#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Mary Graves

Meet Mary, a graduating chemical engineer who is not only a MARC U-STAR Awardee, but also a Gordon Scholar and has interned at the National Institutes of Health in neuropharmacology.

Mary Graves

Chemical Engineering

Expected graduation date: June 2016

Why chemical engineering at UC San Diego?

Let me start by tell you why I chose to study at UC San Diego. During my senior year in high school, I was watching a program on KPBS about the science behind cereals, and UC San Diego chemical engineers who made Fruit Loops could measure and know how much sugar was on each loop. I was amazed but the detail that went into each piece of cereal and by the chemical engineers who understood every aspect. Chemical engineering has a plethora of applications and I wanted the knowledge that came with it, such as fluid mechanics which explains the laws governing all flow.

I thought it was amazing and wanted to be involved in food because of it. But then, I also have an interest in biomedical research because my grandmother died of a preventable cause when I was a kid. In addition, my family struggled with substance abuse and medical disorders, so I’ve gravitated toward research questions that will help us better understand why these things happen.

What was your transition into UC San Diego like as a transfer student?

Transitioning from community college was difficult. When I came to UC San Diego, it was a lot more competitive and I was no longer the best at what I wanted to do. Everyone else was the best, too - and you have to be, to get into the engineering program here. It did push me to work harder but sometimes that was not enough. I found my outlet through extracurricular activities.

Can you describe your involvement in different organizations here at UC San Diego?

During my time at UCSD I was part of the Academic Enrichment Program (AEP). I was awarded the competitive MARC Honor fellowship which funded research on and off campus and travel for two years. I presented my research at the 2014 SACNAS conference in San Antonio, TX. While at the conference I met the director of summer internships for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. I explained my research interests, long term goals, the research I was presenting and desire to participate in the program. The program has a less than 10% acceptance rate so I did not think I would get in. However, I was accepted. It was a great experience and I would recommend NIH and DC to everyone.

The Gordon scholars were a great leadership development program. It prepared me to be an effective and understanding leader through team building exercises and discussions.

Being an AICHE officer allowed me to use the skills from the Gordon program. I coordinated events with upwards of 300 participants in an effort to give back to the community and showcase the science behind chemical engineering through demonstrations.

What are your career goals?

I want to go into academia, but there isn’t a lot of flexibility unless you get the grants for it. I’ve done modeling behavior with drugs, such as cocaine and now I’m working with neural modulations. We are looking for correlations to see if people can recall memories. I’m also interested in neuroscience at the intersection between neuroscience and pharmaceuticals. I interned at a neuropharmacology lab for about a year and a half. I was the National Institutes of Health (NIH), working on and designing new drugs.

What are three things that make you an individual?

1. I really like hot sauce. Louisiana hot sauce. Jalapeños, habaneros, serranos. Every hot sauce.
2. I’m a really good listener.
3. I have good tenacity and persistence, which is what makes me a good engineer. Engineering is where you learn how to take defeat.   

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Aichen Sun

Meet Aichen (Claire). Outside of painting in her free time and serving as secretary for UCSD’s HKN - one of only two females on board - she applies her electrical engineering knowledge to the medical device field.

Name: Aichen Sun

Major: Electrical Engineering

Graduation Date: June 2017

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

Before I came to UC San Diego, I wasn't completely sure about what major I wanted, but I knew what subjects I was better at and enjoyed more - math and science. I didn't grew up in a family of engineers. Actually,I was always been told that a girl like me should work on improving my communication and writing skills.

Even though I enjoyed math and science, I was confused about their real-life applications. I was first exposed to engineering during high school and was fascinated by how engineers can utilize knowledge of math and science to design products that benefit people’s lives.

I chose UC San Diego for several reasons. First of all, it has a very good engineering program. More importantly, it contains a large body of engineering students that includes many female engineering students just like me. It shows how much the school values diversity.

What are your career goals?

As an Asian and a female engineering student, I want to work at a company that greatly values diversity. I hope that I can either work as an engineer on a team or be in a position where I can have contact with the end-users of the company's products. Currently, my specific interests lie at the interface of electrical engineering and medical devices.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"Fake it ‘till you become it" and "Live life to the fullest."

What are three things that make you your own individual?

First, I think my major. As a female student, it took courage for me to pursue the electrical engineering field. Although engineering can be challenging, I believe that it has made me a more logical, precise and persistent person.

Second, I like to explore drawing and painting during my free time. They provide me with another way to define my character other than engineering.

Third, I went to school early, so I grew up with almost all older classmates. I think it's a unique experience, and it has made my mentality more mature than many other people my age.

What does this campaign mean to you?

