Blast From the Past!

Here are some projects I have done over the years with students from Phillipsburg High School, Warren Hills Middle School and Jefferson TWP High School.  Courses include Automotive Repair, Design & Problem Solving, Intro to Tech, Woodworking, Metalworking and Electronics.

FIRST Robotics

CO2 Dragsters

Truss Testing

Boat Hull Design

Welding with Oxy-Acetylene and MIG            

Automotive Repair

Woodworking                      

Toy Tops

Mousetrap Cars

Balsa Bridge Testing

Electricity and Electronics

Downhill Race Cars 

Ridge High School Graduates

2016 (21)

 

Eric Zima -  General Engineering at Virginia Tech 

Shaan Lakshmanan - Architecture at Syracuse

Jesse Mocciaro  - Civil Engineering at Bucknell University

Scott Gordon  - Computer and Electrical Engineering at Rowan University

Sanath Nagaraj - Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech 

Ryan Pavlik – Mechanical Engineering at Penn State

Zach Beim - Architecture at University of Virginia

Bryce Early - Electrical Engineering at Penn State

Aristotle Partsinevelos - Civil Engineering at NJIT

Christoph Aigner - Electrical/Computer Engineering at Northwestern University

Justin Kransdorf - Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering at Washington University

Charlie Keating - Physics at the College of the Holy Cross

Chase Robina - Mechanical Engineering at Penn State

Sergei Zakharkin - Electrical Engineering-Robotics at Rochester Institute of Technology

Michael Kerby - Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M Engineering Honors

Mo Attie - Mechanical Engineering at NJIT

Michael Ardiff - Computer Science at University of North Carolina

Oliver Fountain - Computer Science at Marist College
Keshav Harisikanth - Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois
Tim Miscia - Civil Engineering at RIT
Austin Moldovan - Engineering at Providence

2016 Senior, Engineering/Architecture Award Ceremony Winners

There are 3 awards being presented for students who have achieved excellence in Mr. Dotta’s and Mr. Aufiero's Engineering, Architecture and Robotics courses.  The recipients have demonstrated outstanding performance, leadership, enthusiasm and devotion towards a career in engineering or architecture.  Each recipient has excelled in their understanding of engineering concepts and has designed and manufactured custom robots, 3D printed objects and laser cut assemblies.

Zach Beim
Chase Robina
Ryan Pavlik

An advanced Engineering student, Tristan Hinoul has taken on an amazing challenge. He measured and drew every major part of a Small Gas Engine, which we eventually 3D Printed!

Check out Tristan's Site:   http://www.tristanhinoul.com

Congrats to Tristan for winning this years 1st Annual "Excellence in Engineering Design Award"!

Early stages of measuring each part with precision tools and drawing them in 3D on Inventor!

Final Engine Assembly on Inventor

3D Printing the Crankshaft

Exact replica, 3D printed engine on the Left, Real Engine on the Right with Tristan's "Engineering Design Award" to follow!  

Custom Designed 3D Printer Projects Drawn on AutoCAD Inventor

Ashley George (laser cutter) Mechanical Bird

Zach Beim; iPhone Holder

Charlie King; Channellock Pliers

Michael Kerby; Custom Golf Tool

Brett Caramico; Custom Heely Shoe

Jaydon Shafer's "Toy Helicopter" wins First Runner Up!!!




Sergei Zakharkin; Pneumatic Cylinder
Stephen Rodgers; Rugby Tee
Jacob Hendershot; Sun Shades (laser)

Matt Stamatiou; Utility Tool Set

Dan & Thomas; Laser cut Gears

Allan Wang; Laser cut keyboard

Zach Beim's Custom Designed Electric Guitar!!!




John DeNicola's Custom Pick-up truck 

Video of Concrete Sample being crushed!!!

Students in Mr. Dotta's Architecture class making concrete samples and testing them in the hydraulic press. Best sample withstood 6.5 Tons!

Custom Home Designs on Revit by Architecture Students

Charlie Keating's Custom Home Design

Michelle Singer's Custom Home

Leslie Hwang's Custom Home

CAD I Shadow Box Projects ~ Drawn on AutoCAD ~ Cut with Laser Cutter!

Robotics II

Robotics I

Students in Engineering Design CAD I are learning the importance of PRECISION and having an eye for detail. This often underestimated skill of hand-drafting has proven beneficial to future Engineers and Architects alike.

Students in Engineering Design CAD II are learning how to do advanced Auxiliary Views on AutoCAD

In the past 5 years, the Tech. Ed. Department is proud to have sent 51 students into Engineering, Architecture or related field to some of the best universities in the country. Congratulations graduates!!!

Ridge High School Graduates

2012 (8)

 

Michael J. Alirangues - Chemistry/ Chemical Engineering at Raritan Valley Community College

Goedele Van Landegem - Civil Engineering at the college of New Jersey

Christian Saul Sanoguet Hernandez -  Mechanical Engineering at Penn State 

Elana Alves - Landscape Architecture at Virginia Tech

Jalaal Mohammedi  - Mechanical Engineering  at Lehigh University

Oliver Peloso  - Environmental and Energy Science  at the University of Deleware

Frank Ascolese - HVAC Tech, Raritan Valley  

Patrick Profita – Civil Engineering at University of Vermont

2013 (9)

Liem Ho - Cell and Molecular Biology  at NJIT

Nicole Allora - Civil/Environmental Engineering  at Tufts University

Alex Stanzel - Mechanical Engineering at Loyola University

Christina Tobin - Civil Engineering  at  Villanova University

Ezra Keough  - Engineering Management and a minor in Architecture at  Lafayette

Gunnar Terjesen  -  Civil Engineering at  University  of Maryland

Christopher Workman  - Mechanical Engineering at  Stevens Institute

Alex Lopez - Materials Science Engineering at Virginia Tech  
Marissa Taddeo – Architecture at University of Maryland

