Meet our students
Eli Braverman
What is your major?
Industrial Design
Where are you from?
West Hartford, Connecticut
What do you find most challenging about your major?
The stress of getting in after review and saying goodbye to too many of my classmates.
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
The diversity of skills, tools, and opportunities that are built in the major.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I am not sure what I want to do after graduation. I would love to work in the outdoor industry, or move towards a place where I can design walkable and bikeable cities.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I love to go mountain biking and road biking. I also enjoy baking and propagating my plants!
Favorite food?
Peanut butter! I have consumed two, 5-gallon buckets worth of peanut butter in the last school year.
Favorite place in Bellingham?
Galbraith mountain!
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
If you can, take a gap year if you haven't figured out what major you want to pursue. I graduated high school and took a gap year to explore different careers. I feel like there is a big push to go right into higher education after high school that doesn't work for everyone.
Alexa Renshaw
What is your major?
Polymer Materials Engineering
Where are you from?
Snohomish, Washington
What do you find most challenging about your major?
The amount of information that we learn and lots of homework and studying to do outside of class.
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
The ability to learn really cool new things about the materials industry, and learning about how we can make the world a better place and the responsibility we have as engineers.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I would love to work in aerospace and experimenting with manufacturing parts with materials.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I enjoy freshwater fishing around Bellingham and playing video games.
Favorite food?
I really like Busara thai cuisine
Favorite place in Bellingham?
Lakewood facility at Lake Whatcom!
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
Get involved, check out the Makerspace and go to club meetings! It's always great to have a support network of people you know in tough classes.
Caleb Hennes
What is your major?
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Where are you from?
Lake Stevens, Washington
What do you find most challenging about your major?
Time management between projects, labs, homework, corrections, and studying
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
Being able to create
What do you want to do after you graduate?
Get into the Energy industry, with an emphasis on Nuclear or Fusion
What are your hobbies outside of school?
Rowing, road cycling, violin
Favorite food?
Pasta
Favorite place in Bellingham?
Chuckanut Drive/Lake Whatcom Dr
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
Find time to get outdoors alone. It's good to comfortable being by yourself, and being able solve your own problems
Abigail Knipe
What is your major?
Polymer Materials Engineering
Where are you from?
Boise, Idaho
What do you find most challenging about your major?
The workload!
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
Everything I learn is so applicable to the world around me and it makes the workload so worth it. Also, the staff and my cohort are wonderful, and I love working hard together.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I want to design outdoor gear or band equipment with a heavy emphasis on using recycled materials for that gear.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I play in a band (Lemon Bear), I love to run and ski, and I love to make all kinds of art!
Favorite food?
Currently- blueberries
Favorite place in Bellingham?
The Chuckanut trails
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
Don’t let the weed out classes weed you out if it’s something related to what you’re interested in. Those classes are worth the struggle.
Dori Harcharik (she/her)
What is your major?
Polymer Materials Engineering
Where are you from?
Asheville, North Carolina
What do you find most challenging about your major?
Polymer materials engineering is a program that encompasses a lot ofconcepts and skills, and many of the classes are challenging. The program blends polymer chemistry and synthesis with manufacturing of polymer products, so some classes and/or labs can feel overwhelming, but the peers and faculty care so much about student success! STEM is difficult, so you have to learn how to manage your time, learn from your mistakes, and ask for help.
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
I feel like I have grown so much as a scientist and person during my time in the PME program. It has been rewarding to see myself take on new responsibilities, contribute to research, and be part of academic opportunities. I've presented at conference poster sessions, won awards, been in awe of my peers and professors, and developed a community I care deeply about. The PME program really is special.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I would like to attend a graduate school program in polymer material engineering and earn my PhD.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I love to kayak, take hikes around Bellingham, cook, bake, and make jewelry.
Favorite food?
Tiramisu
Favorite place in Bellingham?
I love the pier walk to Boulevard Park. It has great views of the bay and connects to downtown Fairhaven.
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
Sometimes the mental hurdles of college can be more difficult than the academics--believing that you can succeed, keeping motivated, showing up when you feel overwhelmed--these are hard parts of college, but you can get through them. Have faith in your interests and talents, find professors and peers you trust and connect with, and remember to take care of yourself.
Rook Oliver (she/her)
What is your major?
Manufacturing Engineering
Where are you from?
I grew up moving around the PNW, so I don't really consider anywhere my "hometown."
What do you find most challenging about your major?
Its hard to keep up with all the work that gets thrown at you, but if I didn't like that sort of thing, I wouldn't be doing this.
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
I've wanted to do this since I was 7 years old. I had dreams about creating things and using giant machines and learning everything about everything. I love how hands on everything is and that I am able to see every part of the process. Really makes me feel like I'm getting to fulfill a lifelong dream, you know?
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I have three requirements for what I want to do after graduation. It has to be related to what I'm learning now, it has to be humanitarian in nature, and it has to be something big and crazy.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I like to cook a lot. It keeps me centered and helps me practice being more detail oriented. When I'm not doing that, I'm usually playing video games with my lovely partner, or writing tabletop roleplaying game modules.
Favorite food?
Any burrito that's the size and weight of an infant child.
Favorite place in Bellingham?
I love The Comics Place downtown, Babygreens down in Fairhaven, and whatever seasonal markets are happening at any given time.
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
Get a good night's rest, drink water, eat food, calm your mind. Being in higher academia is a great place to be, but to make the most of it, your body and brain have to come first.
David Griffin
What is your major?
Industrial Design
Where are you from?
Seattle, Washington
What do you find most challenging about your major?
Balancing learning and applying multiple design disciplines and skills
What do you find most rewarding about your major?
The community and connections with our outstanding students, faculty, and alumni
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I hope to work for a multidisciplinary industrial design consultancy
What are your hobbies outside of school?
I enjoy climbing, hiking, biking, and skiing around Bellingham
Favorite food?
Poke bowl
Favorite place in Bellingham?
Larrabee beach
What advice would you give a new WWU student in our department?
A quote from my mentor in the ID program that encapsulates my advice to future students is "Relish the challenge". The best growth comes from challenging yourself and if you approach a challenge with a positive mindset, you'll benefit even more from the experience.