Embry-Riddle’s Ph.D. Graduating Class Features Diverse and Inspiring Engineering Group | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Jobs Vox

16 Ph.D. Students celebrated graduation at this week’s Fall 2022 commencement ceremony. Particularly noteworthy is the cohort of electrical engineering and computer science graduates from this group, which includes inventors, international students and models of resilience, all of whom are already employed at major industry firms.

“I always knew that I wanted to do my Ph.D. Since my early days as an undergraduate,” said Jessica Steinman, data and systems manager at Embry-Riddle, who also teaches introductory engineering courses.

But his path to achieve that goal was full of obstacles.

While growing up in Haiti, Steinman’s younger brother died in childhood. Two years later, when Steinman was 6, his father and grandmother were murdered on their way home from the airport.

“It is still a cold case that may never be solved,” she said. “My mother sent me to live with family in the States for a year for my safety while she tied up loose ends in Haiti.”

The move acted as a bit of a culture shock.

“My father’s passing was not just the loss of his passing, but also a change in the whole lifestyle,” she said. “We went through the hands of the maids, the cooks, the drivers, the yard, couldn’t get our lunches for school.”

When she was reunited with her mother, the two rented a room and lived together until Steinman started high school. She still remembers her first few years at Embry-Riddle fondly: She didn’t have a car or a house to commute during the holidays, so she started taking summer classes so she could be on campus all year long.

Nevertheless, she earned scholarships and internships that eventually turned into full-time jobs. She changed her major several times but found her passion.

The four-time alumna who earned her fifth Embry-Riddle Diploma (and first Ph.D.) at this week’s graduation ceremony, Steinman, Silver Spring, Maryland, native, Graduated in Electrical Engineering in 2013, Master’s degree in Software Engineering and Cyber ​​Security Engineering in 2015 and Master of Business Administration in 2020.

“I’ve been very fortunate in life to have had the opportunity to do the things that I wanted to do,” she said. “I’m grateful for experiences. They taught me to adapt quickly. I’ve learned that you can have it all, usually not at the same time. I take advantage of all opportunities because life is about experiences.” “

Dr. Omar Ochoa, assistant professor of software engineering and awardee of the National Science Foundation Scholarship for STEM, called Steinman “integral” in creating a modern research culture within the department.

“Graduating students, especially those coming from underrepresented populations, need mentors and role models,” he said. “Jessica has been very proactive in this sense. New research students look up to her and want to follow in her footsteps.

the doctors are in

Equally impressive are the other four members of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science doctoral cohort, all of whom traveled from other continents to attend Embry-Riddle.

“Cyber ​​security is my passion, and Embry-Riddle has a fantastic cyber security engineering program,” said Barcelona native Anna Baron Garcia. “When I finished my master’s degree, Dr. (Radu) Babiceanu offered me the opportunity to continue my research and projects as a Ph.D. student, and I can say that it has been one of the best experiences of my life.

In addition to leading efforts in various industry competitions, Garcia has helped advance aviation cybersecurity research at Embry-Riddle, and in his doctoral dissertation, he seeks to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to strengthen cybersecurity. Provides a roadmap on how to She is working as a Data Scientist at Vectra AI, Inc.

“I’ve been given the tools to be successful in the cyber security discipline,” she said. “I know I can go anywhere and be prepared to meet the cyber security challenges of the future thanks to my years at Embry-Riddle.”

Skyworks Solutions Inc. Noémi Miguelez-Gómez, a senior design engineer from a small town near Barcelona, ​​has a long track record of success in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) MTT-Satellite International Competition. , winning $55,000 in funding to support her ongoing research. She also won best IEEE paper at the 2020 Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments conference and is engaged in work advancing hardware security.

“The research opportunities that this university has are numerous,” she said. “They can enhance your skills regarding not only the particular area of ​​research, but also managing, leading, systems engineering depending on your position in the project.”

A native of Venezuela, Carlos Mejias is the holder of a US patent – on a novel antenna design that provides improved performance on a smaller scale by fabricating the antennas into undulations.

shape using 3D printing. During his time at Embry-Riddle, he worked on instruments for the International Space Station in collaboration with L3Harris, as well as winning best conference paper at the IEEE conference in 2019. More recently, he has researched how 3D printing can be used to create antennas and wireless sensors for the harsh environments within space and turbine engines. He currently has a job as a Senior Design Engineer for Acoustics Technologies Inc.

“Embry-Riddle has a cool vibe where you can delve into the aviation and aerospace sectors,” Mejias said. “For example, I had the opportunity in 2019 to explain one of my research topics to astronaut and Eagle alumna Nicole Stott.”

A native of Malaysia, Seng Loong (Hanson) Yu has collaborated with Embry-Riddle Research Park tenant Sensetech Propulsion Technologies on the development of high-temperature wireless sensors, as well as research on how 3D printing can be used to better high-temperature Can be used for building materials. Antennas and Electronics.

Yu said, “The most rewarding thing about my experience at Embry-Riddle has been the opportunity to work with Micaplex tenants and present our work at a conference.” “I was also fortunate to gain internship experience at Qorvo Inc., where I will be working full-time as a Senior Design Engineer after graduation.”

Diversity within the engineering cohort also surfaced for Russell Griffin, Embry-Riddle’s chief diversity and inclusion officer.

“When we understand that relatively few people in the world hold PhDs, we can also understand how rare it is for this extraordinarily diverse group to come together,” Griffin said. “This class, once again, demonstrates how Embry-Riddle is uniquely established and focused on empowering the best and brightest from all walks of life to excel academically and in the worlds of science and business “

For Dr. Eduardo Rojas, Associate Professor as well as the winner of the National Science Foundation Early Career Award and the Most Promising Engineer Award from Great Minds in STEM, each student has a very bright future ahead.

“Our students are highly sought after by wireless communications hardware companies because the hands-on learning and research experience they receive in our laboratories equips them with skills that align well with industry needs,” said Rojas. aligns.” “Many of these graduates are working, or will soon be working, on designing advanced wireless communications filters that are essential to many wireless devices; From the latest cellphones to the next generation of airplanes and UAS.

Dr. Radu Babiceanu, Interim Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Ph.D. The Program Coordinator emphasized the group’s focus on cyber security.

“All high-tech engineering artifacts manufactured today include cyber-physical systems, of which security requirements are an important part,” he said. “Cyber ​​security education gives our graduates a competitive advantage when seeking employment in high-tech [Research and Development] industry.

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