The Class of 2023 are the first cohort of undergraduate students to graduate from UD’s materials science and engineering program. We asked seniors to share what motivated them to choose their major, what MSEG courses and instructors they enjoyed the most, what they hope to achieve in the future and what advice they have for future materials engineers.
Chris Alevrontas
Hometown: Demarest, NJ
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: scuba diving, intramural sports
“I chose to study materials science because it is an ever-evolving field that can be applied to any discipline, as materials are necessary for every aspect of life.”
Lauren Bulger
Hometown: Crofton, MD
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: Women’s Club Ice Hockey Team, Materials Science and Engineering Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee, Club Swimming Team, Orthotics and Prosthetics Club
“A career in renewable energy would be very rewarding, particularly in offshore wind power as a source of clean energy, because of the challenges of climate change.”
Mallory Gehrer
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: UD Esports. MSEG Student Ambassador
“Senior Design was my favorite class. I was able to work with my team and apply all that I had learned over the course of my degree in a meaningful way.”
Caitlin Iannetta
Hometown: Perkasie, PA
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: Alpha Delta Pi chapter, Special Olympics club, intramural sports
“My dream job would combine my passion for science, engineering and technology with my drive to help others. I would love to contribute to the advancement of global health.”
Samson Porta
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Preferred pronouns: he/him
“My dream job is to be a chip hardware manufacturer. There is going to be a need for young engineers to bring new options to the table and I plan to be one of them”
Scott Toreki
Hometown: Sewell, NJ
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: Galadrim
“I chose the field of materials science and engineering because of the wide range of possibilities. It allows access to pretty much any field, and you can do anything you want with it.”
Dillon Emory Belser
Hometown: Pembroke, MA
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: Alpha Epsilon Pi
“Professor Hewlett encapsulated how amazing the field is and the opportunities within it. I’m excited to continue my education at UD studying for my Masters of Materials Science.”
Giordana Daniels
Hometown: Jericho, NY
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: Alpha Omega Epsilon Sorority, Club Equestrian Team, Undergrad Research at The Innovation Health and Design Lab on STAR Campus, College of Engineering Ambassador
“Be prepared to be pushed out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to ask for help, get involved with activities, and make friends in your classes because you are all in it together!”
Angelique Gordon
Hometown: Stowe, PA
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: CHARM 2022 Summer REU
“My favorite course is the Nanoscale Materials Laboratory. Creating functional devices that we could test and collect data from was very fulfilling and exciting.”
Townsend Long
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: Board Game Club (currently president), Formula SAE, intramural recreational soccer
“The kind of applied work done in material science and engineering has always fascinated me, and I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
Will Quintana
Hometown: Middletown, DE
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: SAMPE, Tau Beta Pi
“I am really interested in sustainable polymers and they have made innovations such as recyclable shoes or shoes made from ocean plastics; it is awesome to see.”
Marissa Brumm
Hometown: Bainbridge, PA
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: Club Gymnastics
“Every class I have taken with Professor Sheldon taught me a lot about materials science. He cares about every one of the students and that has really made a big impact.”
Matt Dunnington
Hometown: Hamilton, NJ
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: AFROTC
“I initially came in as a Chemical Engineer, but the MSEG class we had to take as part of that curriculum made me realize what I actually wanted to do.”
Marina Hastings
Hometown: Middletown, DE
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Activities and clubs: Research in the lab of Laure Kayser
“Junior lab was my favorite set of classes. It was the first time we got to see what MSEG was all about and gave me a lot of reassurance that I had picked the right major.”
Eduardo Nombera Bueno
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: ChemE-Car, ChemE-Cube, AIChE, MRS, ACS, SHPE
“Not only is Professor Sheldon Hewlett one of the best lecturers I’ve had at UD, but he cares about his students and is always there to help students in any way.”
Ben Smith
Hometown: Pittsgrove, NJ
Preferred pronouns: he/him
Activities and clubs: UD Club Swim Team
“Put in an effort to interact and become friends with your peers. You’ll quickly come to realize that those people are going to become frequent members of your everyday life.”
