Why did you choose to be an engineer?
To the possible dismay of my parents and advisors, I don’t know that I’ve chosen to be an engineer yet! See the “fun fact about yourself” bit below for elaboration. 🙂 That being said, I’ll answer this question as if I have chosen to be an engineer.
A lot of people have clean-cut stories like, “I grew up on Legos and just knew I wanted to build things for the rest of my life, so I became an engineer.” Mine is decidedly less exciting and purpose-driven. There isn’t a cohesive narrative or any one particular reason I chose to study engineering in college. Overall, I would say that I did it because it was a natural choice. Both of my parents are engineers and it was certainly easy to follow their paths without any compelling reason not to. Being engineers, my parents made sure that I excelled in math and science at school, and most people enjoy the things they’re good at. I never had a “I want to do this for the rest of my life” moment; studying engineering sort of happened by default. This fact doesn’t suggest that I’m not passionate about my work! Once I chose to study engineering, I think my story aligns with many people’s – the opportunities to make cool stuff and make a positive impact were alluring. Then, one thing leads to the next and here I am in a PhD program for MS&E. I can’t say I’ve been disappointed so far!
Hometown:
Orlando, Florida
Class Year:
PhD (2020, I guess…)
Field:
Management Science & Engineering
Fun fact:
I’m very involved in the musical world! I earned an undergraduate degree in music performance (euphonium) from the University of Michigan and use it regularly through a few outlets: I coach low brass at Saratoga High School, keep a private studio of students, perform as a freelance musician, as part of a quartet of fantastic musicians from across the country, and continue to pursue solo work. I also have delved into another side of music by working part-time at Stanford Live, working in programming & engagement, marketing, and artist relations. Lastly, I enjoy writing rhymes, but I struggle to make time for it. If you ever want to chat about anything music, need a recommendation for something to listen to, want to trade freestyle raps in a cypher, etc., feel free to reach out!
