Henrique de Melo e Silva, MSc
multilingual structural-&-mechanical research, design, and testing
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Domestic Engineer - 2008-Present
Stay-at-home parent with cooking, cleaning, discipline, and general survival experience. Self-taught psychologist with avid negotiating skills. Currently finishing a program presenting the bottom-line of updating boilers/furnaces when considering efficiency, heat-loss, cost, rate-of-return, inflation, and life-cycle. Also learning Pro/ENGINEER on spare time. Primary- & Secondary-Teacher - 2005-2008
Substitute teacher with the Copper Country Intermediate School District in Baraga, Houghton, and Keweenaw County schools for elementary-, middle-, and high-school students. Instructional experience with mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, and special education including cognitive impaired children. Engineer on Sabbatical - 2004-2005
Took a year-long sabbatical to travel from the US to Brazil with my wife. Made it from Michigan to central Brazil by land and water, without taking a single plane - 146 buses, 20 cars, 17 trains, 12 boats, and one bike. We crossed 16 borders between the US and Brazil. Please see website if you are at all curious about our voyage. Research- & Test-Engineer - 2003-2004
Took part in setting-up a laboratory to conduct material-characteristics research – a temporary position with Michigan Tech's Aggregate Institute. Lab was created to run various experiments (e.g. resonant-column and triaxial-cell) to measure resilient modulus and damping characteristic of many aggregates and other materials. Graduate Research Assistant - 2001-2003
Involved in structural test-&-analysis research with full-size wood shear walls under monotonic, reverse-cyclic, and dynamic-displacement loading. Developed an equation (a mechanistic seismic damage model) that quantifies structural damage after the occurrence of an earthquake. Also tested double-T concrete beams in-flange connectors under similar loading conditions. Design Engineer - 1999-2001
Participated in the design of the ‘01 Ford F-150/250/350 complete seats' "skeletons" or frames. Converted standard 'B-Pillar' safety-belt connection to 'ISS' (all-belts-to-seat) affixing while making sound design enhancements. Also worked on the preliminary design of the ‘05 Ford F-Series and Excursion. Design Engineer - 1994-1998
Employed by a floor-mounted rod- & cable-actuated transmission-shifter supplier. Part of a two-man engineering team, during three periods with GHSP, devoted to the design of the automatic shifter for the 1998 Honda Accord. Engineered the preliminary design of the automatic shifter for the ‘99 Dodge Neon & the ‘00 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Assistant Engineer - 1992
Worked side-by-side with the engineers of Metal Leve do Brasil (MAHLE-Gruppe), one of the world's largest manufacturers of auto-pistons and journal-bearings. During my internship at ML, analyzed & interpreted dynamometer test-data from different pistons, piston-rings, & con-rods combinations for the ‘93 FIAT Tempra. |