EDUCATION & LICENSING
- B.S., Electrical Engineering: California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
- Licensed Professional Engineer, Electrical Engineering: License: E 19326
- LEED Accredited Professional: GBCI# 0010169976
- Single Subject Teaching Credential: Physics & Foundational Mathematics
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Innovation Lab Assistant Director
The Nueva School – Hillsborough Lower & Middle School, San Mateo High School
June 2016 – Present
- Work collaboratively with I-Lab director to manage a staff of fifteen I-Lab Engineers, Computer Scientists, and Shop Managers.
- Responsible for shop safety and maintenance across two campuses.
- Integral to all I-Lab hiring, including candidate search, recruiting, and interviews.
- Work collaboratively with I-Lab director to design Design Thinking, Engineering, Computer Science, and Fabrication curriculum for 1st – 12th grade.
Applied Physics and Engineering Teacher – 9th & 12th Grade
Gary and Jerri- Ann Jacobs High Tech High – San Diego, CA
October 2011 to June 2016
- Taught varied content in a diverse full-inclusion classroom, including: physics, algebra 1, geometry, digital design and multimedia, engineering, programming, and multi-modal fabrication technologies.
- Worked with administration and faculty to provide pedagogical seminars and workshops for other teachers, with a focus on teacher development and sustaining a positive workplace culture.
- Trained faculty on the use of fabrication tools, including: hand tools, power tools, digital fabrication, and multimedia.
- Worked with multiple disciplines to design and implement complex physics, engineering, humanities, and mathematics projects (examples).
- Managed and operated various manufacturing equipment including a woodshop, laser cutter, and machine tools.
Founder & Principal
GRITLab – San Diego, CA
January 2014 to Present
- Provided pedagogical consulting services around the topics of constructivist education, project-based learning, integrated content areas, and Making in the classroom.
- Developed, implemented, and consulted on the Adversity by Design curriculum. (case study)
- Worked with adults and students from around the country and from varied philosophical viewpoints.
- A founding member of Pearson’s GRIT and Socio-Emotional design team.
Instructor of Science and Engineering
Summer 2011 & Summer 2012
Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth – La Jolla, CA & Thousand Oaks, CA
- Developed curriculum for a project based science and engineering course, especially tailored for gifted students grade 6-7.
- Taught (2) 3 week summer courses.
ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE
Founder, CEO, Principal Engineer
November 2016 – Present
MAKESafe Tools, Inc. – San Diego, CA; Redwood City, CA; El Cajon, CA
- Top scoring startup in the Founder Institute, Winter 2018 Cohort.
- Creator of all intellectual property (2 pending patents).
- Founded and bootstrapped the company to where it is today.
- Developed relationships with 3 of the largest safety distributors in the industry.
- Principal mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineer.
- Principal software developer.
Founder, Consultant, Engineer
June 2014 – Present
GRITLab – San Diego, CA & Redwood City, CA; El Cajon, CA
- Designed, fabricated, and sought patents for makerspace machine safety equipment – MAKESafe
- Designed and developed an open-source platform for generating timing pulley geometry – pulleygenerator.us
Project Manager, Engineer, and Renewable Energy Consultant
June 2007 – February 2011
Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch – San Francisco, CA
- Designed electrical systems for the following environments: Healthcare, Data Centers, Institutional, Renewable Energy, and Commercial.
- Provided technical consulting, economic analysis, and contract management for Kaiser Permanente’s Solar Initiative – totaling over $100 Million in contracts.
- Developed partnership with Silicon Valley fuel cell manufacturer (Bloom Energy, featured on 60 minutes). Managed electrical, mechanical, plumbing, architectural, and structural design teams for 7 installations.
- Researched and documented case studies including: an analysis of flywheel UPS systems in hospital data centers, a survey of existing operating room practices in relation to isolated power systems (as a lobby to the National Fire Protection Agency’s annual code revision), and renewable energy feasibility studies.