During my schooling in China, I felt like people were less open to girls who are interested in the engineering field. From what I remember, most of the time when a girl expressed her interest of pursuing a career in engineering, people would comment that it's hard for girls to compete with guys in engineering, or that the workload is too much for a girl to handle. On the contrary, when a boy expressed his interest in pursuing an engineering degree, people complimented him and said something like "oh you are going to make good money".

I did feel a bit frustrated growing up around people who often questioned my abilities and potential, but after I came to UC San Diego, I can tell that people here are a lot more encouraging and open to female engineer students. I think it's very important that young girls be encouraged to pursue engineering, and that these girls be told not to be afraid of the stereotypes.

Regarding diversity, I did not truly realize its importance until I took a course on managing diverse teams this summer. The professor who taught the course shared some really interesting experiences she’d had. I was amazed by her stories about teams succeeding through the use of the inherent characteristics of each team member, such as race and gender. Every element has its own potential and should be greatly valued.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Christopher Yin

Meet Chris, the next student of our campaign and VP Project Team for Engineering World Health. With a passion for improved global health, he hopes to impact entire populations through engineering - all while listening to The Velvet Underground and doing some creative writing. 

Name: Christopher Yin

Major: Bioengineering

Graduation Date: 2018

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

When I was applying to schools, I wasn’t even really considering UC San Diego. I was set on attending a private university, and if that didn’t work out and I had to choose a UC, then, of course, it would have to be Berkeley. The only reason I included UC San Diego was because I saw that its bioengineering program was ranked second in the nation. I attended Triton Day and  realized that it’s a great school for engineering. There are a ton of resources available for research and a number of engineering organizations on campus - those were primarily what drew me here.

What are your career goals?

I want to pursue either a Ph.D. or an M.D./Ph.D. program. I like being in school, and I like learning. Ultimately, I want to be involved in research that has an impact on global health. I love the science and I want to understand as much as I can, but I also really appreciate the part of engineering where you actually build your solutions. It’s pretty satisfying to make something tangible, and especially to have that something matter to other people. Engineering represents the opportunity to affect not just individuals, but entire populations.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

From David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest: “I do things like get in a taxi and say, ‘The library, and step on it.’”

What are three things that are unique about you?

(1) Along with being a bioengineer, I would also like to write stories and novels. (2) I love brussel sprouts. (3) I listen to old and weird music, like The Velvet Underground, King Khan and BBQ Show.

What does this campaign mean to you?

The only way I can think to answer this question is with something platitudinous like, “It’s important for people’s awareness of engineering to encompass the full breadth and diversity of the people who do the engineering.” But just because it sounds cliché doesn’t mean it’s not true. I still think there needs to be a greater push early-on in education for all students, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexuality, etc., to explore STEM fields and figure out for themselves if it’s something they want to pursue. From my experience, any demographic disparities are due not so much to a lack of ability or opportunity, but a lack of awareness of ability and opportunity. If campaigns like this could change that, then that would be pretty great.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Adrienna Yan

Meet Adrienna, the next student of our #ILookLikeAnEngineer campaign!

Name: Adrienna Yan

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Graduation Date: June 2017

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

I want to inspire other girls to pursue a career in engineering, because I want to prove that women are just as capable and can be just as successful in this field as men. Moreover, I want to show that there is nothing to fear in a (currently) male-dominated field. I think it helps tremendously to have female role models in the field and to know that you aren't alone - I want to be that source of inspiration for other females.

What are your career goals?

I haven't yet figured out which industry I want to work in, but I do want to hold a leadership position at some point in my career. This may be a role in corporate management, or one such as the project lead of a group of engineers.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

Yes! My mantra is "The only person you should strive to be better than is the person you were yesterday."

What are three things that are unique about you?

a) I am a great listener.

b) I love baking.

c) I have a (sometimes corny) sense of humor.

What does the #ILookLikeAnEngineer campaign mean to you?

This campaign strives to break down the traditional stereotypes that are associated with engineering majors. One stereotype would be that all aerospace engineering students are caucasian males. However, the aerospace engineering student body at UC San Diego is made up of individuals, including both males and females, who come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

Another stereotype is that engineers are often quiet, shy and boring. However, I know a great many who are sociable, friendly and outgoing. Not all engineers like hiding in their rooms - we like to go out and can mingle and associate with the rest of our peers as well as anyone else!

The problem is, stereotypes may deter some individuals from pursuing this major, even if it is something they are interested in, for fear of being different from everyone else and/or for fear of feeling isolated. By raising awareness about the different types of people that make up UC San Diego's engineering student body, we may convince those who are interested in a career in engineering to pursue it, and pursue it here!

