Derek Adams – Distinguished Graduate

Derek Adams
B.S.E. in Industrial Engineering
Graduated from Lake Havasu High School in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Derek Adams is working toward his master’s degree in industrial engineering as part of the 4+1 accelerated program which allows students to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years. He will begin working in the capital planning group at IM Flash Technologies in Lehi, Utah, in January.

What led you to choose to study engineering at ASU?

I graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in finance in 2011. I chose to return to school to study industrial engineering, because the discipline seemed like a great fit for my personality, strengths, and career goals. I found industrial engineering appealing, because the field requires an engineer to consider multiple areas like finance and operations and use statistics and computer programs to solve cool, complex problems.

What has been most rewarding about your undergraduate years at ASU?

The most rewarding part about my undergraduate years has been helping Senior Lecturer Linda Chattin as an undergraduate teaching assistant for IEE 380: Statistics for Engineers. The class is a “bread-and-butter” class for an industrial engineer, and I like the material. I appreciated her teaching in the four classes I had with her, including IEE 380, and enjoyed helping her out with the class. I enjoyed helping the students learn the material and complete the homework assignments.

How do you see your future?
I am not as young as many of the graduating seniors, but I like to think that I have a bright future. My experience at ASU has done a lot toward setting me up to be successful in my career. The dream for me is to find and stay in a career that I enjoy and provides a great standard of living for me and my family.