Michael Backo has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State Behrend with a 3.48 GPA. His project experience includes designing parts for a wind turbine and manufacturing a sports product. For his senior design project, he redesigned a bus bar for a locomotive system using FEA, Matlab, and Mathcad. He has worked as a shop worker, production line worker, and refereed youth soccer games. He was a member of the men's varsity soccer team at Penn State Behrend and participated in community service through an Appalachian work camp.