John O'Donovan, '24 M.S.
Module Development Engineer, Intel

Learning from a distance

The University of Washington had always been John's dream school. When he was hired on at Intel, he was excited that the employee education benefit would enable him to pursue his master's degree. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to join the UW MSE Applied Master's Program. The catch? The UW is in Seattle, WA, and his workplace was in Hillsboro, OR – over three hours away.

Thankfully, his employer agreed to adjust his work schedule in a way that allowed John to attend roughly 75% of his classes in person. Meanwhile, his professors recorded class sessions or provided some lectures over Zoom for John to catch up on the remaining 25%. This flexibility allowed John to continue working full time in another state while completing his degree.

"Many of the skills I learned pursuing my MSE degree have been put to good use. For example, the data science courses have proved to be very useful for statistical analysis we must do when running experiments. I had almost no programming/data science skills before taking these courses and they have been very helpful."

 

Picea Liu, '23 M.S.
Research Technologist, University of Washington

A passion for research

After completing her undergraduate studies, Picea knew she wanted a career in research and development, and chose to pursue a master's degree to expand her expertise and gain new perspectives. During her time in the Applied Master's Program, she joined Professor Miqin Zhang's nanoparticle team. She became fascinated with the idea of designing and characterizing therapeutic nanoparticles with targeting capabilities for cancer treatment. This fascination, combined with the support of her lab group, encouraged her to stick with UW MSE a bit longer. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. to better direct her passion for biomaterial research toward the development of new technologies that will improve people's lives.

"Although biomaterials are just one branch of materials science and engineering, the field itself is vast, encompassing areas such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. I am eager to further immerse myself in the study of biomaterials, where I hope to contribute to the application of materials in the biomedical field," she said. "My goal is to conduct research that addresses critical health issues like cancer, ultimately benefiting humanity through innovative solutions."

 

Brandon Lou, '23 M.S.
Research Assistant, University of Washington

A continuing journey

Brandon always knew he wanted to be an engineer, and a high school materials lab confirmed that materials science and engineering was the place for him. He chose UW MSE for his undergraduate degree, then his master's, and now his Ph.D.! He credits the MSE community for his continued commitment and success.

"The aspect I enjoyed the most in this department is without a doubt the sense of community. The people are very friendly, encouraging, and exemplar. Professors, advisers, staff and students are all very personable here, and I am very pleased that I can go into a classroom and be able to converse with almost anyone. Beyond the social aspect, these people all foster the most ideal environment for effective learning as well as both academic and professional growth. Without the connections I have made through UW MSE, I would not be the student, or person, that I am now."

 

Ngozi Ezeokeke, '22 M.S.
Materials and Process Engineer, Boeing Company

From internship to job offer

Ngozi graduated with a bachelor's from UW MSE and followed it up with her master's. She felt that additional lab experience in composites and additive manufacturing would help her enter the research and development (R&D) workforce.

During her time in the AMP, she enjoyed the wide variety of research topics and elective courses, knowing that she would be able to focus her time on projects that would interest her. She took on an internship at Boeing with a materials-focused product development team, which gave her exposure to an R&D environment and solidified that as her ideal career path. The internship led to a job offer before she graduated.

"There is a level of autonomy that you get as a [master's] student that allowed me the flexibility I needed to get the most out of the program," she said. "Don’t be afraid to explore and take advantage of the resources you have available to you! Take the time to learn about the work that is being done in the different labs so you can get involved with what you are most passionate about."

 

Amanuel Mamo, '22 M.S.
Hardware Engineer, Microsoft

Looking for versatility

Amanuel graduated with a bachelor's from UW Mechanical Engineering before choosing to pursue his master's in MSE. He found that the wide range of elective options, as well as the flexibility to take courses from other departments, was best suited to his personal and professional goals.

During his time in the AMP, he completed an internship as a Material Analyst Intern with Intel, where he helped qualify silicon wafers using various microscope tools. One of his favorite projects was developing a GUI for a UXRF microscope. "I found the data science course series to be particularly valuable as it taught me how to use machine learning methods for various materials applications. These skills have been instrumental in my current role as a Failure Analysis Engineer at Microsoft HoloLens, where I am working on MEMS devices for AR displays."

He recommends prospective students practice their networking skills. "My advice would be to actively seek out opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow classmates. Attend events, join student organizations, and participate in group projects, as these can all serve as valuable platforms for networking and building relationships. By making connections and establishing a network, you'll be setting yourself up for long-term success."