"Mechanical Engineering is about expanding our capacity to create and understand."
Long before he thought about engineering, Simon was driven to create. From drawing comic books to building giant paper airplanes to designing lava doors in Minecraft, he’s always enjoyed testing limits and exploring possibilities. Combined with an early passion for multiplication tables, the stage was set early for engineering.
Born in Oxford, England, Simon has called multiple places home, including France, India and several states in the U.S. He now claims Heber, Utah, as his home base, where his family lives. Before coming to BYU, a 2019 trip to Haiti with the International Language Program sparked his interest in fluid mechanics and fountain design. He learned about laminar flow – the smooth, glass-like movement of water – and imagined building his own elaborate fountains someday. It was with this in mind that Simon picked ME as his major.
Like most ME students, Simon has learned that the workload is heavy, but the rewards are worth it. His favorite classes include Dynamic Systems, Fluid Mechanics, and Mechatronics.
One of the biggest lessons he’s learned? Study. “[Take] time to study before the day of the exam… it’s a good way to not be stressed out of your mind. Also, get enough sleep going into the testing center.”
Simon’s journey in undergraduate research started with an accident. After consulting the ME Department webpage, he reached out to work with two new professors both named Nathan on fluids research. A mix-up put a fluids biography on Dr. Usevitch’s website, which led to a misinformed office visit. “I was awkwardly there in his office… and he’s telling me about the NASA Big Idea challenge that they were doing… and so I was like, ‘Oh, that sounds pretty cool.’” That happy accident led him to the NASA Big Idea Challenge team, and eventually, to leading BYU’s jumping robot project.
Over the past year, Simon has helped the project evolve from a non-existent prototype to a complex machine pushing material limits. Unlike many jumping robot designs, this one isn’t based on biology, which opens new possibilities. Potential applications include navigating tricky terrain on the Moon or Mars, where wheels won’t cut it.
When asked what keeps him motivated, Simon answers: “I get disappointed, not discouraged.” Honestly, if we all handled setbacks like that, life would be a lot less stressful – and a lot more productive.
His current goals? Publish a paper on the project and increase the robot’s jump height from two feet to ten feet.
Through the ME program and his research, Simon has become familiar with CAD (SolidWorks, Onshape), carbon fiber and composites, 3D printing, circuit design, PCB building, coding, and mechatronics. He’s also picked up leadership, project management, and communication skills.
Simon plans to wrap up his BYU undergraduate degree in a year, then pursue a PhD. His career goals include doing R&D at a robotics firm before becoming an entrepreneur and going back to his roots as a fountain designer.
When he’s not in the lab or buried in coursework, you’ll probably find Simon playing golf, frisbee, or frisbee golf. He also enjoys movies and working on personal projects — like an automated snow cone machine (Pro tip: befriend him now, and you’ll basically have access to unlimited shaved ice).
“Have a clear vision of what you want to do … Often, people have the question, ‘How do I find what I want to do?’ And the answer is to just try as many things as you can.” His other top tips: keep your GPA strong in case you decide to continue with academia, join clubs like Rocketry or Mars Rover, get involved in research, and if you can, consider a study abroad outside of engineering.
From designing LEGO ships to creating lunar-ready robots, Simon has built more than just machines — he’s built a reputation for vision, creativity, and leadership that makes you believe he can take his ideas anywhere. And we can’t wait to see where he jumps next.