A Freshman’s Perspective on MSE

Hey everyone! My name is Lindsey and I am from Cincinnati.  I will be a freshman this year in materials engineering. The purpose of my blogs is to give everyone a freshman’s perspective of MSE!!  Since school has not started yet, I figured it would be best to tell everyone a little bit about how I chose materials engineering…

Ever since grade school, I always really enjoyed math and science, so, once I entered high school, I was told by family and teachers to look into engineering.  In my sophomore year, my friend asked me if I wanted to attend engineering day at the University of Cincinnati.  I decided I would attend, since I had no idea what engineering was, but everyone kept telling me it was something I would enjoy.  When I attended engineering day, I learned a lot about the various types of engineering and what being an engineer entailed.  I thought engineering was interesting but I was not going to choose my career based on what I learned in a few hours.  The following summer, I attended a Women in Engineering summer camp to spend more time exploring engineering and to actually see if it was a career field I would like to pursue. After attending the camp, I really liked chemical and materials engineering.  I found them both very interesting; however, I really had no idea which one I preferred. So…the following summer, I attended a materials engineering camp run by ASM.  I went to camp, and by the first day I knew MSE was something that I would really enjoy.  At the end of the week, I still felt the same way.  I could honestly say that I really liked materials engineering.

I remember sitting in the Women in Engineering camp when the instructor told us to think about everything in our life that was made or improved by an engineer.  I could not believe the amount of things that engineers helped to design or improve that I use in my everyday life…

One of the reasons I really like MSE is that the possibilities involved in the field are endless because MSE is integrated into all of the fields of engineering.  In ASM camp, I was taught about all of the different applications that can be used in materials engineering which range from polymers, the medical field, construction, electrical equipment and so much more!! I was told that I could get a job at GE working on materials for their airplane engines, to Nike, working on golf ball coatings, to the medical field, working on artificial implants…and so much more! This is also one of the reasons that I was drawn to OSU, because MSE has the option of many different specializations, which none of the other schools I was looking at offered.

I know that I probably sound like a total nerd by spending time during the summer at engineering camp. But, I think it is totally worth it because it really helped me decide what I wanted to do!!  And I highly suggest if you are interested in engineering, that you attend one of these camps to help you decide what type of engineering is right for you (hopefully materials!!)  I actually attended a camp this summer.  I went to the incoming freshmen Women in Engineering summer camp.  I had a blast and was able to meet a lot of new people before even starting school. If you come to OSU next year, I highly suggest you apply to attend!   During the camp, you explore different fields of engineering, which I know helped a lot of girls decide what field of engineering they wanted to pursue.  We also had the chance to visit companies, like Ashland and Honda, time to use the RPAC and learn our way around campus.  It was definitely a beneficial and fun week!

I hope that through this blog I will be able to share what it is like to be a freshman in MSE!  If you have any questions at all or want more information or anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know!!  I know that deciding where to go to school and what major to pursue is a really difficult decision, so I am here to help in any way I can!

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PS from osumaterials:
Just heard on the radio today that the ASM Headquarters geodesic dome is being considered for the National Register of Historic Places. Cool design.

ASM International Headquarters, Materials Park, Ohio

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