Name: Emily Terrell

Maiden name: Birkhauser

Purdue AAE degree: BSAAE '00

Why did you choose to study aeronautics and astronautics?

I have always been inspired by space exploration, and chose to study AAE at Purdue in hopes of pursuing a career in the field. 

Favorite Purdue AAE class or experience:

I worked for Professor John Rusek on a research team developing a catalyst bed for use in a hydrogen peroxide propulsion system.  I enjoyed the creativity and real-time problem solving required in the lab, and learned a lot from the faculty and my fellow students on the research team.  We had the opportunity to present our research at a conference, which was a highlight of my time at Purdue.  I enjoyed helping to write our paper, and it was great experience to present our research in front of the participants at the conference. 

What organizations or activities were you involved in at Purdue? What did you gain from that involvement?

I was involved in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Co-Operative Education Student Advisory Board, and Phi Sigma Rho sorority.  I also worked on experiment design for a NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Program team, and was on a Mock Trial team which traveled to trial advocacy competitions.  It can be difficult to stay engaged on campus while working a Co-op schedule (I was a Co-op student at Hughes Space and Communications), but I was always pleasantly surprised at the willingness of campus organizations to work with my schedule, and found the Mock Trial program to be especially rewarding.  

What are you doing currently?

After graduating from Purdue, I worked at Boeing Space Systems (formerly Hughes Space and Communications) for a little over a year before deciding to go to law school.   In law school, I focused my studies on general commercial and patent litigation, and I am now an attorney in the Intellectual Property Litigation group at Cooley LLP in Washington, D.C.  I represent clients in patent litigation disputes in federal courts and before the International Trade Commission. My clients are all companies in technology-related fields, for example computer and software systems, social media, and medical devices. It is quite a change from my work as a Co-op student and practicing engineer, but it is extremely rewarding, and a great fit for my background and interests. 

What are your ultimate career goals?

I plan to continue to practice as a patent litigator at Cooley LLP, and hope to have the opportunity to represent more clients in the aerospace industry.

How is your Purdue AAE degree helping you achieve your goals?

Studying AAE at Purdue taught me to work hard, think critically, and to look for creative solutions to problems.  All of these skills have helped me be successful as a patent litigator – especially the ability to focus, buckle down, and work through a challenging problem.  My engineering background, and general comfort with technology and engineering fundamentals, allows me to work effectively with clients and expert witnesses across a wide variety of technologies. For example, because AAE coursework covers such a broad variety of engineering practices (electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering), the education that I received at Purdue enables me to understand patent issues a variety of technologies.

What advice do you have for current AAE students?

I would advise students to take time to think about their individual strengths and passions, and not to be afraid to take their engineering degree and leverage it into a non-engineering career. There are many challenging and rewarding careers that are outside the “norm” for AAE graduates.  For me, I realized quickly during my time at Boeing that I wanted something different than to follow a traditional path of advancement within the company.  I knew that I did not want to focus on project management, or to pursue an advanced engineering degree.  That limited my potential at Boeing, led me to explore other options, and ultimately led to my decision to go to law school.  The education that you receive in AAE at Purdue is a powerful tool – not just in the engineering world, but in the world at large.  Focusing on what you are best at and most enjoy spending your time doing, and being willing to take the risk to pursue it, can lead to great payoffs.  I would also advise current students to take the time to take challenging courses outside of engineering.  Learning to write effectively, to speak in public, and to think critically about issues outside of engineering will help you in any career path you choose.

What do you do in your free time?

I have two children (ages 9 and 7), and spend as much of my free time with them as I can.  They both love science, and it is great fun to watch them learn and explore!