Student Spotlights

Brandon Gonzalez

Discovering a Passion for Engineering

For some, engineering captures the imagination at a young age. But while Brandon Gonzalez wondered at the marvels of his Nintendo Game Boy when he was young, it wasn’t until he took engineering courses as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania that he found his passion. Read More

Maria Ovando

Research and Self-discovery

The process of discovery sometimes starts with a hunch. Maria Ovando arrived at Penn Engineering with an affinity for math and science, extensive experience volunteering at her local health clinic and an assumption that she was preparing for a career in medicine. She was drawn to Penn Engineering because of the flexibility in the curriculum and the ability to both tailor her course of study and pursue cross-disciplinary subjects. Read More

Niko Simpkins

At the Nexus of Engineering and Music

For Niko Simpkins, a musician who performs, produces and engineers his own tracks, the most exciting processes combine structure and flexibility, creativity and rigor. As a third-year student he sees his mechanical engineering education as a framework for problem solving that might serve him across a broad set of endeavors, and for now, he’s more interested in learning than narrowing to any one particular career path. Read More

Ruby Washington

Poised to Make Her Mark in Bioengineering

Data show that healthcare disparities plague the Black community in America, making it harder to receive adequate treatment and care. But rather than just accepting the status quo, Ruby Washington, senior in the Department of Bioengineering, is dedicated to leveraging her interest in biomedicine to change outcomes and systems. “I feel that I have a duty to help my community and make the healthcare system better for people who look like me,” she says. Read More