University of Rhode Island senior Sarah Mayer has many moments of pride and fond memories to reflect upon as she approaches commencement. She attributes the endless opportunities available to undergraduate engineering students as the primary reasons for her success in college. By joining student organizations, research labs, and being involved within the university, students have the chance to travel for conferences, present research findings, and step into leadership positions. “URI is a place to reinvent yourself, all you have to do is take the first step,” says Mayer.

The Niantic, CT native is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering. When asked what inspired her pursuit of engineering, she mentions the support of her family and thirst for knowledge. “I would say that my dad was the biggest inspiration in my decision to pursue an engineering degree. Growing up, he took every chance he could to teach me something new, whether it be physically taking a system apart and explaining each mechanism to me or quizzing me on the parts of a car engine. He taught me to be inquisitive and excited when facing a challenge or solving a problem. I always felt supported and encouraged by him, as I did by the rest of my family,” said Mayer.

“Follow your voice, and stay true to you. At the University of Rhode Island, you have the ability to chart your own path. I advise you all to advocate for yourselves and never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone - it may be the best decision you ever make.”

As for where she would pursue that engineering degree, she has her reasons for choosing the University of Rhode Island. “I will say that I am biased…our beautiful Bay Campus is what sold me. Ocean engineering is a niche field, therefore having a separate place for students to fully experience hands-on learning with our wave and acoustic tanks and our research vessel is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity.”

Ocean engineering has one of the highest credit requirements in engineering. As a result, many students often have 19-credit semesters. “One of these semesters consisted of the hardest classes for our major,” said Mayer.  She and her classmates found support through graduate student TAs and the office hours professors held. Throughout her time, she says she noticed “URI does a wonderful job of supporting students academically and socially.”

Mayer mentions that university is a “major milestone for many of us” – being away from home for the first time, meeting new people from diverse backgrounds, taking classes at higher levels. “URI provides many resources for students to seek academic help, but also hosts campus-wide events to get students off their phones and out of their rooms.”

Mayer lived in Tucker Hall during freshman year, and despite COVID restrictions, the students were determined to make the most of their time in the residence hall. RAs and RAMs were a huge part of this, hosting study sessions and fun events in the lounge as part of the ELLC. “Shoutout to Jessica McLaughlin, one of the most amazing and brilliant ocean engineers I know, who never failed to make me laugh and ease my stress during overwhelming moments of the semester,” notes Mayer.

She is forever grateful for the student organizations she was a part of during her time at URI. Mayer was secretary for the Society of Women Engineers for three years, a mentor in the Women in Engineering Mentorship program, and a Co-Senior College Ambassador for the College of Engineering. “My experience with each organization has been nothing but rewarding, and they are the biggest reason for my sense of belonging here at URI.” Her time as a writing consultant in the undergraduate writing center also gave her a break from the STEM course load.

“My experience with each organization has been nothing but rewarding, and they are the biggest reason for my sense of belonging here at URI.”

Throughout her time here, she has had the privilege of working in professor Brennan Phillips’ Underwater Robotics and Imaging Laboratory on the Bay Campus, completing two independent studies and working on a research project. This past year, Mayer spent much of her time working on the capstone project all seniors complete their final two semesters. Her team’s project involved designing and building an underwater robotic arm for docking autonomous underwater vehicles under the advisement of professor Mingxi Zhou and his lab, Smart Ocean Systems Laboratory. She was on the electrical team, where she and her partner worked on the electronics tray and the programming of servos that were used to rotate the robotic arm.

“The skills I learned here will help me in my role at Applied Physical Sciences, as I will work with electrical engineers frequently,” said Mayer.

After graduation, Mayer will be employed as a Staff Engineer at Applied Physical Sciences, a Research and Development company under General Dynamics where she will help design and build underwater sonar technology that will aid in military efforts. She plans to continue her education and eventually pursue a master’s degree, with the hopes of a Ph.D. further down the line. “I have an incredible support system encouraging me every step of the way, and I am optimistic for my future post-graduation.”

Mayer has two bits of advice that she has held near and dear to her heart during her time at URI for all incoming students: “follow your voice, and stay true to you. At the University of Rhode Island, you have the ability to chart your own path. I advise you all to advocate for yourselves and never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone – it may be the best decision you ever make.”