Engineering student listed among the best in the nation

In early December, the National Engineers Week Foundation announced its first annual "New Faces of Engineering College Edition" by recognizing the Most Promising Engineering Professionals of Tomorrow. Oregon State University's manufacturing and industrial engineering student Alexandria Moseley has been chosen as one of the top 15 engineering students in the U.S. and around the world.

Moseley explained that in October, National Engineers Week announced that they wanted each of the 15 professional societies related to engineering to advertise to their student members that there will be an award. Each society would take their top three applicants and choose one to be recognized.

"The whole point was to profile students from each professional society that are doing really awesome things. Namely, they really wanted to get students who are promoting engineering and educating about engineering," Moseley said. "So I got an email from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and I applied, and they nominated me as their candidate."

In her fourth year at OSU, Moseley has done a lot to get her name out.

When accepted to OSU, Moseley also got an invitation to apply to Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program as a pre-select student. Through MECOP, Moseley was able to get an early internship in her hometown of Newberg, Ore., where she was introduced to manufacturing engineering and realized it was for her.

Currently, Moseley is working on a double degree in manufacturing and industrial engineering. She plans to do one more internship through MECOP this spring and summer and then graduate next year.

Manufacturing and industrial engineering are similar, but the reasons Moseley likes each of them are very different.

"The processes that are used to create products are fascinating," Moseley said. "You know, after watching more than a few hours of ‘How It's Made' episodes; and being really excited to interpret assembly drawings from IKEA products; and trying to determine mass-produce handmade Christmas cards for my family, led me to a career in manufacturing," she said. "Industrial engineering I like because it's a great blend of project management and statistical analysis to make an operation run as best as it possibly can."

Scott Ashford, Interim Dean of the College of Engineering was optimistic about Moseley's abilities. "Alex is one of those exceptional students where she is excellent in academics, but she's also given back to the profession and to the school," he said.

 "She's an excellent student academically and she's participated in several undergraduate research experiences," said Director of Women and Minorities in Engineering Programs Ellen Momsen. "But I guess the main thing is that she has been the manager of our ambassador program for the last two years and has done an outstanding job."

Momsen explained that Moseley has contacted more than 100 different high school and middle school teachers, and arranged visits from all of the ambassadors to go visit the classrooms and encourage students that have never thought of engineering as a career to pursue it further.

"Alex is not only excellent at talking to the teachers and arranging, but she is a fabulous presenter herself," Momsen said. "She's done incredible presentations. She actually revamped the presentation we use at high schools this past year to make it more engaging for students."

The National Engineers Week website states that they "raise public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society."

Momsen said that all that Moseley does goes to show that engineering is not about sitting in a cubicle crunching numbers.

Brett McFarlane, Director of Undergraduate Programs for the College of Engineering, said Moseley has been so recognized around the school because she has the communication skills, the motivation, the drive, the energy and the academic skills and is highly involved in activities and programs.

"I think what (her being recognized) shows is that the industry recognizes the importance of all of those in engineering leadership," McFarlane said about Moseley, who remains modest about the recognition.

"The greatest thing about this award is that it really shows that Oregon State has a stellar engineering program," Moseley said. "I'm not, by any means, the only kid that should have been on this list."

Gwen Shaw, staff reporter

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