WILLIAM ZHU
Selected projects
CONCEPT → PROTOTYPE → VALIDATION
3D Printed VTOL
Designing a 3D printed VTOL aircraft for autonomous payload drop, from initial sizing and aerodynamic analysis to electronics integration and a fully glueless airframe.
Golden Gate Bridge Stirling Engine
A custom-machined Stirling engine with a Golden Gate Bridge-inspired bedplate, a balanced compass-rose flywheel, and a tested speed of over 1,100 RPM.
M3 Math Modeling Paper
Mathematical models developed with a team to study how heat waves affect neighborhoods and individual homes in Memphis, Tennessee.
M3 Challenge semifinalist · Placed 7th–12th among nearly 800 teams internationally.
CNC Flat Pack Lemur Den
A CNC-routed plywood den for Zoo to You, designed around lemur behavior, keeper access, and efficient fabrication from a single sheet.
Model CubeSat
A laser-cut model with a multi-stage deployment mechanism that unfolds ten panels from two compact stacks.