“Engineering problem-solving relies on developing intuition for how a wide variety of systems operate, and then conducting the proper analysis from there. As a professor someday, I hope to use this mindset and others that I have learned in engineering to benefit those that I’m teaching and mentoring.”
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Clubs and activities: Competitive ballroom dance, trained and qualified for the National Ski Patrol, and the Supplemental Instruction program. I also have conducted research in both biological systems engineering and organic chemistry.
Valuable hands-on learning experience: Working within the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program has definitely been a true highlight of my Iowa State experience. SI has helped me discover so much about myself, and that all stems from the incredibly warm and welcoming environment fostered by the SI community.
Through leading sessions for organic chemistry, I developed a much deeper understanding of the content than I would have otherwise and ultimately found out that I have a passion for teaching and supporting students. This has been a major factor in my desire to become a professor someday.
Greatest accomplishment: Creating a customized multidisciplinary experience which merges biological systems engineering with organic chemistry via coursework, teaching (through SI), and research. I am very appreciative for all the support I received from the ABE department, especially my advisor Ben McCarty, in putting it all together.
Influential mentors: Daniel Andersen, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, Raj Raman, Morrill Professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, Brett VanVeller, associate professor of chemistry, and David Appy, associate teaching professor of chemistry. All four have been nothing but supportive throughout my journey, always taking the time to make sure that I feel valued both as a person and a student, all while pushing me to be my best.
What stands out to me is how inspired I feel when interacting with each of them. The excitement and passion which they infuse into their work is contagious. I can’t help but feel uplifted and energized after our conversations.
Plans after graduation: I plan on starting a Ph.D. program in organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry in the fall at the University of Minnesota.
Leaving my mark on the world: My hope is to bring the unique lens and mindset that I have gained through my engineering training to the world of organic chemistry. Engineering problem-solving relies on developing intuition for how a wide variety of systems operate, and then conducting the proper analysis from there. As a professor someday, I hope to use this mindset and others that I have learned in engineering to benefit those that I’m teaching and mentoring.
Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer: My biggest takeaway from my Iowa State engineering experience has been learning what it means to do “good engineering.”
Society trusts engineers to design the world we live in, and as a result, we, as (future) engineers, have a moral obligation to correctly, clearly and faithfully apply the skills and knowledge we have learned to everything we do.
This is something that Dr. Raman and Dr. Andersen have continually coached me on throughout my research in ABE, and the same concept comes back again and again throughout our coursework, all the way from Engr 160 to Capstone Design.