- Developed partnership with Israeli-based energy firm leading to the acquisition of a $1 Million grant from the federal government for joint product development.
- Developed and managed a suite of renewable energy services within the company.
- Managed all proposals, contract administration, billings, client management, and two people.
Project Manager and Lead Engineer
June 2006 – June 2007
L-3 Communications, EIS – Santa Maria, CA (contract position)
- Researched, designed, and fabricated a mobile RFID enabled asset tracking device for the civil engineering division of Vandenberg Air-Force Base.
- Developed an active RFID based system to track I.T. assets in Okaloosa County School District, Florida.
Owner & Operator
March 2005 – June 2007
D-Sea Marine Electric – Morro Bay, CA
- Designed, installed, and maintained high-end mobile power systems – specializing in yachts.
- Integrated different systems: Radar, GPS, DC & AC Systems, plumbing systems, & engine systems.
SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, & RECOGNITION
Recognition
- Classroom and pedagogy featured in the documentary films Most Likely to Succeed and Beyond Measure.
- Selected by The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation as an Allen Distinguished Educator. One of 7 outstanding educators that formed the inaugural cohort.
- Recipient of the 2014 Partner in Education Award, given by the Aerospace Physiology Society.
- Featured on Teaching Channel – Engaging Students in Work that Matters
- Received honorable mention in the McGraw Hill STEM Innovators in Education Competition.
- Received education grants from: McGraw Hill, The San Diego Foundation, and Donors Choose.
- Mention in Newsweek article “Maker Movement Reinvents Education”.
Publishing
- Formal Videos Published: Micro Documentary – Who is Scott Swaaley, Road Map – Let Your Passion Guide You, Road Map – Getting What You Need
- Published in EC&M magazine (Electrical Construction and Maintenance – May 2012 – The Truth Behind Energy Project Economics)
- Published articles in EdWeek: Confessions of a Reflective Practitioner, Deeper Learning, Except for Math?
Public Speaking & Educational Consulting
- Distance Coaching of PBL Educators | Northwest Schools, Nathan Hale High School, West Seattle High School
- Intro to Project Based Learning (2-day webinar)| Northwest Schools – High Ridge, MO
- Intro to Project Based Learning (2-day workshop) | Nathan Hale High School – Seattle, WA
- Intro to Project Based Learning, Creativity & Innovation Workshop (5-day workshop)| West Seattle High School – Seattle, WA
- Creating and Managing the Magic: A Design Sprint for Changemakers in Schools | NAIS 2017 – Baltimore, MD
- The Design Thinking Institute 2016 & 2017 (4-day workshop) | Organizer & Facilitator | San Mateo, CA
- Using Design Thinking and Technology to Clear the Fog of Ed | GOOGLE Edu Think Tank – Austin, TX
- Why Startups Should Hire Our High School Students | SXSWEdu 2016 – Austin, TX
- A Guide to Project-Based Learning | keynote for Idaho National Labs iSTEM 2015 – Idaho State University, College of Southern Idaho, & College of Western Idaho
- Crossing the Digital Divide | Deeper Learning Conference 2015 – San Diego, CA
- Adversity by Design | The Rowland Foundation 2014 – Burlington, VT
- Adversity by Design | Deeper Learning Conference 2014 – San Diego, CA
- Energy Economics – A true evaluation of avoided energy costs | EUEC 2010 – Phoenix, AZ.
- Here Comes the Sun | EUEC 2009 – Phoenix, AZ
- AIA 2009 | San Francisco, CA
- The Kaiser Energy Think Tank 2009 | Facilitator | San Francisco, CA
Skills
- Fabrication: carpentry, CAD, CAM, CNC, laser cutting, metal machining (lathe, mill), welding, and electronics.
- Digital Design: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro.
- Programming platforms (proficient): Arduino IDE, Java, Javascript, Processing, Google Apps Script
- Programming platforms (familiarity): HTML, CSS, Visual Basic
- Extremely proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Google Apps.
