ANDRES VILLADA
2010 Scholarship Recipient
Current PHD Candidate in Mechanical Engineering
University of Colorado, Boulder
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To the great people at ECA,
Your scholarship was immensely helpful to me when I received it back in 2010, and I still think back on it as a critical step in my journey to becoming a full-fledged engineer. After transferring from the University of Notre Dame to Brown University, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in physics in 2014, and continued directly into graduate school. I am now a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, with a Masters degree under my belt and uncountable possibilities before me. Research is my full time occupation-- a veritable dream come true-- and I am currently engaged in understanding the mechanical properties and applications of soft, smart materials, such as Shape Memory Polymers. Although I finished my coursework last year, I still like to offer my services as a TA for my department whenever I can. I am also currently the lead mentor for an undergraduate summer research program through the Leadership Alliance and am very involved with groups that promote STEM careers to underrepresented youth. In the future, I hope to use my knowledge and abilities to help usher in a technological revolution of soft robots and flexible electronics.
To all who made this possible, l sincerely thank you.
ANDRES VILLADA