What I Do I am a mechanical engineering professor. I work with graduate students on research projects involving the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). We do a lot of laboratory experiments and computer analysis. I also teach classes on manufacturing topics.
Why Engineering? I liked doing hands-on things when I was young. In high school, my favorite classes were physics and math. Based on these interests, my dad (who is an engineer) suggested that I might like engineering.
School Days I received a BS from Duke University and MS and Ph.D. degrees from North Carolina State University.
My Day At Work When I worked in the auto industry, much of my work involved communicating with people from other companies, from factories, or other engineers within my company. Working at a university as a graduate student and now as a professor has allowed me to do more hands-on work and spend less time doing paperwork or making phone calls. My job as a professor has a lot of variety. In addition to the laboratory activities, I spend a lot of time reading about the latest technology developments, writing about my research, giving presentations about my research, preparing material for classes, teaching classes, and meeting with students.
Challenges Engineering requires a lot of persistence. Large projects last several years, so it sometimes takes awhile for your work to bear fruit. I've become better at focusing on the small pieces that will eventually add up to the big result. Another challenge has been to become a better communicator. Engineering may seem like a good career for introverts, but I've learned that more work gets accomplished when I communicate and collaborate regularly with others.
My Family My dad is a retired metallurgical engineer. After retiring from General Motors, he taught a class at a local university for several years. My mom was a fifth grade teacher before becoming a full-time mom. She has many cultural interests and regularly gives tours at the local art museum. I have one sister one year younger than me who works in the financial services industry. I have a dog named Scooter.
Dreams and Goals My short-term goal is to gain expertise in microsystems--a new research area for me. The technology of small things will be especially important in the years to come. My long-term goals are to continue to learn new things, to become a great teacher, and to do worthwhile research.
Inspiration My parents, with engineering and teaching backgrounds, definitely had the greatest influence on my life choices. The experience of going to graduate school opened my eyes to research--an engineering career that I hadn't given consideration to before.
Want to be an Engineer? The opportunities for great jobs are endless. There are many challenging problems to work on; find one that matches your interests and then find people to learn from.
Additional Thoughts The opportunities for great jobs are endless. There are many challenging problems to work on; find one that matches your interests and then find people to learn from.
Hobbies I love sports and spending time outside. My town is a great place for golf, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and skiing.
Kaylee Added Tuesday, October 31, 2017 at 1:25 AM Switching career paths entirely. Thinking of a master's in engineering? I have a degree in physiology, but know I am for sure switching to engineering. I don't feel that I'm all that interested in biomedical engineering though. Would a second bachelor's be worth it? Or should I pursue a master's degree? What is the difference between having a bachelor's or a master's in engineering? Answers 1 Michele Miller, Michigan Technological University Answered Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 1:49 PM Kaylee, That's great to hear that you are thinking about switching fields. I would recommend talking with someone at the college you are interested in. Most engineering departments have a Graduate Director--that would be a good person. Some ...Read More
Lauren, Zeeland, MI Added Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 10:42 PM Do part time engineering jobs exist? I graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree in December of 2007. In school I had great internship experiences and at graduation I had 2 job offers. But right before I could accept one, my husband's job changed and we moved to Michigan. In Michigan in 2008, there just weren't jobs. Shortly after, we had our first child who was born with special needs and I knew I needed to be home with him. Fast forward eight years and two more kids and I'm itching to get out of the house and put my brain ... Answers 1 Michele Miller, Michigan Technological University Answered Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 10:42 PM That's a great question, and honestly I don't know the answer. I doubt your degree is useless but it probably needs updating. I would talk with someone at Grand Valley. You might consider taking a couple courses there. In addition to learning new ...Read More
Jaime, Denver Added Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 11:42 PM Master's in ME and Bachelor's in CS Is it possible to pursue a Master in Mechanical Engineering after getting a Bachelor's in Computer Science?? If its not possible what will make it possible?? Answers 1 Michele Miller, Michigan Technological University Answered Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 11:42 PM Hi, Jaime. It is possible but you will probably have to take several undergrad Mechanical Engineering (ME) courses in addition to the masters coursework. The number of courses will depend on the grad school that you go to. If you're still working on ...Read More