The bond you have with the students within the major elevates the academic experience because you’re able to work together to understand the concepts taught better.
Nandini Bhattaram is an undergraduate student with dual majors in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, graduating in May of 2027. We asked her some questions about her experience at UMD. These were her responses.
Where are you from, and what are some aspects of your background that you would like to share?
“I’m a Maryland native–from Columbia, MD. I’ve traveled to 16 countries and I'm looking forward to traveling more and more in the future. I’ve been dancing classical Indian dance (Bharatanatyam) since the age of 4 and am on Moksha, the competitive classical Indian dance team here at UMD. I studied abroad in Iceland during Spring break 2025–it was one the best experiences I’ve had in college.”
How would you describe your academic experience studying Materials Science and Engineering?
“I’ve had a great experience so far studying Materials Science and Engineering. I love how the classes are applications-based. There is a good mix of hand-on experience and theory. The professors are knowledgeable, caring, and want to help you succeed. The bond you have with the students within the major elevates the academic experience because you’re able to work together to understand the concepts taught better. Endless study sessions and discussions over homeworks and projects make the academic experiences better.”
Are you involved with any student-led organizations pertaining to engineering or MSE?
“I was recently elected as the inaugural secretary of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers student chapter at UMD. We aim to unite students passionate about manufacturing and design. As part of the founding board, I’m working alongside others to establish the organizational structure and outreach initiatives to connect members with industry leaders and hands-on opportunities as well as advocate for the skills and resources for the next-generation of manufacturing. Manufacturing is something that I’m passionate about, and this organization gives me the opportunity to improve my leadership skills and gain more insight into my passion.
As a faculty liaison for MatES, the Materials Engineering Society at UMD, I’m involved in efforts to bring together people from the MSE major through social and professional development events. This allows people to learn more about what the major has to offer and builds community.
Pertaining to the engineering school as a whole, I am a Clark School Ambassador. I help lead outreach events and tours of campus to prospective students. This has helped me gain public speaking skills, and I’ve better understood the resources the Clark School offers.”
As an undergraduate student, have you completed any internships, or any student competitions of interest?
“In September of this year, I was selected as 1 of 10 students from UMD and 1 of 300 students nationwide to be a part of the first cohort of the Next-Gen Innovators Mentorship Program by Apple. Through this program, I receive 1:1 mentorship from a Senior Materials Engineer at Apple to gain industry insight and accelerate professional development.
This past summer, I interned at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, where I supported 6 projects relating to the whole engineering design process through evaluating design challenges, proposing novel prototypes, developing manufacturing and testing methodologies, and executing installation. It was fun to fix up a waterjet, take part in the intern challenge, and use creative and critical thinking skills to bring ideas to life.
Since freshman year, I’ve been a part of the Advanced Manufacturing and Metallurgy Lab. I’ve run experiments for a Department of Energy grant on concentrating solar thermal power energy and done metallography on a high-temperature nickel-based superalloy for additive manufacturing. With an interest in in-situ monitoring for additive manufacturing, I’ve started my own research project.”
How did you narrow your interest to Materials Science and Engineering? Was there a key moment, or a personal story, that inspired you to pursue this career?
“I actually did not know what Materials Science and Engineering was, as a major or as a field until two months before submitting college applications! Having flown on so many planes, I’m a little bit of an airplane geek, and I remember reading an article on the GE9X engine and watching a video on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, seeing composites integrated with other materials to make these pieces of technology more efficient. That’s what first introduced me to this field. I knew I wanted to eventually work in some area, applying my engineering skills for energy and aerospace applications, and MSE would allow me to do that.”
What courses have helped shape your interests within Materials Science and Engineering? Specifically, which class would you recommend freshman students to take?
“As a freshman, taking ENMA180 piqued my interest in Materials Science and Engineering. Each week, we would learn about what professors, students, and people from industry were doing in MSE. I really valued being exposed to what the field could offer.
I took ENMA301 in my sophomore year, and I really enjoyed learning about the different properties of materials that are leveraged for their applications. We also had a semester-long project that helped us tie together what we learned to what’s going on in the real world. This major, being applications-focused through projects, makes the students up to date with what’s happening within the field, and that makes us better engineers overall as well.”
Following your undergraduate studies at UMD, what will be your next step?
“I plan to pursue a Masters in an engineering field after undergraduate studies at UMD. Hopefully after that, work in industry and then go for a Doctor of Engineering eventually.”
Lastly, what advice would you give to incoming undergraduate students in Materials Science and Engineering?
“Even though MSE is one of the smallest majors here in terms of student enrollment, the versatility of this major leads to endless applications and career choices. Everything is made up of materials, and you get to understand them fundamentally, giving you the strong foundation to branch out from no matter what path you choose to take through undergrad and beyond.”
Follow Nandini on Instagram!
@naan_bean123
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