Mechanical Engineering · UC Irvine · Open to internships

Arian SalariMechanical Engineer

Honors Mechanical Engineering student focused on mechanical systems, aerodynamics and fluids, robotics and autonomous systems, and AI and machine learning integration — turning research questions into tested, working hardware.

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2ndCA Research Competition
3Research projects
1Industry internship
2Club leadership roles
01 — About

Background, path, and interests.

I'm a mechanical engineering student at the University of California, Irvine, with experience spanning mechanical systems design, fluid dynamics and aerodynamics, robotics and shape-memory actuation, and data-driven analysis.

My work starts with a real problem — how to actuate a robotic hand with Nitinol, how to validate a mechanical system under realistic operating conditions, how to reduce vibration at a wingtip — and moves through CAD, simulation, prototyping, and statistical analysis to a result I can defend. I'm especially interested in where autonomous systems and machine learning meet physical hardware.

My path started with a high-school aerodynamics study that placed second statewide, moved through shape-memory alloy robotics and mechanical systems research at Irvine Valley College, and led to an engineering internship at Rezvani Motors. I transferred to UC Irvine's Mechanical Engineering Honors Program in Fall 2026 to keep building on that foundation.

Outside the lab I lead the STEM Club and help run the Computer Science Club, building programs that connect students with research, internships, and industry professionals.

UniversityUC Irvine — Mechanical Engineering B.S., Honors Program
TransferIrvine Valley College — Engineering A.S., Honors Program
Focus areasMechanical systems · Aerodynamics & fluids · Robotics & autonomous systems · AI/ML integration
LocationIrvine, California
StatusAvailable for internships, research, and contract work
02 — Experience

Work, research, and extracurriculars.

Industry, research symposiums, competitions, and leadership roles.

Download resume (PDF) ↓
Jan 2025 — May 2025Irvine, CA

Mechanical Engineering Intern

Rezvani Motors · High-performance vehicles
  • Participated in design reviews, model analysis, and structural integrity discussions on mechanical systems used in high-performance vehicles.
  • Collaborated with the engineering team on aerodynamic evaluations and mechanical system layouts supporting performance optimization.
  • Gained cross-functional exposure to supply management, production logistics, and company-wide workflows.
Sep 2024 — Mar 2025Irvine, CA

Symposium Researcher

Medical Device R&D · IVC & Saddleback Research Symposiums
  • Proposed Normothermic Ex-Vivo Heart Perfusion (NEHP) as a novel testing platform for validating artificial heart valves under realistic, body-like conditions.
  • Worked under the direct guidance of an R&D engineer at Edwards Lifesciences to assess industry standards and identify limitations in FDA-approved testing methods.
  • Presented original findings on improved test realism, ethical advantages, and long-term device reliability using NEHP-perfused pig hearts.
Nov 2023 — Mar 2024Irvine, CA

Biomechanical Shape-Memory Alloy Research

Orange County Science & Engineering Fair
  • Developed a functioning biomechanical human hand using Nitinol shape-memory alloy as the actuator.
  • Explored actuation methods to replicate natural hand motion.
Aug 2021 — May 2022Irvine, CA

Aircraft Winglet Aerodynamics & Efficiency

Orange County Science & Engineering Fair
  • Collected and analyzed performance data comparing no-winglet, sharklet, and split-scimitar designs, measuring reduced airflow vibration with the split-scimitar.
  • Applied statistical comparison methods across repeated trials to quantify efficiency differences between configurations.
2nd Place · Fluids & Aerodynamics · California Research Competition
Mar 2025 — May 2026Irvine Valley College

President, STEM Club

Extracurricular · Leadership
  • Lead all club operations and meetings, organizing guest-speaker events with STEM professionals, hands-on project workshops, and technical development sessions.
  • Developed programming that strengthened members' engineering, research, and problem-solving skills while exposing students to internships and STEM career pathways.
May 2025 — May 2026Irvine Valley College

