Student Perspective: Eric Swanson

Author: Leanna Chan
Event Date: December 7, 2017
Eric Swanson
Eric Swanson
Eric is a senior from Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) student with a concentration in Acoustical Engineering. He is involved with the Purdue chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, along with being name president of our newly-minted Multidisciplinary Engineering Student Society!

During the past few summers, Eric worked at two acoustical/AV consulting firms, TALASKE and Design 27.  In one of his internships, Eric was given the opportunity to build a 15:1 scale model of a brand new concert hall and test the acoustical properties using code he wrote in MATLAB!


Q&A with Eric

Why did you decide to join MDE?

I have a passion for music and anything sound related, but I'm also a huge math geek. MDE allowed me to pursue this passion, and find a way to combine music and engineering.

What is your favorite thing about MDE?

Definitely the small and tight-knit community. I also love going in and talking to Prof P (Dr. Mary Pilotte) whenever she’s free. 

What are your plans for after graduation?

I would like to work in the acoustic consulting industry.

How do you define “Purple Squirrel”?

Someone who can stretch their abilities in order to be successful in more than one concentration.