The Mahogany Tower September 2018 Spotlight: Luis Rosa
I met Luis Spring 2018. There was a friendly gentleman sitting next to me at church, so I decided to introduce myself. To my surprise, he, too, was a PhD student. You know, when you meet other PhD Students, there’s just a mutual level of understanding. Explaining gets exhausting (very fast), and as much as I generally enjoy the people I go to church with, I find myself needing to explain to them quite a bit. With good reason, obviously. Most people don’t have a PhD and aren’t super interested in pursuing one, so they generally don’t have the ins and outs. Complicating matters further, most people who think they know what a PhD is actually don’t, so that certainly doesn’t help.
It’s kind of like if a person walks up to me and tells me they’re a lawyer, and my response is, “Oh, you’re a lawyer? So you’re like the people on Law and Order, right?”.
They’re probably thinking, “Don’t act like you know my life; get the heck out of here.”
I digress. In any case, when I’m chopping it up with PhD students, I generally don’t have to explain (much), so it’s a different kind of conversation. Luis and I both connected over the many challenges of Year 1 in the PhD program. Beyond that, it certainly helps that we both enjoy a good salsa night. When I told Luis about the Spotlight for the blog, he was absolutely ecstatic. It’s his pleasure and mine to share his journey as an engineering PhD student.
Academic Bio
PhD in Robotics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2022)
Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (2017)
Q: You studied mechanical engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. At what point did you determine that you wanted to be an engineer?
As a kid, my favorite toy was always LEGOs which is not uncommon for engineers. Nonetheless, when the moment to decide came, I remember discussing what kinds of jobs would allow me to use the creativity these toys had inspired and would allow me to do new things that could potentially help others. Considering this, engineering seemed like the obvious choice.
Q: How did your time in undergrad prepare you for your PhD program? Was there anything that was particularly informative or helpful in helping you decide on doing a PhD?
Sadly, even though UPRM’s engineering program is fantastic in prepping students for industry, the same cannot be said for graduate school. Resources being so limited, it has always been hard to be ahead in research studies and to develop the fill the ideal “mold” for many graduate programs. However, I had wanted to do my PhD for years so that I could one day teach as a professor. Thanks to the counsel of some great people, I started doing everything I could to get into grad school, hard work and perseverance being among the best tools I was given. Also, something we do learn well when resources are limited, is how to always make the most of what you have.
Q: You could be studying anything in grad school. How did you decide on Healthcare Robotics?
Before I decided on this, I did internships with GE and Boeing, the latter being my dream company at the time. But to my surprise, I learned I did not want my work to be all behind a desk. I have always been fascinated by robots and by the idea of helping people, and while at Boeing, I was able to visit research labs that did robotics and I saw how much more hands on that work could be. This posed the idea of a Robotics PhD, which at the time I did not even know it existed. Furthermore, as I looked into which areas I could focus my research on, healthcare seemed like the ideal choice if I wanted to help others. In my family, many work in the healthcare industry, and since I did not study to become a medical doctor, healthcare robotics seemed like the perfect opportunity to respond to that calling while still doing my own.
Q: You mentioned in Puerto Rico, students don’t always have access to the same resources that may be more abundant or readily accessible in the rest of the US. How do you think that influences professional development and opportunities to pursue graduate education?
I believe the biggest problem with Puerto Rico’s situation is that students do not know about the opportunities that are out there. Maybe the more fortunate ones know about some, but it’s still hard for them to seize these if they don’t have the means to prepare themselves or gain the necessary experience to be a strong candidate. Resource disparity makes the already hard feat of making it into grad school even harder.
Q: You grew up in Puerto Rico and did most of your schooling there. Looking back on your past year in the United States, were there difficulties in transitioning into grad school? Were there personal aspects of the transition that were difficult, too?
Academically, it was hard to balance research and classes. Because there is always research to be done, and much is expected of you for every class, the juggle for time can be overwhelming. Personally, being exposed to a different culture, lacking all the human warmth us Latin people are used to, and not having any leisure time, all made the transition much harder than I anticipated. Moving around in a new place, having to make new friends, food not being what you are used to, even the weather, the commute, the language and simple things can be a challenge when put on top of everything grad school throws at you.
