Peyton Young - Mechanical Engineer
Meet Mr. Peyton Young! Mr. Young is a graduate student who has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Currently, he is performing research in the Bionic Engineering and Assistive Robotics (BEAR) Laboratory, where he works on creating more intuitive control for upper limb prostheses by studying the pressure developments between the user and the device. Specifically, he writes algorithms and develops sensing technologies that can be used to better understand user intent during activities of daily living. Once he finishes his PhD, Mr. Young aims to continue his research on upper limb prostheses as a professor.
Mr. Young chose to study mechanical engineering because he knew he enjoyed science, and he was fascinated by technology dealing with kinetics, or motion. A mechanical engineering degree has given Mr. Young several important skills, including being able to build and repair machinery, understanding the structure of materials, and understanding how to code.
Upon entering his studies, Mr. Young confirmed his interest in mechanical engineering by building several machines, joining a lab, and embracing his side hobbies that dealt with engineering. For students in high school who plan to pursue engineering, Mr. Young suggests enjoying one’s hobbies but emphasizes that rigorous study is also necessary. Upon entering undergraduate studies, Mr. Young recommends involving oneself in research laboratories and pursuing activities that align with one’s field of study.
As a PhD candidate, Mr. Young is working on his thesis, a large paper that is based off of experiments he conducts and the results he obtains. Mr. Young has broken his thesis down into three separate different experiments.
Mr. Young highlights several positive aspects in pursuing a PhD. Due to the independence associated with pursuing a PhD, Mr. Young is able to set his own work schedule. He also enjoys that one can also have fun while working or studying because one’s PhD studies are very self-oriented in terms of the goals one would like to achieve.
Mr. Young points out several key aspects of pursuing a PhD. Deadlines to complete certain tasks are set by faculty performing research, known as Principal Investigators or P.I.’s. Furthermore, accountability is essential for PhD studies. Mr. Young also believes that work-life balance and the separation between one’s work and one’s life can be difficult to find and points out that limited financial compensation through one’s PhD studies can create difficulties.
Mr. Young emphasizes that several paths and tools are available to students finishing their undergraduate studies. Undergraduate students can perform research and pursue industrial internships to immerse themselves in their field in order to engage in the practical application of their degree. As a useful tool, Artificial Intelligence can be helpful for writing emails and for correcting grammar and syntax in research papers, but Mr. Young emphasizes that it should not be the main backbone of the paper. Other advantages of Artificial intelligence include its ability to help with coding and with individual study.
Highlights of Mr. Young’s journey as he works toward his PhD include observing patients use the prosthetic technology he created and constructing interesting machine parts in the lab. Particularly interesting classes Mr. Young took during his undergraduate studies include a class regarding prosthetics and several classes regarding neurobiology. These include a neurotechnology class examining how neurotechnology can be integrated through the blood-brain barrier, a class examining musculoskeletal structure, and a microfabrication class in which Mr. Young learned how to fabricate microfluidic devices that can manipulate incredibly small amounts of fluid using very small channels.