Alejandro Strachan is trying to get materials engineering students to see the small picture. More to the point, he's trying to get them to envision the tiniest of building blocks that will lead to something bigger. His goal: to strengthen student aptitudes in both the materials sciences and the realm of the imagination.
I left Purdue in 1993 and have been a professor in mechanical and materials engineering at Washington State University (WSU) for 10 years now. I have two things—besides research— that I’m very interested in: getting undergraduates involved in research early, and letting people know about materials engineering. After a while it’s tiring to be the best-kept secret, and materials as a field definitely has its shy streak.
Senior design ensures every graduating senior has real-world experience under their belt.
