Student Spotlight: Aidan Albers
February 3, 2021 | By Angel Garcia
Midway through his second year at Georgia Tech, Aidan Albers is embracing the opportunities that come with attending the largest engineering college in the country. From internships to clubs, he has found support and opportunities to meet like-minded students who push each other to try new things. Find out why he chose Tech, who has influenced him, and what clubs he has latched on to as a mechanical engineering student.
Where are you from?
I am from Weddington, North Carolina, a town just outside of Charlotte.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
When I was researching colleges, I was looking for a place where I would be surrounded by other people with passions for their studies. Georgia Tech stood out as a place where everyone loved what they studied and did it well. That atmosphere was perfect, so it was an obvious choice for me.
What got you interested in mechanical engineering?
As a child, I was always a tinkerer. I have always been interested in building things – from remote controlled planes to makeshift motorcycles, I love to design and build tools and contraptions in my free time. Mechanical engineering is broad enough to allow me to pursue whatever I want and offered a way to combine this passion of mine with math and science. It’s been a great fit ever since.
How do you think your background has affected you as a student?
Growing up, my whole family was made up of engineers and computer scientists. Being around so many technically minded people kick started my interest in STEM. Attending a school like Georgia Tech is almost like an extension of my own family.
What was the hardest thing about transitioning to Georgia Tech?
Growing up in a small town in North Carolina, moving to a big city like Atlanta was a bit of a shock at first. I went from knowing most people in my town to knowing close to no one. Getting to meet so many new people on campus has been very rewarding. It’s an aspect of Georgia Tech that I have grown to really appreciate.
What hobbies do you take part in?
I spend most of my free time building and flying remote controlled planes, messing around in the Invention Studio or on CS projects, reading, or playing tennis.
How has your experience in the honors program been?
The Honors Program was one of the most rewarding things I have done on campus. The sense of community that was fostered through HP made Georgia Tech feel like home so much faster. I became incredibly close with the people in my dorm, and I loved it so much that I now work at the help desk there. Additionally, the events and opportunities offered through the Honors Program have been incredibly worthwhile. I recommend it to anyone I know applying to Tech.
What do you enjoy the most about your hobbies?
My favorite part about my hobbies is the creativity and independence I can express through them. I have always been intrigued by flight and learning about aircraft characteristics and dynamics through my planes lets me explore flight however I want. Building other projects is also incredibly rewarding; taking raw materials and creating something useful and functional from them is the best feeling ever.
What has been your favorite experience at Georgia Tech so far?
This semester, I was able to race in the Mini 500 for homecoming. I loved participating in such an established Tech tradition, racing by everyone cheering the racers on.
What clubs or after-school activities have you taken part in, and what was your experience with them?
One of my favorite clubs I’ve done at Georgia Tech so far has been the Aerospace Design-Build-Fly team. The main goal of the club is to design and build a small scale UAV to meet competition specifications and complete the goals given as well as possible. I loved the aspects of working on a team toward something that I had a genuine interest in.
Have you had any internships and if so what was your experience with them?
This past summer, I worked for Duke Energy, an electric and natural gas utility in the Carolinas, as a mechanical engineering intern. My responsibilities focused on their natural gas network, where I worked on pressure regulating stations. I thoroughly enjoyed the internship and I consider myself lucky for the experience.
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I am a proficient unicyclist and I like to practice and ride around campus sometimes.
What advice would you give to people who are looking to get into mechanical engineering
Mechanical Engineering is what you make it. There are so many opportunities to pursue here at Georgia Tech, so no matter what you are interested in, you can find other people here interested in the same things. I highly recommend researching clubs or other organizations that focus on what you like, and you can tailor your involvement from there.
In your opinion what is the best thing about mechanical engineering?
My favorite part of mechanical engineering is how versatile it is. Each mechanical engineering student at Tech has their own interests and passions, and everyone has the capability to pursue what they want however they want. I love going to the Invention Studio and seeing all the different projects that people work on – they are all super interesting and unique in their own ways.
What do you like to do to relax after a long day?
I think my favorite thing to do it to go out on Tech Green and read. Everything is so peaceful and really lets me unwind.