying rigorous data analysis to unexpected questions — and finding that incentives explain almost everything. Sharpened how I think about what's actually driving a behavior versus what people assume is driving it.
EconomicsRecommended
Nudge
How small, well-designed choices in how options are presented can dramatically change behavior — without restricting freedom. Directly relevant to product design, IP strategy, and any work where you're trying to move people toward better decisions.
Behavioral EconomicsRecommended
Thinking, Fast and Slow
The operating manual for analytical work. Understanding when to trust intuition and when to slow down and verify is the core discipline of both engineering and legal reasoning.
Decision Science