Monday, April 14, 2003

Education

Atwood to graduate on 'solid' ground

By Anne Taylor

When Sara Atwood is handed her diploma in June, she will become the first in her family to become an engineer.

The Cleburne, Texas, native says her family background is steeped in education. Perhaps that's why she hopes one day to become an engineering professor.

Atwood will graduate from Dartmouth College with a 3.93 grade-point average, which according to her professors puts Atwood "in the top of her class."

One of the reasons she has excelled must be that she loves her studies, noting that solid mechanics was one of her favorite classes.

"I enjoyed that class because we got to make a bridge and put weights on it until it broke," she said. "Plus it was over the summer, so we built it outside."

She said she has enjoyed her classes at Dartmouth so much that she intends to stay on there for her master's degree.

"My top choice was Dartmouth. It's a completely different way of life and a different culture. I've learned to sled and have snowball fights.

"I plan to get my M.S. at Dartmouth because I haven't exhausted it yet - there are professors I haven't studied with yet. There is still a lot to learn and I'm enjoying the area."

Atwood foresees obtaining a Ph.D. in engineering, and pretty specific about her career goals. "I am specifically interested in tribology, mechanical engineering and materials science. I would like to work in industry or research and development for a few years, and ultimately become a professor of engineering and teach at the university level."

She is already prepping for that day, working as a teaching assistant at Dartmouth and a volunteer math and science tutor at a local high school.

"I've always enjoyed tutoring - I like the one-on-one, explaining to people and watching their face when they get it."

For now, Atwood is looking forward to going home for the summer to Texas where she hopes to get an internship.