Appetizers

Starting with some basics.

 Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

 Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day student life.

Tell us about yourself and what you're studying.

I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Product Design. Specifically, I spend most of my time for the program on my capstone project, where I am designing a bubble toy with three other team members for an industry partner. I have taken courses in my curriculum ranging from human-centered design to lean manufacturing. Outside of academics, I enjoy anything related to art and design such as film photography, architecture, furniture design, etc.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

If I have to be honest, I started undergrad not knowing what I wanted to pursue. I ended up deciding to switch to Mechanical Engineering because the field was so broad and had stable career options. I like the "hands-on" aspect of the field in terms of prototyping and 3D design. I think it has a balance in both utilizing creative and technical skills.

What classes are you taking right now? Which is your favorite and why?

I am currently taking a course on composite materials and lean manufacturing. I previously took courses on human-centered design and advanced engineering design graphics. My favorite out of all of them was my human-centered design course since we were able to work with HP on conceptualizing a wearable device.

Let's say the school day just started, what's a typical morning look like?

Given that my program is completely remote via Zoom, I normally wake up 30 min before class starts to brew a cup of coffee and put together a quick breakfast.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

Since I schedule all my courses in the morning, the afternoon is usually reserved for meetings with different project teams and my capstone industry sponsor.

How are your classes/exams and how do you keep up? How many hours per week do you spend studying or doing assignments?

Because my program has shifted from an in-person one to a virtual one, it’s hard to gauge how hard the program would normally be. With the pandemic, courses have just been more lenient in general and the program now allows courses to be taken as pass/fail. With that, the program has not been intense, and the main stress results from difficulties in prototyping for my capstone project (as mechanical engineering projects involve "in-person hands-on" work in a maker space or lab setting). I spend about 8 hours per week studying or doing assignments if there are no exams that week.

 Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your grad program?

The most challenging aspect is not having an "in-person" experience for a program that is centralized around building connections and networking. Additionally, not having access to department facilities such as the machine shop or engineering equipment such as 3D printers or laser cutters made it incredibly difficult and slow to kick off our capstone project initially. Note that I can only speak for a virtual experience of a normally "in-person" Master's program.

What are some characteristics that help someone succeed in your grad program specifically?

Communication is key!!! In this grad program, many courses are heavily based around projects for the entirety of the semester (no exams). It is imperative that you are transparent with your team members and you foster good relationships with everyone within your team(s). A bad team project can quickly ruin your program experience.

Any advice on how to stand out and get into your grad program for those just starting off?

Make sure you have a lot of related technical experience for the major or concentration that you are applying to. For example, if you are applying for Mechanical Engineering with a Product Design concentration, make sure you tailor your experiences to design, manufacturing, rapid prototyping, etc.

What's something that surprised you about grad school?

The courses that you did not expect to benefit you the most end up being the most applicable to your future careers. I found a specific class in entrepreneurship to be much more valuable than all my technical engineering classes.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to get into your grad program?

Apply for the program if you are trying to utilize it to gain connections to different industries. The program is built around helping you network with others as this is a one-year program so it is more heavily focused on helping you build a solid portfolio than it is on teaching you deep technical knowledge for your field.

Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?