Mechanical Engineering Student
Nate Polishook
Robotics and mechatronics engineer with broad mechanical‑engineering range.
I design, build, and test physical hardware, from CAD and mechanism design to fabrication and embedded control. I focus on robotics, mechatronics, and physical AI while staying fluent across the full mechanical and electrical engineering toolkits.
- School
- Rutgers University School of Engineering, Honors College
- Degree
- Mechanical Engineering B.S.
Who I am
I design and build real, working hardware, then I figure out how to make it better, faster, smarter. Drones and 3D printing hooked me as a kid, and that itch to build and optimize is what led me to intern at Kovari Industries. I recently wrapped up a mechatronics engineering internship there, a robotics startup, where I worked across the full stack of a robot, machining parts on the CNC, handling mechanical design, and wiring up the complete electrical system. I'm currently a Research Intern at Koehler Instrument Company, working on lubrication challenges in space.
Right now I'm building a deep tech hardware startup, leading mechanical and electrical design. I use AI to verify electrical schematics before they go to fabrication and to speed up my CAD workflows in Fusion 360.
My ambition is to build the companies of the future, advancing the technological world through physical AI and hardware.
Selected work
Dinosaur Game Bot
An Arduino-based bot that watches Chrome's offline dino game through a photoresistor and taps the spacebar in real time to jump obstacles.
- Arduino IDE
- C++
- Circuit Design
Tools and capabilities
CAD & Fabrication
- CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape)
- Rapid prototyping
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
- CNC machining/programming
- 3D printing (FDM)
- Carbon-fiber fabrication
- Precision machining (bending, tapping, countersinking, chamfering)
- Mechanical design/analysis
- Tolerance analysis
- Design verification
- Mechanisms
- Product testing
Electronics & Robotics
- Soldering (PCB, JST, actuators, power electronics)
- Power distribution (24V/48V bus bars, DC-DC converters, XT30 connectors)
- KiCad & EasyEDA
- Circuit wiring
- Embedded component assembly
- Teleoperation systems
- Robot hardware integration
- Mechanical troubleshooting and diagnostic
Technical & Analytical
- Python
- MATLAB
- Excel
- Machine learning & regression modeling
- Experimental design & data analysis
- Statics
- Dynamics
- Thermodynamics
- Heat Transfer
- Calculus-based modeling & analysis
AI & Emerging Tools
- AI-assisted workflow design
- Agentic AI systems
- AI-assisted data analysis (Anthropic and Google certified)
Research
Peer-reviewed and forthcoming research work.
- In ProgressComing 2026
Lubrication Challenges in Space
Investigating the performance of space-grade lubricants exposed to zero gravity, radiation, thermal cycling, and hard vacuums.
- In ProgressComing 2026
Lubrication Challenges in Electric Vehicles
- Published, Petrol-Online2026
Machines that Listen to Engines: AI-Driven Optimization of Combustion Using Alternative Fuels
Koehler Instrument Company
- Published, Petrol-Online2026
The Rise of Artificial Photosynthesis as a Resourceful Source of Alternative Energy
Koehler Instrument Company
Where I have worked
August 2026 to Present
New Brunswick, NJ
Mechatronics Engineer
Rutgers Solar CarMechanical, electrical, and manufacturing engineering.
May 2026 to August 2026
San Francisco, CA
Mechatronics Engineering Intern
Kovari IndustriesWorked on hardware for semi-humanoid robots built for the hospitality industry. Handled CAD design, CNC machining, wiring, and sensor integration across the robot's mechanical and electrical systems.
February 2026 to Present
Remote
Petroleum Engineering Research Intern
Koehler Instrument CompanyCurrently researching space-grade lubricant performance under zero gravity, radiation, and thermal cycling. Authored 3 technical papers covering artificial photosynthesis, lubrication in EVs, and AI optimization of combustion, translating research into publication-ready findings.
January 2026 to April 2026
New Brunswick, NJ
Project Lead
Wastewater Treatment ML Model, Rutgers School of EngineeringLed a student team building and comparing machine learning models to predict water quality in a treatment system. Found linear regression outperformed alternatives with an RMSE of 1.09, and owned experimental design and model selection from start to final presentation.
Academics
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Rutgers University School of Engineering, Honors College
New Brunswick, NJ
GPA: 3.95
Activities and societies: Rutgers Solar Car, ASME, Gymnastics Club, Sigma Pi Fraternity (Scholarship Chair)
Get in touch
Open to robotics, mechatronics, and mechanical-engineering internships, or if you just want to talk engineering. The fastest way to reach me is email.