The Bridge - Issue 1, 2022 - 29

Student Profile
Whom do you admire (professionally
and/or personally) and why?
I know it is somewhat of a trope to say that I
admire my parents, but I really do. Now, I also have
wonderful professors who are gifted with compassion,
intelligence, and communication skills. They give me
invaluable insight into what my future could look like.
However, my parents gave me the foundation and
skills I needed to be successful in the first place. I
wouldn't be the hardworking, humorous, handsome
man I am if I didn't take after my father. Nor would I
be the kind, caring, intelligent man I am without my
mother. They are my guiding lights in everything I do.
In what direction do you think engineering
and other IEEE fields of interest are headed
in the next 10 years?
Everything is getting smarter. We have so much
data on every little thing we can find. I see our cars,
power grids, and electrical systems becoming more
intelligent. I see our batteries, distribution systems,
and devices becoming more resilient and efficient.
I think we are trending into a more integrated,
electrical society every day. The need for electrical
and software engineers is only going to continue to
grow. My bold prediction in the next 10 years, which
could be too soon, is about the growth of insertable
embedded systems. Batteries and sensors that are
powered by the motion, temperature, sweat, and
stomach acid of our own bodies are actively being
researched today. There is a real chance that we will
start seeing commercially viable embedded systems
literally embedded in our own bodies in the next
10 years. The real challenge will be dealing with the
apprehension and safety surrounding such systems,
but the technology is right around the corner.
What is the most important thing you've
learned in school?
From a technical standpoint, I think Ohm's Law has
to be the single most important thing I have learned.
However, I think the soft skills that school has taught
me are much more impactful. My university has
taught me to speak for myself, to be inquisitive, and
to look for opportunities. I spent most of the early
days of my internships training on the equipment
and software that I would use. However, I received
no training on the soft skills that were necessary
for my jobs. Employers expected me to come
with the soft skills that my education provided,
and they trusted that I could learn everything else.
Without my educational experiences, I could still
teach myself how to program or how to calculate
resistances. However, I don't think I would be able to
communicate, cultivate, and pursue the opportunities
around me.
What advice would you give to other students
entering college and considering studying
your major?
Let someone else tell you no. If you want to perform
research, join a design team, or pursue some creative
endeavor, then you should do it. Don't be your own
gatekeeper and tell yourself you need to be older,
more experienced, or more creative before you can
do those things. Just go try them because there is no
better way to build the experience. Someone else
will tell you no, so don't be self-limiting. There are
many opportunities that you shut down, even though
everyone else would let you pursue them. There is
one caveat to this: It is easy to say " yes " to everything
and spread yourself too thin. Make sure you are only
pursuing the opportunities you wish to pursue.
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The Bridge - Issue 1, 2022

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