Introduction

My name is Luke Logan. Before venturing on this project, I had developed a significant background in the STEM field which propelled me to complete the new STEM Diploma Endorsement rather than a traditional capstone project. Throughout high school, I had taken an engineering design course, multiple computer science classes, AP physics, AP chemistry, and AP calculus which promoted me to pursue a larger project in math and science to apply to extensive knowledge I had gleaned from studies. In addition, I did an internship at the Colorado School of Mines robotics lab which initiated my journey into engineering and sparked my interest in pursuing a career as a mechanical engineer in the future. Realizing that this new STEM Diploma Endorsement fit perfectly with my career path and would offer many future opportunities for me in the STEM field, completing a STEM Capstone seemed like a clear course to take.

SolarNAV is a solar tracking system that is designed to provide sustainable, reliable electricity access to areas lacking electrical infrastructure like sub-Saharan Africa. When electrical infrastructure is lacking, it becomes difficult to implement electricity in the everyday lives of people living in the region. Imagine trying to use a cell phone without an outlet in the wall to charge it - eventually the power will run out and the phone becomes useless because there is no electricity to charge it. In order to tackle this problem, I designed a solar tracking system that is self-powered and widely portable for effective use in local areas.