Featured Alumni Interview

Alumni:	Ashley Walker
Education:	Student, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Class of 2009, fourth class at a new college.
Summer Experience:	Working at NASA and teaching science and engineering classes for a summer youth program.
Introduction:	Growing up in the 1950s and '60s — a time of the Atomic Age and the Space Race — Brian Cieslak was fascinated with all things science. For him, the JETS program at his high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offered an ideal outlet for an avid young man who loved astronomy, model rocketry and ham radio. Today, he's a senior firmware engineer at Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee, designing programs and hardware for the robotics that are at the core of modern manufacturing.
Favorite Classes:	Discrete Math, UOCD (User Oriented Collaborative Design). Both changed the way I look at the world. It's an amazing feeling to realize there is so much more in the world than what you've been looking at for the past 20 years. UOCD changed the way I look at product designs and how I'd design a product in the future.
Best Skills:	Determination. I don't give up easily to say the least.
Hobbies:	Horseback riding, FIRST robotics, soccer, space.
Role Model:	I really have to say that I look up to many people, but Eileen Collins, Sunita Williams, and Amy Barr come to mind. All are women who prove to me that I am not walking down this road alone and can do whatever I put my mind to. Eileen Collins was the first woman pilot and first woman commander of a Space Shuttle. Sunita Williams holds three records for women space travelers: longest spaceflight (195 days), number of space walks (four), and total time spent on spacewalks (29 hours and 17 minutes). Both have taught me to dream big and that the sky is the limit. Dreams keep me going and remind me why I'm in the game. Amy Barr picks me up when I'm down and helps me figure out things when I'm lost and have no map. I also hope that I can handle things with the poise and strength she has. I am grateful for everyone who has helped me and I take lessons from everyone.

JETS: How and why did you choose engineering for your profession?

Ashley: During freshman year of high school I had no clue where I was going. One of my friends forced me to join JETS. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. JETS made me look at something I never considered as a college major, engineering. Once I realized engineering was a passion, everything clicked. I started realizing I was a hands-on, jump-in-the-deep-end, build-it person. I thrived when handed a problem that wasn't easy to solve or wasn't about writing a paper. Designing, building, testing, solving was where I loved to be. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that I realized this, but once I got it, I dove in. When looking at colleges I realized I couldn't see myself doing anything but engineering. Engineering just kept fitting with everything I loved to do.

JETS: What did you like about studying engineering?

Ashley: I love problem solving and learning how things work. Once I get involved in creation and design, I don't come up for air. Engineering gave us the Apollo program, which still amazes me. I still look up at the stars and wonder what else is out there. I'm a dreamer and builder. Engineering allows me to dream and build.

JETS: How did JETS influence your current career goals or career?

Ashley: JETS made me an engineer. Without it, I'd likely be a history major and not as happy as I am now. History majors don't have the opportunities to see and do the amazing things like engineers have. I've gotten the chance to stand under an Atlas V rocket, stand next to the space shuttle and parts of the International Space Station that are left on the ground. I've ridden Segways and talked to amazing people.

JETS: What were some of the important lessons you learned from JETS?

Ashley: Teamwork and leadership are two of the most important lessons. And also, how to think differently.

JETS: Do you believe you tackle problems in a different way after your JETS experience?

Ashley: JETS made me into an engineer, so what I learned from JETS is how to look at a problem more effectively and successfully reason out how to solve it.

JETS: What was something that you learned from JETS that you did not consider important at the time but since has become significant to you?

Ashley: Some of the most important lessons I learned had to do with the fabrication process. Many of the designs I created looked beautiful on paper, but building them was impossible. Knowing this reminds me to keep in mind the manufacturing process when designing something. If it's impossible to make, it is worthless in the end.

JETS: Any thoughts or advice for high school students considering engineering today?

Ashley: If you're thinking of going the engineering route, go for it, especially if you're strong in math and science. An engineering degree is like a Swiss army knife, you can become an engineer, or you can go to law school, medical school, or many other professions. Engineering teaches you how to think, it does not force you into a profession like many think.

JETS: Anything else to share about your JETS experience?

Ashley: For me, JETS was a lot of hands on science which is an experience that is rare in engineering education. Soak it up, ask questions, but mostly, have a blast.