What is your next adventure?

In the spring, I will be moving to Seattle and working with Blue Origin. I am joining their New Grad Rotation program as a structural engineer. Through the New Grad Rotation Program, every three or four months I will switch to a different business unit within Blue Origin. So, for a couple of months I'll get to work on their rocket, a couple of months I get to work on their lunar technology, and so on and so forth. I’ll get to explore all areas of the company, getting a taste of everything before I decide where I want to stay long term with them.

What about your next adventure are you most looking forward to?

I'm thrilled about moving to the West Coast. I've never really lived there before. And also with Blue Origin, I interned there over the summer and it's just such a great place to work. They're developing exciting technologies, and I like the culture that the engineers have there. Everyone's eager to help and there are really inspiring leaders in the aerospace industry to learn from and work with.

Did you have any previous co-op, internship, or research experience in this area?

I’ve actually been really lucky—I’ve gotten to see a lot. First, I worked at the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Lab under, Professor Tim Lieuwen, on a lifted flame jet and crossflow emissions study--that project was paired with GE Aerospace.

After that, I landed my first internship with GE Aerospace, working on their fan blade technology—the Rise Open Fan. 

Then, last spring, I interned with NASA Goddard in Maryland on their cryogenics team. It’s how I got into spacecraft thermal systems.

My most recent internship with Blue Origin was kind of a combination of everything. I worked on their thermal protection system, which brought together structures, materials, and high-temperature environments. It felt like the perfect culmination of everything I’ve worked on so far.

How did your educational experience at Georgia Tech help you to achieve your goals?

Obviously the classes I took helped give me the technical background I needed to succeed in those internships. But honestly, I think the most important skill I gained was learning how to tackle big, intimidating problems.

At Tech, we’re faced with so many projects that at first feel overwhelming—like, oh my God, how am I ever going to do this? I don’t even know where to start. But working through those challenges with support from professors really taught me how to break things down step by step into something manageable.

I would tell myself, I know how to do step one—let’s figure out step two. That approach is super valuable, not just in school but in the professional world too. So yeah, I guess that’s my long-winded way of saying: problem solving.

I was also a mentor in Aero Maker Space and I worked with some great people. Outside of academics, I was the president of the Figure Skating Club, and it was so much fun. It really added to my great experience at Tech.

What advice would you give to an underclassman who would like to follow the same path?

Have confidence in yourself. You know more than you think you know. And also, don't be afraid to ask for help, especially at a place like Georgia Tech. Everyone is so excited to offer help.  Really, one of the best things you can do is to admit to yourself, I don't know this; let me go ask someone who does and work together to bridge that knowledge gap. So, a combination of having confidence in yourself and your abilities but also knowing when to get support from others.