Meet Kyu Jang - graduate Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, MD - Mechanical Engineering major

How he got interested in science: "Since I was in middle school, my dream has been to become a car designer who does not only design the body, but also maximize the performance with inventing a strong engine. And now that I am in college, studying mechanical engineering, I found that science is not only about car designing. There are various fields and within each field scientists study with passion to enhance our daily lives. Considering I can contribute little bit to our daily life with value, I think science is really interesting and worthwhile."

What he likes about research: "My research is about finding materials like those scientists who found plastic from polymers. No one knew what plastic was and how to use it. Now with help of scientists, a lot about plastic is known and new plastics are coming up. I think researching to find something new is very exciting because it can change our daily life, as plastic did."

Other interesting science experiences at Maryland: "I was in the Solar Decathlon 2007 team during last semester. The project was to build a energy efficient and sustainable house powered by solar energy. I was in theHVAC team of the house, developing solar thermal system: hot water, radiant floor, and anything related with heat in the house. The house, hot water, heating, and air conditioning system are run solely by solar energy. I was amazed and thought that it could be great if all the houses in the world are run by solar energy or anything like alternative energy. The experience is just so valuable to me and I learned how science can improve our environment."

 

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Maryland