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Alex Buitimea

As president of UCSD's Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Alex wants to empower the Hispanic community. He loves soccer and problem-solving, and he also cares deeply for underrepresented regions and hopes to develop technology for education.

Name: Alex Buitimea

Major: Computer Engineering

Estimated graduation date: June 2016

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

I think primarily in the area I grew up, there’s not many engineers. Not many talked about engineering. I myself didn’t know what engineering was until the last year when I was choosing my major. I knew I was good at math and I knew I liked solving problems, but I didn’t know that what the the meaning of engineering was— solving problems. Obviously, not knowing what path I was going to take but knowing I wanted to something like that, that’s why I ended up choosing it.

I’m very fond of technology, I’m very fond of computers. I was really good at it, I believe, because I was always on my laptop. So pairing the two, I chose computer engineering. I knew this was a good engineering school.

What do you see yourself doing in the future, goals after school?

Many people have been asking me this, especially recruiters. I always tell the same thing: I don’t know. I learn by experience. You know, trying out different things, you get to learn what you’re actually passionate about. I always tell all our members in SHPE, it’s okay not to have a passion, it’s okay if you don’t know your goal, but just by letting yourself try different things, you’re going to find what you’re passionate about and what you think you’re good at and what you should actually keep doing. So I know I want to go into industry because I really like the atmosphere of working with other people, especially where you get to solve problems that are actually going to go into the world and out there, into things people are actually going to purchase. I think I want to go into industry for that same reason. I can start working and teams and put stuff out there.

Do you see yourself with a specific company? Or do you have a dream job, beyond practicality?

It always brings me back to where I grew up. In the San Fernando Valley, there’s not many opportunities. You rarely hear about engineering. Schools are not that great. But one thing that technology does for them is it provides them new opportunities to teach in different ways. It also encourages students to pursue STEM, so I knew my freshman year, I wanted to pursue computer engineering more on the side of building technology for education, such as building smart boards, things like that. Building devices that actually help students learn better, so I think I want to follow that path. I know Microsoft and Google are doing big things along that path. If I can be involved with a company that has that kind of sector or project for education, I think I’ll follow that.

If you weren’t in engineering, what do you think you’d be doing?

I honestly don’t know what I’d be doing other than engineering. I really like solving problems, and that’s exactly what engineering is. If I were to do something else, I’d probably be a contractor. Throughout high school, I worked with my dad in demolition, so I would work at job sites, demolishing houses and bringing metals apart. His dream has always been to have his own company, and he’s been doing this for the past four years. I’ve been helping him. In the situation he’s in right now, he can’t be the owner or manager so he’s always asking me if I’d be willing to do it. After all these years helping, I think I would do that, being a contractor.

What are three interesting facts about you?

1) My passion for turning technology to education. I respect working with other people on teams, and I respect their ideas and strengths as well. That’s one of the reasons I chose to be the president of our [SHPE] chapter. I was going to be working with eleven other students to move that chapter forward.

2) Respecting people and working on teams.

3) Definitely stamina. I played soccer in high school and now on an intramural team. It’s definitely stamina to move forward. Even if you’re discouraged with not getting a certain internship or a certain research position or doing well in class, if you just get up and keep on trying, at the end of the day, you’re going to end up on the other side. That’s something that I’m very fortunate to see in myself, that I have that stamina to keep going.

Would you say you have a favorite quote along those lines? Or something you live by?

I always like to work with teams. One thing I always stay is “If you could do something in under two minutes, just do it now.” At one of my internships, one of my co-workers would always lived by that. It just clicked with me. Why wait? Keep moving forward.

Also, if you could say you can do things differently and say that you’re working hard...Working hard is not enough. It’s working smart, making sure that the amount of time you’re putting in is smart. Make the right decision about how you’re spending time.

Hobbies?

I like spending time with my friends and I play soccer on the weekends. I’ve been playing soccer for twelve years, the first seven years I played defense and the past five years I’ve played right midfielder. I also play video games, and that’s weird because I played no video games until my third year of college. I have an xbox, but I also play League of Legends.

What does this campaign mean to you? Any specific opinions?

Primarily, the campaign also falls under our [SHPE’s] objective, which is to empower the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential. All STEM majors. Everything is possible just by putting your mind to it and making sure that you don’t tell yourself that you can’t do something if you’re very passionate. Just because you don’t have the same opportunities as everyone else, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be successful. We make sure that people don’t think that way. There are people in your community that will help you be successful. I think that also falls under the campaign. No matter what people think or what you think of yourself or what you can’t do, other people may see it differently and believe in you. Know that you can be an engineer, that you can be successful.

