Makoto Nara

Makoto Nara has a diverse range of work experience. They started their career in 2016 as a Summer Teaching Assistant at The Dalton School. In 2017, they continued their teaching experience as a Summer Teaching Assistant at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. During this time, they also worked as a Robotics Researcher at Harvey Mudd College, where they developed custom 3D printed parts for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and surveyed the seafloor for WWII wreckage.

In 2019, Makoto gained industry experience through internships at Viasat Inc., working as a Hardware Engineering Intern, and at Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing North America, where they took on the role of Clinic Team Leader and developed a scale prototype to detect load shifts in container trailers. They also worked as a Machine Shop Proctor and Head Maintenance Shop Proctor at Harvey Mudd College during this time.

In 2020, Makoto joined Cristek Interconnects, LLC, first as a Mechatronics Engineer, overseeing the electrical test lab and working on projects for autonomous dispensing and dipping. They then moved on to become an Integrated Product Team Lead, where they led the development of Twist Capsule Assemblies, focusing on mechanical design and analysis/testing efforts.

Most recently, in 2023, Makoto started working at Idealab as a Prototype Engineer. No end date has been provided for this role.

Makoto Nara obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, where they attended from 2016 to 2020. Prior to that, Makoto attended The Dalton School for their high school education and received a High School Diploma between the years 2003 and 2016. The field of study for their high school education is not specified.