Vice President, Computer Science Club

Extracurricular · Leadership
  • Coordinate weekly guest-speaker sessions, technical workshops, and career development activities with the President.
  • Lead workshops strengthening members' programming foundations in Python and Java; connect students with hackathons, internships, and research opportunities.
Aug 2025 — May 2026Irvine Valley College

Member, Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society

Extracurricular · Honors
  • Weekly sessions on analytical inquiry and data-driven problem solving across STEM, working with faculty mentors on research methodology and statistical analysis.
03 — Projects

Everything I've built and am building.

Completed and in-progress work, followed by a design portfolio gallery you can export as a PDF.

P-012024–25

NEHP Heart Valve Test Platform

Research proposal for validating artificial heart valves in perfused ex-vivo hearts rather than static benchtop rigs, improving realism over current FDA-approved methods.

Mechanical systemsFluidsResearch
P-022023–24

Nitinol Biomechanical Hand

A working human hand prototype actuated by shape-memory alloy wire, exploring how thermally driven contraction can reproduce natural finger motion.

RoboticsSMA actuationCAD
P-032021–22

Split-Scimitar Winglet Study

Comparative aerodynamic testing of three winglet geometries with repeated-trial statistics; awarded second place in Fluids & Aerodynamics statewide.

AerodynamicsFluidsStatistics
P-04In progress

Autonomous Systems & ML Integration

Ongoing exploration of control, sensing, and machine-learning models applied to physical mechanical systems. Replace with your current project details.

AutonomousMachine learningRobotics
Design portfolio

CAD, simulation, and prototype gallery

04 — Skills & Education

Tools and foundations.

Design & analysis

  • SolidWorksCAD
  • AutoCADCAD
  • MATLABAnalysis
  • ExcelData

Programming

  • PythonPrimary
  • C / C++Systems
  • JavaScriptWeb
  • HTML / CSSWeb

Environment & process

  • Visual StudioIDE
  • IntelliJIDE
  • ScrumCertified Master
  • Microsoft WordDocs
Fall 2026 —Irvine, CA

University of California, Irvine

Mechanical Engineering B.S. · Honors Program
Aug 2024 — May 2026Irvine, CA

Irvine Valley College

Engineering A.S. · Honors Program · Dean's List · Phi Theta Kappa

Relevant coursework

  • CAD Techniques
  • Material Analysis
  • Manufacturing Processes
  • Engineering Prototyping
  • Computer Programming
  • AI & Machine Learning
  • Statistics & Analysis
  • Business & Economy
  • Physics 4A / 4B / 4C
  • Calculus 1 / 2 / 3
  • Linear Algebra
  • Differential Equations
05 — Services

Available for contract work.

Engineering support for startups, researchers, and individuals — from a single part to a full prototype.

CAD & 3D modeling

Parametric part and assembly design in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, with drawings ready for manufacturing.

  • Parts, assemblies & drawings
  • Reverse engineering from measurements
  • Design for manufacturing & DFA
  • Tolerance & fit analysis

3D printing & prototyping

Rapid prototypes and functional parts, from print-ready file prep to iteration on a physical model.

  • FDM printing & file preparation
  • Print orientation & support planning
  • Fit-check & functional prototypes
  • Post-processing & assembly

Simulation & analysis

Fluids and data analysis to validate a design before it's built, with clear reporting of the results.

  • Motion & load analysis in SolidWorks
  • Aerodynamic & fluid evaluation
  • MATLAB / Python data analysis
  • Test planning & statistical validation

Robotics & automation

Mechanical design and programming for actuated systems, sensors, and early-stage autonomous hardware.

  • Actuator & linkage design
  • Python / C control code
  • Sensor integration
  • ML model integration for hardware

Have a part, a concept, or a problem that needs engineering attention? Send the details and I'll scope it out.

Start a project →

Let's discuss or build something together!