Resume

General Info

Full Name Wilson Harper
Website wilsonharper.net
Email hello@wilsonharper.net
LinkedIn Wilson-Harper
Location Houston, TX

Education

  • Class of 2029
    B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering; Minor in Entrepreneurship
    Rice University — Houston, TX
    • Elected as New Student Representative in Martel College Parliament
  • 2021 - 2025
    High School Diploma
    Davis High School — Yakima, WA
    • Earned 3.99 GPA, IB Diploma, and Washington State Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish

Engineering Experience

  • 2026
    Incoming Embedded Engineering Intern
    RTX BBN Technologies — Cambridge, MA
    • Will prototype embedded multi-domain systems and PNT algorithms for harsh environments
  • 2025 - Present
    Avionics Design
    Rice Flight — Houston, TX
    • Leading design of thrust test stand to measure efficiency for UAV optimization
    • Integrating Arduino with load cells, current sensors, and UAV hardware to collect/analyze data
  • 2025 - Present
    Active Fin Stabilization
    Rice Eclipse Rocketry — Houston, TX
    • Designing avionics for reliable rocket active fin stabilization system
    • Integrating RP2350 and I2C/UART sensors on custom PCB to control servo-actuated fins
    • Active fin stabilization system will go on space-shot rocket to exceed the Kármán line
  • 2018 - 2025
    Chapter President & UAV Team Captain
    Technology Student Association — Yakima, WA
    • Served as chapter president for 50+ students and won six state-level awards
    • Led design of position-holding UAV in GPS-denied environments using optical flow and LiDAR
    • Designed a modular 3D-printed airframe and servo-actuated gripper to move payloads
    • Implemented EKF sensor fusion, remote telemetry, and power distribution systems
  • 2024
    Researcher
    MIT Lincoln Laboratory RISE — Lexington, MA
    • One of ~4% of applicants selected for DoD-sponsored free research experience
    • Researched, built, and programmed Doppler and synthetic aperture radars
    • Gained experience in soldering, CAD, signal processing, and research, mentored by Lincoln Labs staff

Professional Experience

  • 2026
    Teaching Assistant, BUSI 361 (Communication for Entrepreneurs)
    Rice University — Houston, TX
    • Facilitating instruction on communication, conflict resolution, networking, and workplace dynamics
    • Coaching students on public speaking to effectively communicate complex concepts
  • 2025
    Summer Camp Staff
    Spokane, WA
    • Responsible for up to 65 guests at remote location accessible only by boat
    • Learned high-stakes logistics planning due to remote environment
    • Duties ranged from comforting homesick children to cleaning large amounts of septic waste

Skills

  • Software
    • Python, CAD (Fusion, OnShape), avionics, ArduPilot, MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
  • Hardware
    • LiDAR, radar, telemetry, sensor integration, UAVs
  • Tools
    • soldering, 3D printing, CNC routing, hand tools, multimeters, breadboards