2012 Alumnus Channels Passion Through Engineering Design

The fusion of creativity, innovation, and analytical design has allowed Class of 2012 alumnus and Lifer Adam Bassett to find his professional purpose as a mechanical design engineer at Bauer, Inc., in Bristol, Conn.

In his position, Adam and his team work together to improve the designs and documentation of standard product lines for aircraft wheel and brake support equipment along with producing the 2D/3D CAD models and dimensional drawings for fabricating the aircraft component test stands. The large electrical and hydraulic machines are designed to run and test individual components of an aircraft to ensure every piece remains flight worthy, ranging anywhere from the main fuel pumps, wheels/brakes, fuel nozzles, etc. His specific responsibilities are designing the physical machines, sheet metal structure, and tooling and, most importantly, ensuring they are designed in such a way that they can be manufactured, assembled, and serviced.

Adam’s passion for engineering and design has been present since he was a child, and he said he knew he wanted to pursue a career in that field. He was torn between studying aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering, but ultimately chose mechanical engineering his sophomore year of college. He graduated from Purdue University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Aside from his professional work, Adam founded his own personal business venture, Bassett Designs. The business offers affordable 3D printing, design, and consultation services towards small businesses and hobbyists. With 3D printing becoming increasingly popular and the common form of manufacturing, Adam noted that it has become unaffordable for most outside a traditional business environment. As such, Bassett Designs fills the gap and allows customers to reinvest their time back into their developing projects and other business needs.

Reflecting on his time under the pines, Adam credits his former instructors, specifically former Lower School science teacher Steve Jewett, Upper School science teacher and Science, Innovation, and Design Program Director Dr. Frank Gasparro, Upper School science teacher Dr. Bruce Zundell, and Upper School math teacher Judy Bratt, for reinforcing his interest in both science and math. Furthermore, he thanks the late Tom Iampietro and former Academic Dean and math teacher Sue Gonnelly for mentoring him through his decision process regarding higher education.

“I believe the challenging, yet fair, coursework at Hamden Hall gave me the foundation to self-manage my workload and priorities,” said Adam. “I remember learning to prioritize the workload for all my classes and develop a solid work ethic to see anything through to the end. That skill honed at Hamden Hall has been invaluable in college, in my career, and as a parent.”

Currently, Adam and his wife Tyeasha live in Bristol, Conn., with their three children; two daughters and one son. He noted they keep him pretty busy and every day is a new adventure. He also enjoys sharing his interests of 3D Printing, cooking, and art with them.