Stephanie Akakabota

Stephanie Akakabota

Mechanical Engineer | Aspiring Robotic Engineer | NCAA Athlete

Learn More About Me

About

Hello! My name is Stephanie Akakabota. I am a rising Master's Student in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration on Assistive Robotics at UC Berkeley. I have a passion for robotics, mechatronics, and mechanical design.

My experience comes from a multitude of school projects designing automated systems, and researching bio-inspired robotics, all while competing as a Division I swimmer for the Cal Women's Swim Team.

I desire to create robotics that makes an impact, with assistive devices that improve quality of life and human autonomy. When I'm not engineering or swimming, you might find me playing piano, hiking, or working on crochet projects.

Outside of work, you can find me reading, hiking, or crocheting stuffed animals for friends and family! View my resume or email me if you'd like to chat :)

Projects

Recent Work

Dish-n-Dash: Robotic Dish Clearer

Engineered and implemented an automated dish-sorting robot for school cafeterias using inverse kinematics and computer vision (DETR model), achieving 85% classification accuracy.

Dish-n-Dash Project
Smart Cheese Grater

Developing an automated cheese grater featuring a DC motor-driven transmission system with optimized torque control and ESP32-based state machine architecture.

Smart Cheese Grater
IoT Cat Laser Toy

Designing an IoT-enabled interactive pet toy with 360-degree stepper motor rotation and servo-controlled laser movement, controllable via a mobile app.

IoT Cat Laser Toy
Acoustic Analysis of Piano Soundboards

Experiment comparing how different lid materials affect piano soundboard acoustics. Used a custom mechanical striker system (demo) to compare wood, cast-iron, PLA, and resin.

Piano Soundboard Analysis

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

University of California, Berkeley

Expected August 2025 • GPA: 3.59/4.00

Relevant Coursework

  • Introduction to Robotics
  • Experimentation and Measurements
  • Dynamic Systems and Feedback
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Heat Transfer
  • Mechanical Behavior of Engineering Materials
  • Engineering Mechanics II
  • Thermodynamics
  • Introduction to Solid Mechanics
  • Manufacturing and Design Communication
  • Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
  • Multivariable Calculus
  • Introduction to Computer Programming
  • Physics for Scientists and Engineers
  • Introduction to Product Development

Honors & Awards

  • National Merit Finalist
  • Pac-12 Honor Roll
  • 2020 Int'l Piano Champion
  • 2021 Olympic Trials Qualifier

Experience

Research Assistant

Embodied Dexterity Group, UC Berkeley | May 2024 - Present

  • Engineered and executed bio-inspired robotic systems using Moteus motors and LabVIEW software
  • Created fluid undulating motion for a biomimetic fish robot
  • Implemented advanced control algorithms for C-start escape maneuvers (View Demo)
  • Optimized Arduino-based control systems for robotic actuation
  • Enhanced hardware integration for mechanical performance

NCAA Division I Athlete

Cal Women's Swim Team | August 2021 - Present

  • Balanced a 20+ hour weekly training schedule with rigorous academics
  • 2024 Pac-12 Champion and NCAA Qualifier
  • Developed teamwork, time management, and discipline through high-level athletic competition

Contact

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to collaborate on a project or just want to chat!

sakakabota@gmail.com LinkedIn Resume