Q: Unlike other disciplines, engineering departments seem to have more diversity concerning what PhD students choose to do upon graduating. What are some of the [popular] career paths?
The two big branches are usually industry or academia. However, as a PhD you can work almost anywhere. You could be a professor, you can work for a company, a start-up, you can work for a research lab, you could do business, consulting, and much, much more… Something you should realize is that as an engineer you are being taught how to think and how to solve problems, which in truth can be applied to anything.
Q: What’s been helpful in feeling more at home in Atlanta? Have there been communities you’ve been able to plug into locally, for grad students, Hispanic-Americans, or other spiritually minded people?
There is a reason they say, “home is where the heart is”. Coming to Atlanta, I think what has helped me most, in the sense of making human connection, is making actual friends that care for me and me for them. Church was a big part of me back home and finding one up here where I felt well was crucial. I am also now among the leadership of RoboGrads (robotics grads) and LOGRAS (Latin grads), as am I involved with the Musicians’ Network. All of which helps me have supporting people in every part of my life.
Q: What was your biggest lesson from year 1 in the program? If you could, what would you go back and tell yourself before starting?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Don’t limit your friendship circles to those who have your same background. Make the most out of your time, focus on what really matters. Don’t procrastinate. Make sure you understand what the expectations are and what will be needed of you for both classes and research. Keep to your schedule.
Q: When you were in undergrad, what would you describe as your biggest failure? What about in grad school? What gets you through moments like these?
In undergrad my biggest failure was not doing even better academically and socially, just because I procrastinated. Especially every time I did not get the grade I knew I could have gotten, or I missed out on having fun with friends. In grad school it was definitely when I had to drop one of my classes for the first time ever. I have always been a glass half full kind of guy, so anything that might seem like a setback or something that might even hurt you, I see it as an opportunity, an opportunity to learn, to grow and to better for yourself and for others. “No pain, no gain”.
Q: We’ve discussed at a few different points things that you’re interested in doing after school, particularly in Puerto Rico. How do you see completing your PhD at GT as paving the path for your career?
My plan is to use my PhD in Robotics to become a professor in Puerto Rico and to start a robotics program there. I also expect to use the connections I’m doing to help propel research in our island to the next level, to help give opportunities to those who had none and to inspire rising generations to adopt that striving mentality that takes hardship as opportunity to grow and has the drive to make things happen.
Q: You mentioned an ‘urban legend’ that shapes your view of career and ministry. Can you share about that?
As a kid I heard a story about a guy who wanted to do missionary work and go help people. However, when the time came, he had an illness that didn’t allow him to travel. Nonetheless, because he couldn’t go he started working extra hard on his business, a vineyard, so that through his earnings he could help people. In the end, he was able to help many more people through his business than he would have just by traveling. His last name… Welch. Now, I don’t know if the story is true, but it inspired me to do whatever it is I do the best way I can, because in the end, not everyone will be a pastor or a missionary, the world also needs people in other areas with the desire to help.
Q: If you weren’t a PhD student (or engineer), what do you think you’d be pursuing professionally instead?
I’d be in the business world. I would have some sort of company that enables people through both its products and its contribution. I could also see myself as someone who gives talks to people to develop a certain area. I’m also a drummer and I like fitness, so a career in either is something I could see myself in. But as you seen in all of them, there is the common theme of somehow helping others sharing what I have.
Q: Any advice for other Hispanic students interested in doing engineering? What about students who want to do a PhD?
For anything you want to do in life… Work hard, be proactive, don’t wait for the system to take care of things, go ahead and do them yourself, if you don’t have the answer look for someone who does, network, network, network, network. Learn what your strengths are and make a plan to use them to reach your goals. Look for help whenever you need it. Take pride in your work. Whatever you do, do the best you can, and people will take notice. And… STOP WAISTING TIME, LIFE’S SHORT, LIFE’S GOOD, MAKE THE MOST OF IT (Even the ugly), EVERY DAY IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT…
Nnamdi