Maria Deming, BS '22

How did you become interested in engineering? Tell us about the pathways that lead you to UW MSE.

I always enjoyed science classes in high school and decided on engineering because I liked doing hands-on work and being able to see the physical outcomes. Coming to college I chose MSE because it was relevant to a large number of industries and had a strong chemistry background. Mostly however, it just sounded interesting to learn how materials worked, and how a material could be changed slightly in order to achieve the properties required for the task.

Could you share an interesting internship or research lab experience you had?

A lab experience I had at UW was working with Professor Arola and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center to test the mechanical properties of a 3D printed polymer composite after being aged in seawater. I enjoyed performing tensile tests and 3D printing the coupons. I also completed a composite internship with Boeing in St. Louis.

What did you enjoy most about your time with UW MSE?

I enjoyed all the opportunities there were for hands on lab work, including the undergraduate lab classes and the senior project and capstone.

What are you doing now, and how are you putting your MSE degree to use?

I am currently a Materials and Process Engineer at Boeing working on polymer additive manufacturing. I use many of the skills taught in the lab classes and through my senior project in my work, as well as technical writing.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Find something to study that always makes you have more questions and want to learn more. MSE is a great major and gives you a foundation that can allow you to take many different paths after graduation.