#Road scholar trips software
Last summer, he was a controls engineering intern with Rolls-Royce, for example, working on gas turbine engine software controls in Indianapolis, Indiana.
I think it is a great place for people to come in and get project experience.”ĭuring the summer, McDonald sought internships to learn more about the aerospace industry, benefitting from the university’s extensive network of global aerospace companies. “Everybody in that lab is passionate about space flight. “The rocket lab has given a lot of people a home and a family to work with,” he said. 3: Get Hands-On Experience Outside of the Classroom - A Lot of Itįor McDonald, Embry-Riddle’s Rocket Laboratory became his refuge when not in class or studying. (The specialists) act as a stepping stone for new members to come in and learn about electronics and software and its important role in the aerospace industry,” he said. “We now see students from majors we had never seen in the past. This focus on integrating technology into flight vehicles changed the club a lot, as well as Alijah’s trajectory through the aerospace industry. So, he helped start an electronics specialist group within the organization that worked on avionics, payloads and flight computer development. When McDonald joined the future space explorers as a freshman, he found the club lacked members with an expertise in electronics. “Leadership has many different definitions, but to me it means building something that benefits yourself and the people around you,” he said.
When he came to Embry-Riddle, he was able to bring those same technical strengths to the campus organizations he joined, such as the Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society. On his high school robotics team, however, he stood out as one of the few members who was highly skilled in programming and electronics. “I may not be able to be an astronaut or pilot, because you have to meet certain medical requirements.” “I have moderate to severe hearing loss, and I wear hearing aids in both ears, so I know there may be certain limitations on what I can do,” he said. When McDonald first got interested in flight, he decided to focus on the positives: what he excelled at and could bring to the aerospace industry. 2: Focus on Your Unique Strengths, Then Use Them to Contribute “Being reminded why you are here can help you stay focused through rigorous times,” McDonald said. Isaacman visited Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus to talk about his space flight and about how commercial space missions can help create a better world during Aviation Week 2022. This past April, McDonald also was chosen to interview entrepreneur and Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman ('11), the Embry-Riddle alumnus who led the first-ever all-civilian space mission. It reminded him of his love of space and why he wanted to work in the field. One thing that helped him maintain focus when he felt stressed, he added, was a trip his freshman year to Kennedy Space Center to see the vehicle assembly building and tour the Boeing facility. Remember why you are here and keep going.” “Sometimes you don’t get it on the first try,” said the Little River, South Carolina native. Adjusting to a new environment and more rigorous classes, however, can be an adjustment for new students, he said.
McDonald grew up going to airshows, planetariums and robotics competitions, so he was excited to study aerospace engineering in college. In that spirit, McDonald offered advice to incoming college students, in the hopes of helping them stay focused and motivated as they pursue their own personal paths toward their dreams. At that time, the road ahead felt long and uncertain, and he craved clarity. He still remembers when he began his college career, however, and the nerves he felt in his first days. With two internships under his belt and a Boeing Scholarship to his name, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Aerospace Engineering senior Alijah McDonald is closer now than ever before to achieving his dream of working in the aerospace industry.
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