Alumni Profile

Ryan McLaughlin

Zoom image: Ryan McLaughlin at the summit of a mountain Ryan McLaughlin at the summit of a mountain.

I was never the smartest or hardest working student, and I could not have graduated if it was not for the relationships that I developed within those small group and introductory EAS classes. Well engineered solutions require collaboration, evaluation, and sound judgment, all of which are heavily emphasized within EAS and critical to success in both academia and career advancement."

Where I've Been

Cities

  • Worcester, MA
  • Olean, NY
  • Roanoke, VA
  • Corning, NY

Organizations

  • General Electric
  • Dresser-Rand
  • Siemens

Positions

  • Technology and Innovation Manager
  • Compressor Enginee
  • Assembly & Test Engineer
  • Business Development Engineer
  • Project Engineer
  • Application Engineer

What I've Done

What types of work have you performed? What projects have you worked on?
Innovated, designed, sold, built, and tested, large rotating and reciprocating equipment for the oil and gas industries.

What have been some favorite aspects of your work?
Engineering is a degree in identifying and solving problems, and there are problems to be found and solved in every aspect of a business; I never have to stop learning and every day brings new challenges.

What was one of your most satisfying days as an engineer?
Pushing the limits and creating something that has never been made before.

Was it worth it? What has your engineering background made possible for you? What value has it added to your overall life?
Every day of my career I am glad that I stuck with it the degree and persevered. My background in engineering has changed the way I look at the world around me and made every career opportunity possible. It gives me an appreciation for the stuff we create, whether it is a small cell phone or massive rocketship, and engineering design decisions that allowed them to be possible. A degree in engineering is a key that can make anything possible.

Why it Matters

What would you say to the first-year students currently sitting in your shoes?
I was never the smartest or hardest working student, and I could not have graduated if it was not for the relationships that I developed within those small group and introductory EAS classes. Well engineered solutions require collaboration, evaluation, and sound judgment, all of which are heavily emphasized within EAS and critical to success in both academia and career advancement. Rely on your friends and together you can succeed.