Short Feature with Volleyball Rising Junior Kayla Yew

Rising junior Kayla Yew, a mechanical engineering major from San Francisco, California, answers a few questions about student life at Carnegie Mellon, talks about her summer internship, what she's excited for next semester, how she decided on her major, and what classes she's enjoyed.

1. What do you enjoy about campus life?

The thing that I enjoy most about campus life are the people. CMU is a school where you can see a new face every time you step on campus as well as see friends and link up with people in minutes. You have the power to make the most of what CMU has to offer and I think that's what makes our campus unique. 

2. What do you get involved in outside of volleyball?

I am Public Relations Chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma as well as Community Outreach Chair of CMU's chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Branching out to different organizations has allowed me to meet people I would have never bumped into before and gives me a more well-rounded view of CMU life. 

3. Tells us about your internship experience.

Last summer, I did research with the Robotics Institute where I got to help out and be a part of a robot for the Three Mile Island Cleanup. 

This summer I'm interning at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. A lot of people don't know that it was the lab which developed the first nuclear bombs which ended World War II. Here at the lab, I'm working with the Space Instrumentation Realization Group and helping build equipment that would eventually get sent up into space. I can't say a lot about it since all the information we deal with is export-controlled, but what I can say is that we'll be hearing a lot about it in the news in the near future!

4. What are your summer plans?

Something that I look forward to this summer is to catch up with friends back home, explore New Mexico, and spend time with my family and my dog, Mushu.

5. What are you excited about next semester?

I'm excited to take a leadership class for engineers next semester, which will help us gain the skills to demonstrate initiative in the classroom as well as in the workforce. I'm also excited to TA for Intro to CAD and help younger Mechanical Engineers learn about all the possibilities of computer designs.

6. Why did you select your course of study – what class have you enjoyed the most?

I chose Mechanical Engineering because I wanted to be a part of the process to create new things. I love seeing how an idea can be fabricated into an object, which you can hold in your hands and use. 

My favorite class so far has been my Gadgetry course. This class showed me the great lengths of integration between electrical and mechanical components and how the two can be used to create pretty amazing things. Building a version of Battleship for one of my very first homework assignments and creating a working light saber for my final project has inspired me to pursue a career in control systems and mechatronics.

7. What class would you recommend someone take?

I would recommend Gadgetry for those interested in learning both the electrical and mechanical side to how common things work. 

8. What have you enjoyed about living in Pittsburgh?

The great thing about Pittsburgh is that there are so many areas that are undiscovered and undisturbed by CMU students. I get to eat out, walk around, and explore new areas with my friends and it allows me to take a break from CMU life. 

9. What has been a memorable moment as part of the team?

I think my most memorable moment with my team was the time we went to 5 sets with every other team at Franklin and Marshall that day. It was also my birthday....