Design Engineer for the Grain Storage and Accessories division of GSI Group, a company that I interned with during my undergraduate studies.
FIRST JOB AFTER ROSE-HULMAN?
MOST VALUABLE LESSON YOU LEARNED ON THAT JOB?
How to ask for help when trying to solve a problem, not to mention the importance of knowing that it's okay to ask for help.
MOST MEMORABLE ROSE-HULMAN PROFESSOR?
This is such an impossible question because all of my professors impacted me immensely - in fact, I still chat with a great majority of them to this day. However, if I had to pick just one, it would probably be Dr. Patsy Brackin [Mechanical Engineering]. Dr. Brackin's classes really helped tie all of my engineering schooling together in my final year at Rose. Her capstone class puts engineering students in the shoes of real-world engineering professionals and offers real-world engineering problems. As the culmination of engineering studies, Dr. Brackins' classes showed me how to apply my technical knowledge and prepped me for my professional and technical career.
IDEAL WEEKEND?
Every weekend I find solace in volunteering to construct homes for Habitat for Humanity or as part of various programs within the community that serve the area. When I'm not serving in this capacity, I'm never sitting still - you'll often find me "tinkering" with little projects around the home, working on a new design idea, or helping friends and family with any and everything. As long as I'm working with my hands and learning something new, it's a fantastic weekend.
STAR TREK OR STAR WARS?
I'm about to embarrass all engineers and nerds to ever grace the Rose-Hulman campus - I've actually never seen either Star Trek or Star Wars... However, if I had to pick one to binge watch this weekend, it'd be Star Wars.
WHAT IS THE NERDIEST THING YOU DO?
I love to learn new things through teaching myself with little pet projects. As a mechanical engineer, I was able to dabble in designing and building electronic circuits as part of the Mechanical Engineering curriculum, a topic which has always interested me. So naturally, now that I have that basic knowledge and know-how, I nerd-out in trying to teach myself more and more about electronics and robotics. It seems as though I've always got electronic components laying around waiting to be used as part of my next project.
ADVICE TO INCOMING ROSE-HULMAN STUDENTS?
Take it all in. Talk to everyone you have a chance to and treat every situation as an opportunity to learn something new. Get involved with groups around campus and put yourself out there - don't be afraid to try new things, to join new clubs, and to learn from your colleagues. You'll quickly learn that Rose-Hulman is an exceptionally special place - welcome to the family.
Lauren
Biomedical Engineering and Engineering Management alumna with a passion for travel.
