Greetings! I'm Garrett. I write embedded control software, research artificial intelligence, and have a cat named Chicken. 

professional experience

Technical Specialist - Software

Blue Bird Body Company

9/2022 - Present

I write and manage the body control software present on school buses. I frequently work with other internal engineers on new software features, helping to define requirements, testing procedures, and implementation details. Field service also works closely with me to address bugs and other software issues among units in the field. All these tasks and software projects are managed through a GitHub Enterprise environment. 

Design Engineer - Chassis

Blue Bird Body Company

5/2020- 9/2022

I started at Blue Bird in this role. Upon hiring, I worked on projects ranging from fuel tank analyses involving FEA and crash testing, to suspension and driveline changes involving careful coordination with vendors and internal departments to manage the supply chain.  3D design work in CATIA was extensive, and analyses involved both technical and business effects. 

Program Chair - Metrology

Central Georgia Technical College

3/2018 - 5/2020

During my time in this role, the Metrology program at CGTC was the nation's only fully online metrology diploma and degree program. My contribution to this program was revitalizing the curriculum, working with Academic Affairs staff to ensure changes met accreditation and enrollment requirements. 

Program Chair - Engineering Technology

Central Georgia Technical College

8/2016 - 5/2020

During my tenure as program chair, the Engineering Technology program at CGTC was grown from a nascent and struggling program to one of the school's flagship offerings. Articulation agreements were signed with four-year universities such that students could transfer upon graduation. I also frequently worked with Institutional Effectiveness staff to implement federal grant initiatives, maintain continuous improvement, and pursue further accreditation through ABET. 

Instructor - Engineering Technology

Central Georgia Technical College

5/2016 - 8/2016

Originally hired to only be an instructor within the Engineering Technology program, Academic Affairs quickly realized the existing leadership was not prepared to grow the program. Despite only being in this role during a single summer semester, it provided an excellent foundation by permitting me to focus on course material creation, as there were none present prior to starting. 

Founder and Systems Engineer

Marion Systems LLC

4/2012 - Present

After graduating from Georgia Tech right as the Great Recession peaked and finding work difficult to find, I turned a hobby into a modestly successful small business. I designed, built, sold, and supported three separate lines of filament based 3D printers. Leveraging open source parts and software, as well as custom designed and fabricated parts, I built and sold several dozen units to schools, colleges, and small businesses throughout the state of Georgia. Over time other career opportunities, coupled with market shifts, resulted in the business being scaled back to occasional projects for artists, non-profits, and other small businesses.

Education

Master of Science - Software Engineering

Kennesaw State University

Graduation: 5/2024

Coursework completed on advanced algorithms, artificial intelligence, and software systems management. Thesis option was chosen as I wanted a more research-focused program of study to pursue AI more intensely than coursework permitted. 

Thesis: Semantic Segmentation of Point Cloud Sequences using Point Transformer v3

Bachelor of Science - Aerospace Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

12/2011

The chosen focus was Space Systems, and included coursework in control system design, high and low-speed aerodynamics, and orbital mechanics. My senior capstone team won third place in a national AIAA Undergraduate Design Competition. I also completed a minor in German and spent an 8-week summer term in Germany as part of the LBAT (Language for Business and Technology) Program. 

Minor: German

Associate of Science - Engineering

University of North Georgia

12/2007

The associate of science in engineering was a degree program offered as part of the Regents' Engineering Transfer Program (RETP) that permitted students of community colleges an alternative pathway to attendance at Georgia Tech. I completed substantial coursework in mathematics as part of my declared minor.

Minor: Mathematics

Certifications

Fanuc CERT Level I - Material Handling Operation and Programming

Ogeechee Technical College

3/2020

Certified to operate and program Fanuc material handling robots. Course was taken at Ogeechee Technical College's official Fanuc training facility. 

Fanuc CERT Level II - IRvision

Ogeechee Technical College

3/2020

This course certified me to implement the Fanuc IRvision add-on to the material handling robots. This add-on helps facilitate automate sorting and material handling through the use of computer vision. The course was also offered at Ogeechee Tech's official Fanuc training facility. 

Graduate Certificate - Computer Science Foundations

Kennesaw State University

12/2019

This graduate certificate covered the highlights of a computer science undergraduate program. It included coursework on computer architecture and hardware, object oriented programming, data structures, database design, and discrete mathematics. 

Volunteer work

STEAM Committee Chairperson

Magnolia Soap Box Derby

5/2019 - Present

I coordinate with roughly two dozen local high schools, non-profits, and community organizations to facilitate a gravity racing competition based on the All American Soap Box Derby's Super Stock class of racing kits. Additionally, I work with other day-of volunteers to set up and operate a STEAM Learning Zone in the adjacent park to the event. In the learning zone are stations where kids can learn the basics of physics and racing using hot wheels cars and tracks. We are also including art among the learning zone, thus the "A" added to STEM. 

STEM Committee Volunteer

Magnolia Soap Box Derby

2/2017 - 5/2019

Initially volunteering to help with the STEM committee in implementing the newly proposed STEM Learning Zone for the park. This was a project implemented with a grant that helped supply super stock derby kits to public schools, and to set up an outreach to younger children who couldn't participate in the race. 

Member - Engineering Advisory Committee

Houston County High School

2017 - 2019

As a member of this engineering advisory committee I provided feedback and recommendations for engineering education and program enhancements. 

Member - Engineering Advisory Committee

Mary Persons High School

2018

As a member of this board only briefly, I provided similar feedback and recommendations to the faculty for the betterment of the school's engineering program.