owen cawthorne

Practical experience, ongoing learning

Across the system.

A developing toolkit, built through projects. Exploratory knowledge is described as exploratory.

Mechanical design and fabrication

Practical design skills developed through functional prototypes and repeated physical iteration.

  • Autodesk Fusion 360
  • Parametric CAD modelling
  • Mechanical assemblies
  • 3D printing
  • Rapid prototyping
  • Mechanical troubleshooting
  • Early laser-cutting experimentation

Electronics and embedded systems

Prototype-level integration of sensors, controllers, power systems, and electromechanical hardware.

  • ESP32
  • Arduino
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Embedded electronics integration
  • I²C and serial communication
  • Sensor integration
  • Basic PCB design
  • Battery-powered electronics
  • Motor-control experimentation

Robotics and control

Experimental mechanism and control work, with clear separation between simulated results and physical validation.

  • Robot mechanism design
  • Simulated locomotion
  • Robot control experiments
  • Motion pre-training
  • Reinforcement-learning experimentation
  • PID control concepts
  • Inverse-kinematics experimentation
  • Sim-to-real research goals

Software and AI workflows

Requirements-led software development using AI tools alongside testing, debugging, and version control.

  • AI-assisted application development
  • Codex and other AI coding workflows
  • Local large-language-model experimentation
  • Command-line interfaces
  • Git and GitHub workflows
  • Requirements definition
  • Software testing and debugging
  • Foundational Java programming
  • Arduino IDE experience

Research, media, and field work

Supporting capabilities used to document, evaluate, and communicate technical projects.

  • DaVinci Resolve
  • Drone videography
  • Product field testing
  • Technical research
  • User feedback analysis

Currently developing

Areas of active learning or planned exploration, not claims of established professional proficiency.

  • Independent advanced programming
  • Mathematical foundations of machine learning and control theory
  • More advanced PCB design
  • Resin 3D printing — planned
  • CNC machining — planned
  • Physical deployment of learned robotic controllers — not yet validated

Experience outside the lab.

Staples — Sales Associate

Approximately August 2025–present; exact start date to confirm

Part-time work in Oshawa, Ontario, including customer assistance, retail operations, merchandising, and occasional cashier duties.

Dragon Boat Club — Seasonal Staff

Summer 2026

Helped participants launch boats safely, coordinated activities, monitored paddlers from a safety boat, and contributed drone videography for promotional coverage. Specific employer name to be confirmed before publication.

Education & certifications.

Ontario Grade 12 student. Ontario Secondary School Diploma expected June 2027, subject to confirmation. Interested in studying mechatronics, robotics, and AI-related engineering.

Boating licence / operator certification — exact credential to confirm. First-aid certification — qualification and validity dates to confirm.