Undergraduate engineering students at Trinity University have a new perspective on working in the turbomachinery industry, thanks to two seasoned professionals from Texas A&M’s Turbomachinery Laboratory.
Dr. Eric Petersen, Turbomachinery Laboratory director, and Ken Atkins, a Trinity alum and adviser of the Turbomachinery Symposium hosted annually by the Turbo lab, recently visited the San Antonio institution to present research and career opportunities.
One of the opportunities Atkins and Petersen introduced was the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in Energy and Propulsion, a 10-week summer program that immerses undergraduate students from across the U.S. in graduate-level research. The program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) with contributions from the Turbo Lab, covers room and travel expenses, as well as a stipend of $5,000 for participants.
Atkins, senior staff engineer at Engineering Dynamics Incorporated, said it was a joy to share opportunities and his knowledge on the industry with engineering students.
“I fully expect Trinity will place an REU student at Texas A&M for many years to come. Dr. Petersen’s presentation made me want to go back to grad school,” Atkins said, laughing.
I fully expect Trinity will place an REU student at Texas A&M for many years to come.
Ken Atkins
Turbo Symposium adviser
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Turbomachinery Laboratory makes a vital impact on turbomachinery and related industries through research, education and professional workforce development.