Dr. McCluskey, University Professor in Mechanical Engineering
Published 03 Feb 2020
Tags: education, engineering, mechanicalWhy did you choose to pursue this career? What made you certain this was the right path?
Desire to discover new knowledge about the physical world and to apply STEM principles to the design of new products and new inventions. to share this knowledge with young people and train them to make their own discoveries, designs, and inventions.
What events, prior employment, or educational experiences led you to your current job?
Enjoyed math and science in school, pursued research projects in mechanical design in grad school and industry, tutored in high school and college, enjoys sharing knowledge with young people.
What schooling, education, and/or certifications did you complete to prepare you for this career?
BS Engineering MS/PhD Engineering
How did you make the best use of your time in both your education and career?
By focusing on the goals of developing new products and tech in areas related to solving key national and global concerns.
What advice would you give to a high school or college student interested in pursuing this field of work?
Find areas where you are passionate about making a difference. Study and learn all you can about the techniques and methods needed to turn ideas into reality.
What opportunities would you suggest high school students participate in?
PLTW, science fair, internships.
What opportunities did you take as a student that helped advance your career (research, internships, etc.)
Shadowed practicing engineers in different disciplines to see which fields I liked best, conducted research as undergrad/grad student, took internships during college.
What does a typical day at your job look like?
Work with undergrad and grad students on designing and assessing the performance and reliability of new materials and new products for applications in connected autonomous vehicles, electric aircraft, and renewable energy.
What was a surprising aspect of your job?
How much it involves communication, interpersonal leadership, and teamwork skills
What qualities are necessary to be successful in your field of work, and why?
Research requires hard work, dedication, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to pursue the unknown.