Jason Huycke didn’t think he’d stay at Caterpillar for long. Starting at their Lafayette, Indiana facility in 1995, with a fresh bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue, he thought he’d leave after about a year to find work in aerospace. But Caterpillar offered growth and community, not to mention a place where he could build a career. Over the years, Huycke traveled the world in his role as an engineer with Caterpillar, developing huge generator systems for their Electric Power division.
In 2018, a colleague introduced him to Purdue’s Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS). EPICS partners with local organizations in need of engineering-based solutions — and challenges teams of undergraduates to design, build and deploy them.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” Huycke says. “Once I found out what it was, I got really interested and stuck with it.”
Within a year, Huycke was volunteering his Friday afternoons, with Caterpillar’s support, to advising student teams. He says the work keeps his engineering awareness sharp and connects him to new generations of engineers — some of whom have since joined Caterpillar.
Huycke invited coworker Payal Saraiya to join him as an EPICS advisor in 2023. Together, they now mentor two student teams — Art Smart and Bubble Tube — housed in Purdue’s Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering. They guide students on design, execution, and stakeholder needs while ensuring each project aligns with real-world engineering practices.
“The process is truly student-run,” Huycke says. “We’re here to keep them on track and guide them through the engineering process.”
The Art Smart team is designing an interactive, Indiana-themed art wall for the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. Children will be able to flip switches to rotate art panels while visible gears add a sense of engineering magic.
“Essentially, they’re creating their own Rube Goldberg machine,” Saraiya says. “It shows kids that STEM can be creative and fun.”
The Bubble Tube team is building a six-foot illuminated column for Grant’s House in Lafayette, which supports children and young adults with disabilities. The device helps with relaxation through changing lights and gentle bubbles.
“It’s going to be a stimulation tool,” Huycke explains. “It provides both visual relaxation and engagement for the young adults at Grant’s House.”
While advisors don’t build the projects themselves, they frequently discuss more than technical details. Each week, Huycke and Saraiya spend time helping students prepare for life after college — from job fairs to interviews.
“Having someone show you what’s ahead eases those fears,” Huycke says. “Life after college isn’t scary.”
Saraiya, who benefited from mentors early in her own career, sees advising as a way to pay it forward. “Mentors are your north stars,” she says. “They aren’t rowing your boat, but they’re guiding your path.”
For Huycke, returning to Armstrong Hall feels like coming full circle — from aspiring NASA engineer to a lifelong Lafayette resident, now helping Purdue students chart their own futures.
“I’ve seen a lot and worked on all kinds of projects,” he says. “Being able to translate that into what the students are learning here in EPICS is really rewarding.”
The AAE400 Senior Seminar invites Purdue alumni to share their stories and career advice with soon-to-graduate students. This once-a-week course demonstrates the broad range of careers and experiences available to aerospace engineers.
Lisa Fahl (BSAAE ’21), vice president of engineering for Boeing in South Carolina
Darin Daitommaso (BSAAE ‘88, OAE‘20), VP of engineering at GE Aerospace Defense and Systems
Jason Huycke (BSAAE ’95), configuration engineer at Caterpillar's Electric Power Division
Satadru Roy (MSAAE '12, PhDAAE '17), founder and CEO of Alcifo
Rob Chambers (BSAAE ‘92, MSAAE ‘93, OAE ‘24), senior director of space exploration strategy at Lockheed Martin
