Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1523825
18 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 I'm considering trying to do both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. of mechatronics is that the world wants peo- ple who are more engineering generalists and understand how things work together. Nolan Johnson: Dylan, as an engineering student following a specialty, does this dilute your specialty? How much of the class load has shifted from time spent specializing in biomedical or chemical engineering, for example? I work in a research lab where we develop envi- ronmental sensors. It involves designing electri- cal systems, working with PCBs, and soldering. I am one of the mechanical engineers working on the project. I do not feel it dilutes my stud- ies in mechanical engineering but rather gives me a better understanding of what's happen- ing around the mechanical p iece. I'm still expected to learn all the skills of a mechani- cal engineer. But by being more exposed to what is on the periphery, I feel I have a better understanding of how things work, and how mechanical design contributes toward a bigger picture. Johnson: So, you feel studying mechatron- ics will make you a better, more valuable mechanical engineer? I think so. It's really helpful when you're work- ing in a smaller team with only one mechanical engineer, one electrical engineer, and maybe a data analyst. It's nice being able to under- stand the jargon we're throwing at each other because we collaborate more effectively. Shaughnessy: Can you define what you mean by mechatronics? Is it more of a theoretical study at this point? It's more of a theoretical study, yes. e idea is that, to be a good engineer, you need to have an understanding of all aspects of the system. Mechatronics says effective engineers must be aware of what's around them. Barry Matties: It still comes down to thinking beyond whether you want to be just an ME or an EE. Based on your mechatronics stud- ies, are you now considering diving into more than just the periphery of another discipline? Yes. I'm considering trying to do both mechan- ical engineering and electrical engineering. Matties: Was there a trigger point, an "a-ha" moment for you? I think the trigger point was that I wanted to have more opportunity to demonstrate my abilities than if I were to specialize in just one thing. By having that mechanical engineering background but also being able to work in, or have a really good understanding of, electrical engineering, I will have a bigger toolkit. Matties: It makes you more valuable. It is likely that I will pur- sue both studies now. My school has been suppor t- ive. They know that I'm really driven. ere are a lot of students like me who are also really try- ing to build that toolkit for themselves, especially since the consensus among my friends are you need to diversify. With fields like computer sci- ence, for instance, we've seen that if you stick to one thing, it's less stable. Matties: True. All things being equal, a mechatronics engineer is likely to be hired over an ME or EE, which is a better value for the employer. Shaughnessy: What are some of the projects you've worked on under the mechatronics banner? One of the mechatronics professors is Dr. Kenneth Udell, an electrical engineer. In his class, we worked on environmental sensors, and my group made a sensor that you can put into produce transports. It tracks the different