From Vacuum to Lab: A Student’s Journey Towards Real-World Application 

In the classroom, students have the opportunity to learn and practice specific concepts in a controlled situation, sometimes referred to as a vacuum. Yet in the real-world, many concepts and skills must be considered simultaneously to arrive at a solution. Whitney Walpole, a mechanical engineering student at ASPIRE, is discovering what it takes to answer real-world questions. 

“I’ve heard people say real work is nothing like what you learn in classes, but I think that was still a bit of a shock to see the difference in classes where you know what assumptions you’re making. There, it’s only one topic you’re focusing on,” she explained. “Here, I have to decide what matters. Me and my mentor, we have to know what assumptions to make, and we have to be able to justify these assumptions because no one’s telling us to make these assumptions.” 

Over the course of several years at ASPIRE, Walpole has worked on several projects at ASPIRE, applying the skills she has learned in her classes at Utah State University, including the most recent project she’s been working on. 

“I’m able to do research involving heat transfer, which is super cool because I just took that course a semester ago, so now I get to apply what I learned and see how different it is when you’re trying to do real-world problems instead of in-class work, so that was a bit of a shock,” she shared. “But it has been really exciting to be able to do simulations.” 

Solving these real-world solutions requires a more wholistic understanding of the process, especially when designing innovative solutions. It can be difficult to know what to keep in mind if you haven’t used the designs, which is why Walpole appreciates the opportunity to work on everything from research to design to hands-on assembly and construction of parts. 

“We get to move around, and sometimes it’s hands-on, and sometimes it’s design work,” Walpole explained. “It helps the whole process because if you’re designing something without considering how it’s going to be put together, you’re going to design it in a way that makes sense for designing. But then when you go to put it together, if it’s not designed well, it’s really hard to put together.” 

In addition to understanding the different steps of the design process, the multidisciplinary projects at ASPIRE have allowed for further real-world application, something that isn’t always possible in classes with students from the same discipline. 

“There’s lots of different students with different backgrounds, and we have to work together because it’s not just one thing involved,” Walpole explained. “It’s several different projects and disciplinary fields that matter.” 

Together, these skills and opportunities have led to a robust experience that has improved both her education and future career. 

“ASPIRE’s mission and allowing students to be a part in that is really helpful because it engages us as students and helps us take our school more seriously and helps us find where we want to go in life,” she explained. “It’s really invaluable to get my feet wet and know what engineering really means in the real world.” 

Knowing she is a part of ASPIRE’s mission and goals empowers her to contribute to that mission, offering a unique perspective as an active student. 

“Students bring different ideas to the table because they’re still learning in classroom and have valuable insight and questions,” she said. “While it’s not always high-level technical stuff we think about and consider, it can be different than industry people who have been taught to consider X, Y, and Z. We’re more open, so I think there’s also some value there for ASPIRE.” 

As she enters her senior year, Walpole is investigating future career pathways and utilizing her courses and experiences at ASPIRE to determine what she wants to do. 

“Being hands-on within ASPIRE and working with energy and different power sources and learning about that has been really cool. I also think aerospace stuff sounds cool for aerodynamics within mechanical engineering,” she shared. “And I will potentially get a master’s. I haven’t decided yet, or if not, I’ll go into industry and just jump in and get some experience working. So, it’s up in the air.” 

For the latest news, publications, and research highlights from ASPIRE, visit aspire.usu.edu.

About ASPIRE: 

ASPIRE, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center headquartered at Utah State University, leads groundbreaking research and development at the transportation-grid edge. With over 400 global collaborators, ASPIRE focuses on creating seamless, affordable electrified transportation systems, accessible for all vehicle classes, along with the public infrastructure needed to support them. By reducing costs, improving air quality, and fostering economic growth through job creation and workforce training, ASPIRE’s work spans engineering, social science, policy, and business. Partnering with top universities, industry leaders, and community groups, ASPIRE is driving the future of advanced transportation-grid systems. Learn more at aspire.usu.edu. 

Contacts: 

Kat Webb
Content Director
Marketing & Communications 
ASPIRE ERC  

Writer: 

Kayleigh Kearsley 
Marketing & Communications Intern 
ASPIRE ERC