C. Thomas Vangsness III

C. Thomas Vangsness III has a comprehensive work experience that spans over a decade. C. Thomas began their career as a Project Manager at JT Automotive in 2009. From 2010 to 2014, they held the role of R&D Engineer at Eye Concepts, followed by a brief stint as a Project Engineer at SpineGuard in 2014.

In 2015, Vangsness became an Entrepreneurial Lead at N.S.F I-Corps, where they underwent an intensive course to evaluate the commercial viability of an onsite micro-reactor for emissions testing. Later that year, they joined Texas A&M University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, assisting with the organization and presentation of materials for graduate classes and delivering lectures and assignments for undergraduate courses.

Vangsness continued their studies at Texas A&M University in 2014 as a Graduate Research Assistant until 2016. During this time, they also took on the role of Lead Mechanical Systems Engineer at EARTH AI from 2020 to 2021, where they collaborated with various teams to solve engineering problems in mineral exploration.

In 2020, Vangsness joined Firefly Aerospace as a Design Engineer GSE Tooling, where they designed and constructed tooling to support Alpha Vehicle production and launch operations. Concurrently, they became a Design Engineer at National Oilwell Varco, leading the design and project management of the "FracMaxx Articulating Arm," generating $25 million in revenue.

Most recently, Vangsness worked as a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Deaton Engineering, Inc. from 2021 to 2022, where they served as a consultant for Finite Element Analysis of industrial construction equipment, machine components, and injection molded consumer products.

Currently, Vangsness holds the position of Senior Mechanical Engineer at ICON, starting in 2022.

C. Thomas Vangsness III holds a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, which they obtained in 2017. Prior to that, they completed their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southern California from 2010 to 2013. While at USC, they also earned a Certificate in Cours de Civilisation Française from Université Paris-Sorbonne in 2013-2014.

Additionally, in 2012, Vangsness obtained certification as a Certified Solidworks Associate (CWSA).

Currently, they are pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, which they expect to complete in 2022.