2014 (17)

Nick Santini  - Software Engineer  at  Drexel University

Reinout Van Landegem - Biomedical Engineering at Stevens’s Institute of Technology

Saarah Mohammedi - Biomedical engineering   at Stevens Institute of Technology

Connor Marano  - Physics  at Rutgers University

Eric Skoglund - Electrical Engineering at Drexel University

Matt Lusk - Architecture, Minor in Construction Management at Drexel University

Matt Wilson - Biomedical Engineering at Clemson University 

Brian Jenkins -  Electrical Engineering at Scranton University

Gustavo Garcia  - Mechanical Engineering at University of Maryland

Ryan Scherzer  - Civil Engineering at Alabama 

Hongyi Chen - Chemical engineering at Purdue

Ben Greenblatt   - Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech

Stephen Blumenthal  - Mechanical Engineering at  University of Maryland

Tyler Moldovan   - Mechanical Engineering at Villanova

Jack Kleinert - A.B. Engineering  at Lafayette 

Atreya Misra – Electrical Engineering at University of Texas
Allison Byrne – Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University

2015 (17)

Bianca Jurewicz - Aerospace Engineering at Notre Dame

Emily Saul - UVA School of Architecture

David Holmes - University of Miami School of Architecture

Amanda Reimer - Mechanical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology

Kyle Saul - Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University

Samuel Storms  - Physics and Engineering at Seton Hall then Engineering at NJIT

Emily Sellitti - Packaging Engineering at Rutgers University

Jake Bondy - Mechanical Engineering at University of Colorado Boulder

Madeleine Modugno - Mechanical Engineering at Rutgers University

Cole Haiback – Mechanical Engineering at Clemson

Petar Dimitrijević – Mechanical Engineering at Rutgers

Emily Yuen - Architecture at Syracuse 

Alicia Coto -  Computer and Electrical Engineering at Cornell

Jackson Crewe - General Engineering at Harvey Mudd College  

James Morgan - Mechanical Engineering at Villanova

Spenser Cheung - Computer Engineering at Northeastern University

John Feeley – Mechanical Engineering at University of New Hampshire

Student/Parent Appreciation :) Thanks for all the kind words!

Hi Mr. Dotta, 

I wanted to shoot you off a quick note to let you know that when I spoke with Jalaal the other night he mentioned you. Jalaal has joined the Formula 1 club and they are in the middle of pulling apart an engine. Jalaal mentioned that while many of the Freshman had no clue, he remembered his time with you in class and it was easy. Thought you might like to know that you are still in Jalaal's mind even after graduation. Enjoy the school year. 

Thank you, 

Amina 

I wanted to take a moment to compliment one of your teachers Mark Dotta.  My son Jalaal  insisted I write to you to let you know that Mr. Dotta's classes were engaging and filled with knowledgeable learning.  My son has always known that he would someday be a Mechanical Engineer.  As such he took every technical class you had in the curriculum since freshman year.  Along the way he had several teachers all with varying degrees of knowledge.

Mr. Dotta has far exceeded our expectations this year.  Jalaal loved his Industrial Design class that was filled with practical learning.  I commend Mr. Dotta for bringing in a practical dimension by pulling apart an engine in class. Every day Jalaal learned something new which I'm sure will carry him as he begins a new chapter in his life at Lehigh School of Engineering.

Congratulations to Mr. Dotta!  I hope he knows how much the students loved his class. Many thanks for inspiring my child.

Regards,

Amina 

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      Hey Mr. Dotta. 

      Just wanted to say how things were going here at Scranton. I'm majoring in Electrical Engineering. The classes I am taking are pretty tough, except for one… I'm taking CAD again! And its the easiest class ever. We are making orthographic drawings on CAD and I have only received 100%s. My professor asked me if I ever took the class before. I told him how I used AutoCAD for a year and would sit in on other classes of yours. My professor looked at some of my old drawings from high school and told me that we did more advanced things in your class than this course will cover. The way my professor teaches CAD is by typing everything into the command line, which I find very confusing. Many students have come up to me asking for help and I taught them the program in a much easier way, the way you taught us.  I have also applied to become a paid tutor for the class next semester. So I just wanted to thank you for teaching CAD so well. 

      Brian Jenkins

10/16, 8:23am

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Hi Mr. Dotta, 

I wish I’d had a chance to say thank you in person. I want you to know how grateful we are to have you as Zoe’s CAD teacher this year. Zoe loved your class from the start. Zoe always has positive things to say about your lessons. Thank you for all your hard work.  I truly appreciate it.

Have a wonderful summer!

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Hi Mr. Dotta

Thank you for taking the time to write to me about Ashley.  She enjoys both the CAD class and the Club after school.  She definitely has a few of your courses selected for next year's line-up and she is hoping she gets at least one of them.  I do appreciate your encouragement and reinforcement of Women in Engineering.  

Thank you again.

 Elizabeth G.

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Custom homes designed on AutoCAD Revit by Architecture students! Wow!

Balsa wood framed homes manufactured by Architecture students!

Developments made by CAD II students. Geometry Integration!

Laser Cut Gears and Clocks made by CAD II Students

Laser Cut Shadow Boxes designed in CAD I by Mr. Dotta and Mr. Aufiero's classes.

Laser Cut dinosaur figure; A gift to Mr. Howlett from the Technology Education Department

Students in CAD II working on Small Gas Engines! WOW! Students gain a priceless experience learning how they work and they make a physical connection to mechanical engineering.