I’ve got a few very exciting announcements to finally get out – the first of which is that I’ve been accepted for my master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, staying at the University of Rochester for at least next year. I’ve got a apartment picked out and I’ll be able to expand production from out of my bedroom - for the first time in 7 years. So to all those who have been worrying for the past 4 years that I would be swept into the workforce and never to be heard from again...your fears are unfounded for at least another year (or possibly much more?!)
The second piece of news is that I’ve finally gotten my M.S. research accepted/funded for the next year, and I’m excited to announce that it’s my own proposed research! I will be investigating how different types of wear, be it abrasion, chemical or ultraviolet, affect the waterproofness of various waterproof membranes – I’m sure you can see a connection. Many of you had expressed interest in my previous work on UV degradation of different nylons, and I was disappointed by our lack of conclusive results, mostly due to the fact that it was a 2 month project, and it took nearly all of the time to get our experimental apparatus running.
This project, however, will result in my master’s thesis, and I’ll be spending over a year testing everything from silnylon to EPIC to a few brand new, made-to-order materials which will hopefully show some promise for next generation improvements. I will be submitting this paper to peer reviewed journal for publishing (maybe more than one paper?), but the results that I collect will absolutely be made public for all to see!
As for my remaining time as an undergraduate, it is filled with plenty to keep me busy – several final exams, the FE exam (state engineering licensing), finishing up my senior design project and of course, keeping as many tarps going as possible. I’ll be working through the final week of May, after which I’ll be traveling to Germany for a few weeks of studying-abroad and vacation.
Once I return, I’ll be returning full time to tarp making, with several new and exciting features planned. Doors for all of my MacCat models? Absolutely. A Generation 4 MacCat – already spec’ed and ready to go, just waiting on a few new materials that I’ll be getting in stock later next month, but not in time for release before my trip. In stock items? You bet! I’ll be working full time on tarp production and design, for at least two months before classes restart in September, something I haven’t been able to do for the past 3 years!
I also want to thank all of you for your kind support these past few months and these past few years, you really all have been pleasant to get to know, and I look forward to continue serving the field which I can truly say is a labor of love.
-Brian
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