William Som de Cerff

Aerospace Engineering student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

wsomdece@calpoly.edu · Long Beach, CA

Projects

Technical Experience & Student Engineering Teams

Cal Poly Space Systems · Member · 2026

Contributed to the Liquid Propellant Subteam, specializing in injector design and flow characterization. Supporting the design and early development of a 50-lbf liquid rocket engine using CAD modeling, applying fluid dynamics principles, and iteratively prototyping.

Poly Electric Propulsion and Plasma Research · Member · 2026

Working to revitalize electric propulsion research at Cal Poly by establishing new test procedures and lab workflows. Assisting in the manufacturing and assembly of a Hall Effect Thruster, including component fabrication, tolerancing, and plasma diagnostics preparation.

FRC Robotics Team 7042 · 2022–2026

Served as Engineering Director, Chief Engineer, and Design Lead, overseeing mechanical design, system integration, and manufacturing. Earned the Design Creativity Award for three consecutive years by creating innovative mechanisms and engineering solutions, 2024–2026.

Skills

Hardware: Machining — CNC and Manual, 3D Printing, PCB assembly
Software: SolidWorks, Java, Python, MATLAB

Work Experience

Corky Carroll’s Surf School · Surfing Instructor

Summer 2026

  • Delivered both individual instruction and high-volume summer programs, adapting teaching methods to meet client needs.
  • Prioritized safety by changing lesson plans based on ocean conditions.
  • Communicated clearly with participants and team members to coordinate activities.
Shared Science · Academic Support Instructor

Summers 2024 & 2025

  • Facilitated lessons, lab activities, and hands-on experiments for elementary students.
  • Collaborated with fellow instructors to refine lesson delivery.
  • Addressed behavioral challenges with patience and clear boundaries.