Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1493016
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2023 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 61 As a student now on the board, what are your responsibilities, and what do you hope to get out of this experience? I'm thrilled, grateful, and still figuring things out. I had a conversation with John Mitchell about this recently, and he said, "You're a full- fledged member of the board now. We want you to be involved, to share your opinion and your perspective." So, my responsibility is to share with the board the perspective of col- lege students, graduate students, entry level professionals, and the next generation of engineers who are hoping to make an impact in this industry and the wider engineering field. What advice do you have for a young student who's start- ing out in their career? My advice to a young student is to slow down. There's a lot of pressure to rush nowadays, and you feel like you need to be keeping up with a classmate or a peer or someone you see online. My advice is: Don't feel that sense of rush, slow down, enjoy your journey, enjoy your process, and make the most of the opportunities that you have. That's great advice. Where did you learn that? That's something that a lot of trusted men- tors have shared with me, and it's something I tell myself all the time. I think everybody feels that sense of rush to some degree. When you look up to someone, it's easy to feel like, oh man, I should be doing more. Who has inspired you the most in your young career? I've been fortunate to be surrounded by some amazing people in my neighborhood, in my school where I grew up, and then at col- lege as well. I'd say that as far as inspiration goes, I have to thank the dean of my college of engineering. He's been an invaluable men- tor and guide to me. He has really helped me understand how I can maximize the skills I have as well as grow new ones. He's helped me get to where I am in my journey. Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? A final thought I'd want to share is that engi- neers come in all shapes and sizes. There's not one mold. There's not a one-size-fits-all. There's no one set of char- acteristics. Engineers can have all different interests. Engineering is a field for everyone and needs every- one. I wish there were more people putting that out there. There's not a stereo- typical brand of engineer. Did you experience any self- doubt about becoming an engineer? I was always confident in myself and my ability to learn the necessary skill set. What I struggle with sometimes is feeling whether I fit in with other people in the field. I've sometimes gravitated toward other fields a little more naturally. I come from a family with very few engineers. I think I'm the first engineer in my extended family and the first one pursuing a PhD, so it wasn't something that I necessarily grew up around. Good for you. Sounds like you've made a lot of good life choices. Maybe. We'll see. Time will tell. Henry, we certainly appreciate you spending time with us today. Absolutely. Thank you. S&T