Nontraditional Path: Reignited Curiosity Leads to International Studies

Growing up in North Carolina, I became interested in physics at a very young age. My father, Jonathan, would take me to a small park near the airport in Charlotte, and we would spend hours watching planes take off and land. It was the first time I recall yearning to know how something so complex worked. I have another distinct memory of watching the Opportunity rover land on Mars. Some time later, my father hung a banner in our living room with a panoramic image of the surface of Mars taken by the rover. I used to just stare at it, imagining what it would be like in person. Because of memories like these, I credit my father for always answering my barrage of questions and igniting my curiosity about the world and its inner workings.

My undergraduate experience might be described as nontraditional. For four years after high school, I didn’t have much purpose or drive. Then I started to follow SpaceX’s attempt to reuse rockets. I spent hours watching videos, trying to learn as much as I could about their efforts, and it helped to reignite my curiosity. At 22, I decided to start the spring semester at my local community college. I quickly fell in love with my mathematics and physics coursework and decided to take extra calculus and physics classes—any the college would offer—as electives. As I neared the end of the associate’s program, my professors, family, and friends encouraged me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in physics at Appalachian State University.

I started in the spring of 2021, when COVID kept classes entirely online. Along with my physics classes, and with no previous experience, I decided to take a programming class and a simple electronics class. The latter had in-person laboratory sessions with students distanced from each other and wearing masks and face shields. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those two classes ultimately shaped my academic path.

Even as my physics classes got more challenging, I relished every assignment. Having transferred in with my associate’s, I wasn’t distracted by gen ed courses and took any elective classes I was interested in, including several more computer science courses and a couple of graduate electronics courses. Near the end of my undergraduate studies, my electronics professor, J. Sid Clements, suggested that I apply to our in-house engineering physics graduate program. The program emphasizes laboratory automation, instrumentation, and a strong foundation in electronics and programming. I applied right at the deadline and was fortunate to be accepted.

During my first year, I met two students from Austria’s Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) who were in the process of earning dual degrees from Appalachian State’s engineering physics program and MCI’s mechatronics program, focusing on electrical engineering. I took a couple of classes with the students and worked as their teaching assistant in several others. I didn’t anticipate taking part in the program myself, as it felt too far out of my comfort zone. But as I progressed through my first year, Professor Clements reached out. He thought I would be well suited to the topics being taught at MCI. I took almost an entire semester to think it over and ultimately decided to apply. I knew it would be advantageous for my future, would provide unique experiences, and would allow me to learn topics not offered at App State.

The program typically takes five semesters to complete. Students study for one year at each institution, starting with their “home” institution for the first two semesters and moving to the “host” for semesters three and four. The courses follow each institution’s normal course schedule for a graduate student’s first year in the respective program. In the fifth semester the student chooses an institution at which to write a masters thesis and complete the degree. Two versions of the thesis are written and submitted to fulfill each institution’s requirements and guidelines, then a single, unified defense is given at one institution, with the other participating online. MCI also requires an oral masters examination during which the student answers questions about their MCI courses. Once all the requirements are met, the student is awarded both masters degrees.

As many others will say, studying abroad is a transformative experience— being immersed in different cultures, meeting new people, taking in scenic vistas. Some of the drawbacks I experienced were related to my introverted nature. I struggled to make close friends for the first couple of months, mainly because of the language difference. Students frequently socialized in German, which I don’t speak. This made it difficult to step into a conversation without feeling like I was interrupting or forcing a switch to English. But after some time, several students chatted with me, and I saw how warm and welcoming they were. Unfortunately, I neglected to travel much during my time in Austria, although toward the end of my stay I hiked a few trails with a local friend that I still speak with regularly.

For students considering a dual grad school program, I recommend reflecting on whether the courses are topics you’ll enjoy. These programs can add stress and usually time to one’s academic career, so if you don’t enjoy the topics, it will make the experience much more difficult. I’d also advise talking to previous students to get an idea of course load, social life, living situations, and all the unexpected nuances of day-to-day living. These differences can seem small—they certainly did to me—but can quickly compound and make the experience less enjoyable. Similarly, it’s important to have strong support systems, such as family or friends, to help you manage some of the stressful experiences that will inevitably occur.

Having completed my program, I’m eager to bring together my experience in mechatronics, electrical engineering, physics, and computer science. I’m seeking roles in aerospace or similar fields, motivated by work that blends disciplines, encourages collaboration, and gives me a meaningful role in solving complex problems and driving a project from concept to completion. I also plan to someday return to Austria to spend more time with the friends I made and to travel, hike, and generally just enjoy the scenery.

My academic experience would never have been possible had it not been for the support and encouragement of my father, professors, classmates, and friends. I originally aimed to simply earn an associate’s degree and find a somewhat fulfilling job. But thanks to their influences, I’ve accomplished more than I ever thought possible and had the best time of my life so far.

Don’t be afraid to say yes to opportunities. You never know what doors they may open and what paths they will lead you down. //