Hi, I’m Sammy!
I’m a senior electrical engineering major studying at Penn State. I was born and raised in State College PA, so you could say I’ve been a Penn Stater my whole life. It’s a great place to be, but I can’t wait to branch out and pursue a career in digital audio.
My passion for digital audio stems from my love for music. I’m an active musician in the local gig scene, and when I’m not studying for my next exam, you can catch me playing the saxophone (and occasionally keys) in various funk, jazz, and latin bands around town.
Throughout my undergrad experience, I’ve fought to steer my EE degree towards the audio field. I’m excited to be pursuing a masters degree that focuses my EE background on the topic I’m most passionate about: music technology.
Theremin Design Project
Technical Projects
Stylophone Workshop
Sax Tracking Project
Undergraduate Research
Electronic Materials and Devices Department | Penn State Applied Research Lab
Advisors: Robert Lavelle, David Snyder
Spring 2024 - Present
In my role as a research and development intern, I primarily studied the ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor (UWBG) gallium oxide. Polishing a semiconductor through chemical and mechanical planarization (CMP) is an essential step towards creating a device. However, the CMP process can leave subsurface damage that compromises gallium oxide’s electrical performance. I performed MATLAB data analysis and contributed atomic force microscopy (AFM) scans towards a research paper published in January 2025 that examined a new polishing method that mitigates subsurface damage.
Robert M. Lavelle, William J. Everson, Daniel J. Erdely, Luke A.M. Lyle, Scott W. Pistner, Samuel R. Hallacher, Joan M. Redwing, David W. Snyder
Published Gallium Oxide AFM Scans
Acoustic Image Scan Results
Acoustic Signal Processing Lab | EE Undergraduate Research Program
Advisors: Brian Reinhardt, J. Daniel Park, John Doherty
Fall 2025 - Present
In spring 2025, I was accepted into the electrical engineering undergraduate research program; a funded opportunity for EE undergrads to do research as their senior capstone project, which culminates in a research poster competition in April 2026
My research capstone project focuses on validating In-Air Sythentic Aperature Sonar (AirSAS) simulation results against real world data collected from a physical AirSAS setup. There is significant cost to taking acoustic image readings in the field, which makes reliable simulation results desirable. Through this comparison, the study aims to evaluate model validity, and deepen my understanding of in-air acoustic imaging principles, including sound propagation, reflection, object resonance mapping, and signal processing.
Performances and Recordings
Soloing over “Dizzy Dizzy Wildflower” by Miho Hazama, FA25
Live studio recording of Hot Fudge Yacht Club, SP25
Live recording of Open Music, FA25
Centre Dimensions:
I’ve had the pleasure to play with the top Penn State jazz band, Centre Dimensions since my first semester. Through my involvement with Penn State jazz, I’ve learned unique approaches to improvisation, led and organized combos for gigs, and mentored younger students as a section leader.
Hot Fudge Yacht Club:
I had the chance to play sax and keys for Hot Fudge Yacht Club, a funk band formed by Penn State students. To cap off a semester of playing live gigs around town, we recorded an album in the PSU recording studio where I helped out with wiring microphones and mixing the final tracks .
Open Music:
By my count, Open Music is State College’s only “avante garde” music ensemble. Playing saxophone in this ensemble changed how I view music as an art form, and surprised me by proving that “weird” music can draw an audience even in Central PA.