Arjun Kumar

Santa Barbara, California

San Jose, California

• 3.96/4.00 unweighted GPA
• 4.36 weighted GPA
• AP Scholar
• Relevant coursework: AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Physics 1/2, and AP Computer Science A

Interactive Educational Wind Tunnel

• Designed and iteratively refined a modular, rearrangeable wind tunnel in Fusion 360 to demonstrate airflow behavior.
• Fabricated the system using 3D-printed PLA, plexiglass, lighting, a fan, and a custom water-vapor visualization system.
• Improved capacity, durability, lighting, and safe interaction before demonstrating the prototype at the Hiller Aviation Museum.

Pumpkin-Launching Trebuchet

• Designed and built a wooden trebuchet using projectile-motion and lever-arm calculations to optimize release geometry and distance.
• Iteratively adjusted the throwing arm, sling release, and projectile positioning while resolving structural failures.
• Won a grade-wide physics competition with a 174.5-foot launch, more than twice the second-place distance.

3D-Printed RC Aircraft

• Fabricated a lightweight RC aircraft in LW-PLA and optimized Cura settings for weight, strength, print quality, and production time.
• Designed custom Fusion 360 control-system components and assembled the airframe, electronics, servos, and control surfaces.
• Conducted three flight tests and traced a crash to a wing-to-wing weight imbalance caused by an unsecured internal component.

Photogrammetry-Based 3D Reconstruction

• Captured more than 350 overlapping photographs of a Lord Ganesha statue and generated a reconstruction in Meshroom.
• Repaired the model in Blender by removing artifacts, rebuilding obstructed geometry, and closing the hollow mesh.
• Printed a recognizable PLA replica on an Ender 3 S1 while preserving the original statue's structure and detail.

• Created and independently operated two paid, one-week summer-camp sessions, including curriculum, presentations, and supplemental video lessons.
• Taught four middle and early high school students Fusion 360, Tinkercad, Cura, printer operation, filament care, and troubleshooting.
• Used an Ender 3 S1 and partially disassembled Monoprice Mini 2 to demonstrate printer mechanics and common failure modes.

• Served approximately 18 months as Patrol Leader, organizing meetings, activities, campouts, and team responsibilities.
• Completed a 12-day Philmont trek with an eight-person crew as Chaplain's Aide, supporting group well-being, resolving conflicts, monitoring hydration, and leading daily reflections.

Four years of total participation.