Anna is pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering with a focus on thermal fluid systems. She came to the University of Texas in August 2016 and joined the Webber Energy Group in August 2017. Before moving to Texas, Anna graduated from Clemson University in South Carolina with a BS in mechanical engineering. Her capstone project at Clemson was to redesign Techtronic Industries' oil pulse driver using magnetorheological (MR) fluid in place of oil. This project involved researching, designing, and creating MR fluids as well as designing, building, and testing a prototype pulse driver modified for use with MR fluids.
During her final years at Clemson, Anna alternated semesters of study with semesters of work as an engineer at a design-build mechanical contractor in the D.C. metro area. In addition to smaller projects, she worked on the design of the mechanical systems for a 60-megawatt high-performance computing center in Fort Meade, Maryland, and the new Atlanta Falcons stadium in Georgia. She also completed a two-month project to evaluate the company's design process and identify areas of waste and opportunities for process improvement. Her time in D.C. influenced her to pursue research focused on building systems, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.