Experiences Became the Evidence

Porteolas wasn’t my first experience building before I had clarity – or skill / acumen – or certainty:

• ASMS AP physics: the assignment – build a structure that protects a raw egg from cracking once the structure hits the ground, after being dropped from the third floor of the science building
  • My idea for using drinking straws was inspired by air resistance and cushioning
• USN achieving certifications in advance technical and engineering fields – in matter of weeks, not years
  • discovering equipment failure – as a new report to the department
  • remaining diligently focused in high-stakes environments
• USF electrical engineering coursework – project: complete a circuit that could be tuned to pick up 8 radio stations
  • We were allowed store bought wire and a diode (Zener, BJT,..)
  • The professor provided the antenna and speaker w/ wire
  • The assignment: build a variable capacitor and variable resistor
    • Using cardboard, aluminum foil, and shoestring – I built a variable capacitor that could be varied along 3 variables (area between the plates, distance between the plates, and a combination of both – area and distance); the professor had never seen that level of creativity – and presented my vari-cap to the Dean of the Electrical Engineering
  • USF physics department – developing faith and a ‘thick skin’:
    • Political / economic turbulence experienced by a newly separated veteran – forging through fiscal stressors
    • Learning to distinguish between those that are ‘for you’ and those that ‘desire failure for you’
      • When a professor threatened to fail me for leaving his class 15min early to protect the job supporting my education, I chose not to accept his assessment of my viability
      • I accepted his threat, took his D+ (technically passed, but insufficient to proceed to EM-II), retook the course – earning a B, with another professor {funny how: the course was being delivered by another professor – no longer the historic one that prioritized his views over accountability}
    • Let the final transcripts, conferred degree, and those respectful of others’ circumstances speak for themselves
  • SUNY Stony Brook – graduate ORSA program (collaboration of their Harriman School of Business & College of Engineering) – each course incorporated project-based demonstration of competency.  I completed my program within the standard 2yrs – while working rotating shifts averaging near 70hr work weeks.
  • 15yr career ‘going above / beyond’ – building twins & FDE’s to resolve operational pain points
  • At one point, within those 15yrs:  for 22 months, I sustained working within a 14wk cycles comprising of all phases (learn, explore, prototype). These cycles followed our employee evaluation cadence.  The premise: “upholding ‘innovation’ core value pursuits”,  while upholding my duties to my governance and compliance team / department