222 Palisades Creek Drive
Richardson, TX 75080
Phone: 972-952-9393
Fax: 972-952-9435
Email: [email protected]
University of Tennessee
Mechanical Engineering
Amber Kowalski
What are your career goals?
My primary career goal is to graduate with my Mechanical Engineering degree and grow into project management within the hyperscale data center industry, combining my engineering background with my strength in relationship-building. After gaining experience on the mechanical side of these complex facilities, I have become increasingly interested in the coordination and leadership needed to bring large-scale projects together. While I do not have every step of my career mapped out, I am also interested in exploring humanitarian engineering, inspired by my work in Senegal, and finding ways to incorporate service into my career. Outside of engineering, I am currently exploring aviation and working toward my pilot’s license.
Do you have any research areas of interest specific to your discipline?
I have spent the past two summers working as an engineering consultant for the mechanical components of HVAC systems for mission-critical facilities, particularly hyperscale data centers. Through these experiences, I have become especially interested in the interdisciplinary relationship between mechanical equipment and automated control systems that work together to support these complex facilities. I am also pursuing a minor in biomedical engineering, with a particular focus on neuroscience and neurotechnology coursework driven by my interest in the rapidly growing field of neuroprosthetics.
What is one piece of advice you have for fellow engineering students?
Approach all of your classes, internships, projects, career fairs, etc. with the mindset that you have no idea how perfectly it could all turn out. I know how easy it is to focus on what could go wrong (because new opportunities can feel scary!), but never let that distract you from all that could go right. A positive mindset can be the differentiating factor that turns an opportunity into something extraordinary.
What has been your favorite engineering course and why?
My favorite engineering course has been Professional Topics in Engineering because I loved seeing the concepts I was learning in class applied to real-world engineering challenges. We completed an end-of-year presentation where I had the opportunity to share my interest in the ethics of neurotechnology, which was both fascinating and valuable experience. The course also featured guest speakers who shared their experiences and perspectives from their respective fields. One of those speakers has since become my collegiate mentor, and I even had the opportunity to return to the class the following semester and present alongside her!
Which clubs, campus organizations, and activities do you participate in?
I currently serve as the Vice President of Academic Excellence for the Gamma Nu chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta and I am involved in the Kappa Epsilon Chapter of Order of Omega, which honors the top 5% of Greek leaders and scholars. I am a member of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and an alumna of Inside out Engineering, which was a 6 week seminar-style extracurricular that taught the importance and application of emotional intelligence in STEM fields. I am also a member of Vol Pilots!
What are you most looking forward to gaining from being an FE ambassador?
I am looking forward to connecting with students who are in the same stage of life that I was a few years ago. In the first few years of college, there was not much representation of the FE exam and the pathway to professional licensure. I am excited to serve as a mentor to these students, share what I have learned through my internship experiences, and help bring awareness to a career path they may not have otherwise considered early on. I also hope to be an example, especially for young women in engineering, that passing the FE exam as an undergraduate is an achievable goal.