13 KiB
13 KiB
+++ date = '2026-03-24' draft = false title = 'CV' +++
Dane Sabo
Education
Ph.D. — Mechanical Engineering
Aug 2023 – Present
NRC Fellow, University of Pittsburgh
- GPA: 3.896/4.0 (Unofficial Transcript)
- Coursework: High-Assurance Cyber-Physical Systems, Linear and Digital Control Systems, Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, Advanced Dynamics
- Nuclear Engineering Certificate: Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering, Integration of Nuclear Plant Systems, Nuclear Core Dynamics, Radiation Detection & Measurement, Management Principles for Nuclear Power
B.S. — Mechanical Engineering
Aug 2019 – Aug 2023
University of Pittsburgh
- GPA: 3.433, Dean's Honor List throughout
- Coursework: Linear Algebra for Machine Learning (Graduate), Mechatronics
Awards & Honors
Best Student Paper Award
2025
NPIC&HMIT 2025
- Awarded for "Employing a Hardware-in-the-Loop Approach to Realize a Fully Homomorphic Encrypted Controller for a Small Modular Advanced High Temperature Reactor"
Student Representative, MEMS Department Chair Search Committee
2025
- Selected as student representative on the search committee for the next Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh
NRC Graduate Fellowship
2023 – Present
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Competitive fellowship supporting graduate research in nuclear engineering and related fields
Publications & Presentations
First Author
Analysis of Vortex Generating Fences on a Formula Student Multi-Element Rear Wing
2023
Published in Ingenium – Undergraduate Research at the Swanson School of Engineering, Pages 106–111
Major Contributor
Employing a Hardware-in-the-Loop Approach to Realize a Fully Homomorphic Encrypted Controller for a Small Modular Advanced High Temperature Reactor
2025
NPIC&HMIT 2025, Conference Paper (Second Author)
🏆 Best Student Paper Award
Demonstration of Advanced Encryption for an Instrumentation and Control System using ARCADE
2024
TRTR 2024 Annual Meeting, Presentation
Skills
Programming
C/C++ (embedded), LaTeX, MATLAB, Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, SymPy), Rust
Engineering
ANSYS Simulation Suite, FDM printing, Fusion 360, Soldering, SolidWorks
Business
Customer discovery, Team management, Office Suite
Other
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Blender
Professional Experience
Graduate Student Researcher
Aug 2023 – Present
Instrumentation and Controls Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh — Advisor: Dr. Daniel G. Cole
- Developing formal verification methods for autonomous hybrid control systems with application to nuclear reactor startup sequences and safety-critical cyber-physical systems
- Collaborating with Idaho National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory on hardware-in-the-loop control system validation and encrypted controller implementations for advanced reactor designs
- Conducting research on virtualized networks to simulate control systems with genuine network traffic for nuanced analysis of system dynamics
Independent Contractor (Mechanical Engineer)
Dec 2022 – Jun 2023
Human Motion Technologies LLC — Remote / Pittsburgh, PA
- Hip Exoskeleton EXO-004: Provided expertise in composites and manufacturing for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) parts, adopting resin infusion as a standard practice.
- Prosthetics Foot Testing TES-001A02: Developed a testing fixture for prosthetic feet, evaluating products for fatigue and ultimate strength failure per ISO-10328 standards, designed for up to 5700 N and two million cycles.
Summer Undergraduate Research Intern
Jun 2022 – Aug 2022
University of Pittsburgh
- Analyzed the effects of corotating and counterrotating pairs of vortex-generating fences, focusing on separation prevention at various yaw angles and speeds.
Mechanical Engineering Co-op
Jan 2021 – Apr 2021, Aug – Dec 2021
BMW Manufacturing — Spartanburg, SC
- Pruefcubing: Evaluated buildability and geometric validity of supplier parts for BMW XM performance SUV, supporting metrology processes.
- Quality Steering: Monitored development series buildability on manufacturing lines and audited prototype vehicles (X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, XM). Developed data management tools to enhance workflows and database accessibility.
Teaching Experience
Technical Director / Aerodynamics Lead
2020 – 2022
Panther Racing (Formula SAE) — University of Pittsburgh
- Led a team of 30+ engineers and managed a six-figure budget for researching and producing an open-wheel-style racecar.
- Rehabilitated team culture and mentored younger members to develop engineering and communication skills.
- Engineered and designed the aerodynamic package and demonstrated expertise in carbon fiber composites manufacturing, including vacuum-bagging, wet lay-up, and mold preparation.
- Delivered a final car that completed all events at FSAE Michigan without failures, improving team performance from 37th/40 (45.4 pts) to 32nd/99 (462.6 pts).
Content Developer & Teaching Assistant
Aug 2022 – Dec 2022
MEMS 0071 "Intro to Fluid Mechanics" — University of Pittsburgh
- Developed curriculum incorporating fundamental CFD concepts, with a focus on postprocessing, simulation, and meshing for hydrostatic and hydrodynamic problems.
- Conducted weekly office hours to assist students in understanding course material.
Projects
King's Eunuch — Poker Engine (Rust)
2025 – Present
- Developing a type-safe poker library in Rust with near-zero dependencies as a language learning project.
- Implemented custom types for cards and hands with ordering traits, and complete hand detection and evaluation logic.
- Building toward game state simulation and eventual use as a poker training aid.
1986 Nissan 300ZX — LS V8 Engine Swap
2021 – Present
- Performing a 5.3L LS swap using a junkyard-sourced 2008 Avalanche engine, pulled and disassembled personally.
- Completed engine teardown, cleaning, rear main seal, flywheel torque, and timing chain assembly.
- Sourced transmission, ECU, sensors, and engine mounts. Stripped factory engine bay to prepare for installation.
Last updated March 2026