The Mason Mechanical Engineer
By Leigh McCue
Intro/outro music by PaulYudin via Pixabay.
The Mason Mechanical EngineerJan 12, 2022
Look at the realm of possibilities - an interview with Jacqueline Johanas of the USPTO
In this episode of the Mason Mechanical Engineer, Jacqueline Johanas shares insights from leveraging her mechanical engineering background in her career pathway with the US Patent and Trademark Office. To apply for the jobs she describes, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/.
Fascinating career path: biosafety laboratory facilities engineer
While the scientists developing cures for disease get much of the publicity, behind the scenes, teams of critical facilities engineers keep the biosafety labs those scientists work in operational. In this conversation with Cecelia Wright Brown and Brian Vickery from the National Institutes of Health, we learn more about the engineering involved in this type of critical facilities engineering.
Dr. Andre Marshall, Mason’s Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development, shares his people-centric vision for the technologies of today and tomorrow.
For the 20th episode of The Mason Mechanical Engineer, we are thrilled to share our first video episode, an interview with Dr. Andre Marshall, Mason’s Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. Listen or watch to learn about Dr. Marshall’s holistic vision for technology in society, drawing off his experiences in industry, government, and academia.
Career search psychology with Zakeyah Frazier
Phil and I sat down with Career Services GOAT (listen in to hear why Phil calls her that) Zakeyah Frazier. She wowed us with her insights tying theory to practice in how she mentors STEM students to find their dream jobs.
Insights from a New Professional
Podcast co-host Philip Wilkerson bumped into recent alum Jensen Schram recruiting for her employer M.C. Dean at Mason's Fall Career Fair, and a quick conversation led him to conclude we had to have her on the podcast! In this episode Jensen talks us through being on both sides of the recruitment table and has powerful lessons learned on self-advocacy in academia and the workforce.
“One lifetime is not enough”: meet Dr. Shweta Kumar, one of the hardest working women in aerospace and defense
We had a fantastic time today chatting with Dr. Shweta Kumar, Managing Member and Technical Director of RGBSI Aerospace and Defense. With Dr. Kumar's depth of technical knowledge and leadership experience, she provides fascinating commentary on the engineering industry in this era of rapid innovation. From her day-to-day at the interface of developing technology solutions for defense industry customers while managing with business and personnel savvy, Dr. Kumar has terrific insights for engineers at all stages in their careers.
Get Involved: Student Engineering Organizations
Student leaders Kevin and Morgan Rose join me in this episode to talk about how their academic paths have been shaped by involvement in professional societies like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). If you're a current Mason student, learn more at: https://mason360.gmu.edu/home_login.
Physics is physics: A conversation with Brian Fitzpatrick on the present, and future, of naval engineering
Brian Fitzpatrick, Chief Technology Officer of Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, joins us to talk about careers in naval engineering, what the industry looks like today, where it's going, and what he looks for when recruiting new engineers. To learn more about MAPC and see their current openings, visit: https://mapcorp.com/careers/.
Meet Flappy - the blimp-fish hybrid taking on robotics competition
Ningshi Yao and Daigo Shishika came on the show to talk about blimps, lighter than air robots, including the biologically-inspired blimp known as "Flappy" which their students use for what is essentially a robotic version of quidditch. To see Flappy in action, check out their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@blimpsquad6747. And to learn more about swarming, check out https://blimp-robotics.org/curriculum/a-day-in-the-life/collective-behaviors-computer-simulation/.
Engineering for occupational health and safety
Julie Sorensen, Director of the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing joins me for this episode to talk about the role of engineers on multidisciplinary teams developing solutions to make farming, logging, and fishing safer. To learn about the funding opportunity mentioned, visit: https://necenter.org/portfolio/r2p_incubator/.
AI talent development
In this episode I chat with Kammy Sanghera, Executive Director of Mason's Institute for Digital InnovAtion, and Tolga Soyata, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to learn about their work supporting high school students eager to learn more about artificial intelligence. Their program is an excellent model for high school STEM engagement and is nurturing the roboticists of the future. Listen to learn more!
Semiconductor manufacturing: making the chips that power the digital revolution
They're in your phone, in your car, and in your computer; semiconductors are everywhere. In this episode, Mason's Department of Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board chair Kevin Hicks walks us through a day in the life of a semiconductor manufacturing engineer.
2023 Capstone Day
Welcome to the Mason Department of Mechanical Engineering's 2023 capstone day! Today I sat down with members of Team Hiss II, Team Buoy, and Green Stack, to learn more about their college experience. To read about their projects and those of their classmates, check out the Department of Mechanical Engineering's Annual Report and Capstone Brochure at: https://mechanical.gmu.edu/connections/senior-design-capstone.
What’s red and brown and costs the Navy millions? Rust.
In this episode of the Mason Mechanical Engineer, Dr. Maureen Foley shares how she and her team are using composite materials and additive manufacturing to save sailors time and the Navy money on ship maintenance.
Entering the mechanical engineering workforce
In this episode, I chat with Ann Garner and Philip Wilkerson from Mason's Career Services. Listen in on their tips for students entering the job hunt, as well as for employers looking to recruit mechanical engineers. Links referred to in this episode include:
- Handshake, https://gmu.joinhandshake.com/login
- LinkedIn Learning, https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ , http://lil.gmu.edu
- Mason Career Services, "Career Readiness Guide," https://go.gmu.edu/careers-guide
- NACE, "What is Career Readiness?" https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/career-readiness-defined/
2021-2022 AY ONR Lecture by Dr. Knox Millsaps
This episode is a recording of the 2021-2022 Academic Year ONR Lecture at George Mason University by Dr. Knox Millsaps.
2022 Capstone Design
To learn more about the projects described here and our capstone design program, check out the Department of Mechanical Engineering's Capstone Brochure and Annual Report at: https://mechanical.gmu.edu/connections/senior-design-capstone.
You are not an atom.
Do you understand what quantum technologies are? Me neither, at least not until I had this conversation with Profs. Pilgyu Kang and Patrick Vora, both members of the leadership team for Mason's Quantum Science and Engineering Center, QSEC. In this episode they give examples of quantum science and engineering applied to materials, sensors, and computing, explain what quantum researchers do, and discuss how to prepare for a career developing quantum technologies.
Race a submarine; launch a career
In this episode, Kariann Vander Pol and Regan Alex describe how their undergraduate experiences competing at the International Submarine Races, a biennial event in which students design, build, and race human-propelled submarines, led them to careers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. For more information on programs and places referred to in this episode, check out:
- International Submarine Races: https://internationalsubmarineraces.org
- Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP): https://navalsteminterns.us/nreip/
- Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Carderock/
Mason ties to the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)
In this episode hear from Jazzmin Robinson, Mason alum and student leader, on her pathway to a Navy civilian career, along with Theresa Shafer for her tips on how to land the job of your dreams with the Navy.
Summer Faculty Research Programs - Bridges Between Academia and the DoD
In this episode, we discuss DoD Summer Faculty Research Programs with Mehdi Amiri from Mason’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, who spent a recent summer in the Air Force Research Laboratory program with their Materials and Manufacturing Division, and Chi Yang from Mason’s Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics, College of Science, who has worked with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's Center for Innovation in Ship Design over multiple summers.
Engineering is a Team Sport
Interested in a sampling of life as a Mason Mechanical Engineering student? Tune in for capstone day interviews with graduating seniors on teams High Rollers, PIT, and Glide Walkers.