I grew up in a social justice community. It was good and bad. I grew up with my principal as also my life mentor. He was very passionate about how anything is possible. I put my own spin to it, by empowering the community with STEM. Making sure that we go into STEM fields, that we go in and explore and solve problems. I’m actually taking a course in ethnics and work. You’d be surprised how much diversity helps with solving problems and how having a diverse team— not necessarily just a matter of being Hispanic or black. Having people who think differently will actually help you solve a problem much better than having people who all think the same.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Jessica Lam

As president of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) (and barista!, our next featured student is making an impact at UC San Diego.

Name: Jessica Lam

Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Estimated graduation date: June 2016

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

Bioengineering at UC San Diego is a nationally top ranked program. I’m lucky to be here honestly, surrounded by others who are as passionate as me about our major. I think the success and accomplishments that have come from fellow engineering students here is contagious – they motivate you to want to be a better student and person. Also, I chose UC San Diego because we have the most beautiful city and beaches!

What are your career goals?

I’d like to work in industry for a few years to get some work experience and see what else is out there. I would like to go back to school to get my Masters, and then go from there.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

I’ve always been kind of stuck on the phrase, “Just breathe”. Sure, it’s a bit cliché. But I’ve grown to find that college and life in general can get overwhelming at times. It’s easy to lose yourself in everything that you do, and in the people that surround you. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, relax, and realize that there’s more to this lifetime than whatever is right in front of you.

What are three things that are unique about you?

1) I’m a barista! I work at the Cups Coffee cart right outside the Powell Focht Bioengineering Hall. It doesn’t really help with my caffeine addiction though…

2) I love live music and going to concerts. It’s a whole different experience than just listening through your headphones everyday.

3) I'm a sucker for the beaches here in San Diego. I love just driving up and down the coast, looking for hidden beaches or places to explore.

What does this campaign mean to you?

I remember when back in high school when I was first accepted to UC San Diego’s Bioengineering program, all of my friends just asked me: “So… what does a bioengineer do?” At the time, I wasn’t able to give them a full flushed answer; I had no idea what I even wanted to do. How was I supposed to explain what it means to be a bioengineer? I knew I liked math and science, and I was pretty good at both subjects, but that was kind of it at the moment. I was a straight A student, and I felt that I was almost pressured to pursue a major that was prestigious. But because of that, I almost felt a bit ashamed almost that I was going to hopefully be an engineer one day and I couldn’t express at the time what it means to me today.

To this day, I still struggle sometimes fully being able to encompass what it means to be an engineer. But when I really think about it, I’m proud to be one. Engineers are solving the problems of the future, helping people through the advancements of technology, and they’re just like anyone else. To me, this campaign is really trying to highlight the misconceptions that people may have about engineering. A lot of times, when people hear that I’m an engineering major, they make comments like “Wow, you must be really smart then” or something like “That’s crazy, I could never do that”. I’ve found that anyone who loves the field they work in enough can make it. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from, what you do. As long as you enjoy it and it means something, then I think that’s enough. With that being said, there’s no one stereotype for an engineer, or any other major/career for that matter.

So if I could now answer the questions that my friends in high school asked me, I will tell them this: It doesn’t matter what a bioengineer does, or what they can do. It doesn’t even matter if I were any other major. I don’t need to follow any stereotype that an engineer has to be a certain type of person. What matters is that I’m pursuing something that I am truly passionate about, and I hope I can radiate that energy to other students and motivate them enough to continue doing what they love doing.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Paul Epperson

Meet the next student with our campaign who hopes the hashtag #ILookLikeAnEngineer will inspire peace of mind and positive change.

Name: Paul Epperson

Major: Computer Science

Graduation Date: June 2018

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

I chose engineering at UC San Diego because I wanted to be able to make real things. As someone with an interest in computer science, I had a desire to be able to design and create practical code that would provide useful solutions to applicable problems.

What are your career goals?

My career goals are to help design and implement software solutions for hard, science-based problems. The closer to outer space and robots, the better.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"As I stand out here in the wonders of the unknown . . . I sort of realize there’s a fundamental truth to our nature: Man must explore . . . and this is exploration at its greatest." - Dave Scott, becoming the 7th person to step on the moon.

What are three things that are unique about you?

I actively study calculus and linear algebra because I find the subjects really enjoyable. I fantasize about controlling robot swarms in space. I composed and improvise on some of my own musical piano themes.

What does this campaign mean to you?

I appreciate efforts by groups of people to shift social perspectives away from otherwise inordinate stereotypes. I support actions to better define what it means to be a certain individual in a world where there are many distinct definitions, accurate or inaccurate. Hopefully this gives a wide spread of people peace of mind, confidence and inner strength to enact positive change.