is a mechanical engineering Ph.D. student at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducting research on design theory and engineering education. He received an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in creative writing from the University of South Florida. Alexander is excited to have received an NSF GRFP Fellowship for research in STEM Education and Learning Science. His research has focused on functional modeling and mental models in order to understand how engineering students develop systems thinking skills. He is also a musician and teaches marching percussion (specifically the marimba and vibraphone) to high school students. After completing his graduate degree, he wants to become academic faculty and start a business as a design consultant.