Kristen Ho

hello and welcome!

I'm Kristen Ho, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Toronto specializing in Energy Systems and Solid Mechanics.

I'm passionate about sustainable energy, mechanical design, and engineering for social good—and because it's fun!

Thanks for checking out my portfolio! 🫡

surprise me! pretty cool stuff get in touch

About me

maker, hobbyist & big fan of mechanical design

Activity, optimism, and iteration will always be at my core whether it be learning a sport or developing models which fit engineering specifications! My engineering ideology can be described by three main contexts:
1. nature and sustainability 🍁
2. activity and collaboration 🤝
3. curiosity and mind of a hobbyist ⚙️

I’m interested in mechanical design, energy systems, and contributing to real-world engineering solutions. My experience spans CAD, DFM and manufacturing drawings, prototyping, testing, and technical collaboration.

I strive to incorporate my values and beliefs in my professional and personal work throughout my career.

SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Design DFM CAD Manufacturing Machining FEA Prototyping Testing Energy Systems

Projects

some of my previous work

Master assembly CAD of the vertical axis wind turbine — Master assembly CAD and built vertical axis wind turbine

Design and fabrication of the main steel generator coupling

Multi-level nacelle assembly with generator, braking and radial bearing

At ISWTC 2026, wind tunnel testingin the Netherlands — At ISWTC 2026, wind tunnel testing in the Netherlands

Custom generator testing rig with generator coupled to a DC motor

01 / UTWIND

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT)

Co-President of UTWind, I led mechanical design and cross-team integration of a competition turbine for the International Small Wind Turbine Competition (2025–2026). We had great weather while visiting and it was great to explore the Netherlands with my team!

Contributed hands-on to the SOLIDWORKS mechanical design and master assembly
Led design and fabrication of the steel generator coupling and carbon steel central shaft, with manufacturing drawings
Built a custom generator testing rig: generator coupled to a DC motor for power testing
Designed a multi-level nacelle housing the generator, braking, and radial bearing
Integrated work across 5 technical subteams; wind-tunnel tested at competition in the Netherlands (2026)

SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Design Manufacturing

UTWind horizontal axis wind turbine in SOLIDWORKS and built

Nacelle cover, laser cut wood and 3d printed

Ansys stress analysis of the blade stub and final part

02 / UTWIND

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)

Mechanical & Manufacturing Lead, responsible for the complete mechanical assembly and build of UTWind’s turbine (1.6 m rotor, 60 V, 1200 W). This was my first year with the team, after a lot of late nights and learning on the fly, it was rewarding to see the build come together!

Designed the brake assembly, nacelle cover, pitch mechanism, and testing rig in SOLIDWORKS
Led selection of the main shaft and main bearing
Machined couplings in the MIE Machine Shop
Ran FEA stress analyses on turbine components in Ansys
Coordinated with Power, Controls, Aerodynamics, and Sustainability leads for subsystem integration
UTWind record: Best Overall (2022, 2024) and Sustainability award (2023)

SOLIDWORKS FEA Machining

Failed starter motor from a double-decker bus

Hand sketch and SOLIDWORKS sketch of the shield design

03 / METROLINX

Stainless Steel Starter Motor Shield

Metrolinx internship, Bus Fleet Maintenance & Equipment Engineering. Designed a fix for premature starter motor failures on double-decker buses. It was great experience to lead a continuous improvement project and present the design at the end of my term!

Problem: root cause analysis traced failures to nightly pressure washing driving particulate and fluids into the motors
Design: modeled a revised shield in SOLIDWORKS, 13% lighter with a sturdier mounting location
Manufacturing: simple to produce from 12 gauge stainless steel sheet metal
Impact: up to $130,000 in potential savings across 436 assets (new starters cost $200–$300)
Next steps: pilot program, detailed cost analysis, technician feedback

SOLIDWORKS Design Optimization Manufacturing

04 / MIE243

SCARA 3D Printer CAD Model

Capstone of MIE243: Mechanical Engineering Design. A conceptual 3D printer designed for speed and low cost. One of my first large assemblies in SolidWorks, it was of course a joy to learn the quirks of the software under tight deadlines and time pressure!

Modeled the Bowden extruder, hotend, and Z-axis lead screw mechanism in SOLIDWORKS
Final assembly: 200+ parts with motion demonstrated in all 3 axes
Iterated with teammates to integrate parts into one machine
Strengthened CAD skills and clear technical communication

SOLIDWORKS CAD Machine Design

Matboard bridge after load testing with team members

Cutting matboard panels for bridge construction

05 / CIV102

The >0 Apples Bridge Design

First-year CIV102 project: a team of three built a bridge from a single sheet of matboard (80 × 100 × 0.13 cm). Assembled in my first year residence common room in the earliest of morning hours, this bridge was a fun and challenging project, culminating in a rewarding final testing day!

Wrote Python code to calculate maximum load across six failure modes
Chose the final design using safety factors, calculations, and iteration
Produced engineering drawings and a final design report
Result: top 15 of 100+ teams, carrying over 75 kg
Learned the value of clear communication and iteration

Engineering Design Python Iteration

Contact

how to reach me :)

I’m interested in mechanical design, energy, and real-world engineering solutions. Shoot me an email or connect on LinkedIn!

[email protected] LinkedIn Portfolio PPT Resume / CV