Undergraduate Spotlight: Elise Kemper

Where is your hometown? 

Dayton, Ohio 

What is your area of study and what made you pursue it? 

Mechanical Engineering- growing up I was always interested in the way things worked and wanted to pursue a career solving problems with math and science. 

What brought you to Ohio State? 

I chose Ohio State because of the breadth of opportunities OSU offers to explore different aspects of engineering outside of the classroom through undergraduate research, project teams, and student organizations.  

What do you like most about the major and opportunities OSU allows? 

I really enjoyed how broad mechanical engineering is and that it allows you to get experience in a variety of foundational engineering concepts and disciplines to help you discover which areas you find most interesting.  

What is the best class you have taken so far and why? 

My favorite class was Public Affairs 5600, a professional skills technical elective I took last semester. It was a really engaging class that incorporates a lot of real-world events into class discussion. It helped me gain perspective on the context of my more technical classes and an understanding of how public policy influences the goals and impacts of science and engineering work on the world at large. 

What advice would you give high school students considering pursuing engineering as a major? 

I would tell them to remember that you get to define what success means to you at every stage of your life. Engineering classes can be tough and it’s important to celebrate small victories and improvement. Also, don’t feel like you need to go it alone. Find a study group and don’t be afraid to use OSU’s resources and ask for help! 

What is an important decision you made during your time at MAE? 

I decided to pursue a graduate degree in materials engineering based on the undergrad classes I enjoyed most in the MAE program. 

What was your favorite activity to do as a kid? 

Building forts with my sister!