Oregon State University

Heidi Thiele

Applied Physics & Mechanical Engineering

Hi, I'm Heidi. I have an interdisciplinary background connected by my passion for tackling climate-related solutions. I bring a deep understanding of underlying principles to roles that combine technical depth and real-world impact, and I seek experiences that will challenge me and that I will learn a lot from. Please explore what I've been working on during my time at Oregon State University!

Honors Bachelor of Science GPA 3.97 4 Publications · 1 First Author Graduating June 2026

Experience

Timeline

Sep Started college

Materials Discovery Lab Researcher

Chemistry Lab Techniques Material Synthesis Material Characterization Technical Presentation

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · Co-author What Up with MOFs in Photocatalysis (?): Exploring the Influence of Experimental Conditions on the Reproducibility of Hydrogen Evolution Rates

Semiconductor Immersion Program

Semiconductor Theory Photolithography Thin Film Deposition Vacuum Systems Cleanroom (FAB) Protocol Soldering RC Builds

Biomimicry Robotic Arm

CAD 3D Printing Rapid Prototyping Biomimicry Design Team Collaboration

Push to open with default closed statemimicking eagle claw function

3D Printing Lab Researcher

Materials Science 3D Printing Experiment Design Mechanical Testing Microscopy Technical Presentation

Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials · Co-author 3D printing of sustainable infrastructure using rapid-set clay concrete with biobased additives

70–80%Biobased content

3 daysTo structural (was 28)

No supportsRequired for printing

Auger Extrusion System for Bioconcrete 3D Printing

Scientific Research Scientific Writing Technical Presentation 3D Printing CAD (Siemens NX and Onshape) Experiment Design

Honors Thesis · First author Optimal auger extrusion system design for biobased concrete 3D printing Coming soon

Open feed systemfor continuous extrusion

Reduced costvs. commercial systems

Industrial Sustainability Lab Researcher

Life Cycle Assessment Literature Review Sustainability Analysis Scientific Research Scientific Writing

Journal of Cleaner Production · Co-author Review and Meta-Analysis of Hemp Product and Process Data to Support Life Cycle Assessment and Modeling Coming soon

Construction Science Research Intern

Python Machine Learning Data Analysis SketchUp Energy Use Modeling Scientific Writing

2026 International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering (i3CE) · First author A Comparative Analysis of Residential Envelope Retrofit Strategies Across U.S. Climate Zones Coming soon

Up to 70%energy savings

16 U.S. climate zonesanalyzed and compared

Card Product Design

Graphic Design User Testing Iterative Design Consumer Interaction

35 cardsper pack

1pack finished

1pack in progress

Knife Sharpening Block

CAD (Siemens NX and Onshape) Product Design Engineering Design Rapid Prototyping Customer Requirements 3D Printing

Sliding Vsharpening mechanism

Spring adjustmentto size knives

Mechanically operatedcrank to sharpen

Stores and sharpensknives of different sizes

Jun Graduating college

The Why

Direct knowledge and hands-on experience in semiconductors - the foundation for modern electronics - is rare outside industry.

The How

In depth lectures and fab tours of semiconductor workings and manufacturing processes
Hands-on mechanical engineering experience in soldering, RC robot builds, and group CAD biomimicry robotic arm designs

The Why

Biomimicry design is a powerful tool in robotics for bringing automation to life.

The How

Examined real-life examples of robotic arms used in semiconductor and other manufacturing processes moving a variety of different objects
Ideated biological examples of animal grippers
Discussed features and designed (drawings and CAD) end effectors based on biological principles
Printed and showcased our model

The Why

In theory, 3D printing houses with concrete is faster and more efficient. In practice, concrete is slow setting, requires supports, and is made up of environmentally intensive cement (accounting for 8% of global emissions!).

The How

We started with the consistency — showing up every day to get the material properties right for 3D printing
Then, the rapid curing — getting the chemical properties right while avoiding our two biggest issues: quenching and spontaneous polymerization

We adapted an Ender 3 V2 3D printer to print our material with a custom nozzle and calibration settings

The Why

How do you know if a material that claims to be good for the environment actually is? Depending on where in the material's life cycle you start that analysis, the answer can vary.

The How

Focusing on hemp, I reviewed hundreds of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies to consolidate them into one paper showcasing hemp's holistic sustainability

The Why

Existing home renovation guidelines are too broad but highly climate dependent.

The How

I started by adapting a ML framework to predict baseline energy usage in homes
Then, I simulated thousands of housing retrofit scenarios to see how they impacted energy usage - this created a dataset to train the ML model
The ML model optimally selected retrofit scenarios based on predictive energy savings
I searched for patterns in these solutions in and between climates

The Why

The current syringe extrusion system for printing the developed bioconcrete either required large syringes or interrupting prints to refill material.

The How

Custom designed (in CAD) and printed auger screws and housings
Tested pitch and depth factors for the auger screw to compare volumetric flow rate
Tested stepper motor rotation speeds to compare volumetric flow rate
Solved for theoretical drag flow rate and compared values to experimental

The Why

Sharpening kitchen knives is a hassle most people don't bother with, but a sharp knife is extremely useful. A centralized sharpening system to make the process easy was missing.

The How

Employ engineering design process steps — house of quality, functional models, morphological matrices, pugh charts — to ideate a design
Perform calculations for mechanically operated components
Design (in CAD), print, and assemble the functional prototype
Perform a realistic BOM analysis and FMEA

The Why

Randomized experience products are popular, but none get local enough to know the restaurants and spots in your area.

The How

Curated a list of the best local restaurants, activities, and outdoor experiences in Corvallis
Designed cards for each, instructions, and a card box from scratch
Conducted user testing and iterated based on feedback

Skills

Capabilities

Engineering Coursework

Statics
Dynamics
Strength of Materials
3D Modeling (CAD)
Mechanics of Materials
Engineering Design
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

Physics Coursework

Thermodynamics
Electronics Lab
Periodic Systems
Oscillations and Waves
Quantum Mechanics

Programming & Simulation

Python
Siemens NX
Onshape
SketchUp
MATLAB
Cura Slicing
EnergyPlus

Communication

Chinese (Mandarin)
Microsoft Office
Scientific Writing
Technical Presentation
Graphic Design
Toastmasters Member (Public Speaking)

Contact

Let's Connect

I'd love to hear from you

heidithiele333@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/heidithiele

Download Resume

Heidi Thiele

Timeline

Materials Discovery Lab Researcher

Semiconductor Immersion Program

Biomimicry Robotic Arm

3D Printing Lab Researcher

Auger Extrusion System for Bioconcrete 3D Printing – Honors Thesis

Industrial Sustainability Lab Researcher

Construction Science Research Intern

Card Product Design

Knife Sharpening Block

Capabilities

Engineering Coursework

Physics Coursework

Programming & Simulation

Communication

Let's Connect