Mechanical Engineering, concentration in Biomechanics | SELF Class of 2013
From Topeka, KS
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Mechanical Design Engineer
Houston, Texas
Moving to New Zealand for graduate school in January for a Fulbright Fellowship
Sometimes I feel like the only thing I didn't do throughout my entire time at KU was get a full night's rest. Sacrificing sleep to participate in anything and everything that interested me was 100x worth the time my bed missed out on me. Wanting to make the most of my experience, I did a whole spectrum of things like conduct research, play on the KU club volleyball team, and actively volunteer within the community. Undergraduate research sparked my curiosity in engineering and opened the door to many other paths. I received an award from KU to conduct this research and eventually got my work published in the KU undergraduate Research Journal. After my sophomore year I did an internship at Harvard University conducting research on robotics. This research went on to be published in Advanced Materials Scientific Journal. In the following summer I worked at a chemical plant and did mechanical design work. In my senior year I was president of the mechanical engineering honors society, nominated KU Woman of Distinction, and served on the ME student advisory board. Despite the long hours in the library, I went to nearly every home basketball game and camped to get some of the best seats in the Phog. I also was in a sorority and played on various intramural and sports club teams. Coaching Special Olympics and volunteering at the Humane Society were two of my biggest community contributions.
Jamie enjoys a non-stop busy lifestyle filled with plenty of adventure, outdoors, and meeting new people. On the evenings she likes to play volleyball, run, and workout. Weekends are spent hanging with friends, traveling, and enjoying the city nightlife. Volunteering is an especially important component to her life which is exemplified by her active coaching of Special Olympics and work with the Humane Society.
In January 2014 Jamie will be moving to New Zealand to pursue her master's in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Auckland. There she will conduct research on medical devices and exercise regimes that improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. In the 7 month gap from graduation to departing abroad, Jamie will work at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company as a Mechanical Design Engineer in Houston, TX. She enjoys this type of work because it is not an full-time desk job: she frequently goes outside to the plant which keeps things fresh and interesting.