Name: Abby Paulson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Math
Class of 2004
Abby Paulson has known since elementary school that she wanted to become
an engineer. “I figured out early on that I was good at math and
science,” she says. “I like to fix things and solve problems.”
Abby came to SMU two summers during middle school to participate in
the school’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) program, which she says
was a “real eye-opener.” That led her to apply to SMU, where
she now has some of the same professors.
She has chosen mechanical engineering as a major because she hopes to
work in manufacturing, helping design plant layouts and workflow. She's
already gotten a taste of this through her co-op experience with Applied
Materials, an Austin company that makes machines that prepare the wafers
for semiconductor chips. "The co-op program is great because it helps you
make job contacts early on and it helps pay for school," she says.
Abby's many skills and ability to work with people also have landed her
a job working in the Dean's office, where she has quickly made a positive
impression on everyone. "A lot of my professors have recognized me," she
says. "It's neat to be working with them."
