Mobeen Ahmad — Outstanding Undergraduate

Mobeen Ahmad

Mobeen Ahmad
B.S.E. in Manufacturing Engineering
Graduated from Palo Verde High School in Tucson, Arizona

Mobeen Ahmad’s journey to becoming a Sun Devil started in the most unlikely of places: the University of Arizona.

Ahmad began his college career at U of A, but after a directionless semester of classes that failed to ignite his passion, he began looking at other universities to find the right program for him. His fascination with technology eventually attracted him to the engineering programs at the Polytechnic School.

“I was a tinkerer from a young age,” recalled Ahmad. “I would always be taking apart things to understand how they work and often times attempting to fix things on my own.”

Ahmad’s natural curiosity and proclivity for hands-on and experiential learning made him a perfect fit for the curriculum at the Polytechnic School.

“Not only did the Polytechnic School’s engineering programs incorporate a lot of project-based learning into the core curriculum, which I knew was incredibly useful and innovative, but also I found a degree program that aligned well with my strengths as well as my interests and career goals,” Ahmad recalled.

That degree program was manufacturing engineering, in which Ahmad enrolled in the fall of 2013, going on to excel by earning a place on the Dean’s list every semester since.

The project-based learning that brought Ahmad to ASU in the first place ended up leading to some of his most significant memories as well.

“One of the most memorable moments was when we were presenting our junior-year semester project at the Innovation Showcase,” he said. “Although our project was far from perfect, the design concept and effort put in by the team was highly appreciated by faculty, visitors, and our industry sponsor, which was totally unexpected.”

Ahmad also attributes the attention and feedback from some of his professors as integral in his development as an engineer. In particular, he remembers engineering Clinical Assistant Professor Kristine Csavina as a notable influence.

“In the first semester of her classes, although our senior capstone project was not going well, it was her acknowledgement that we were doing what we needed to, and giving critical feedback for improvement that really helped me become a better engineer,” Ahmad said. “Because of her support, our project was nominated to be presented at a Capstone Design Conference at the national level. Her dedication to her students has had a direct impact on my future, and I am grateful that I am given this opportunity to showcase our achievements.”

In addition to valuable feedback from professors and the project-based learning he craved, Ahmad’s program also gave him a comprehensive overview of his field’s place in the world of engineering.

“Manufacturing engineers play a huge role in industry, either developing or improving manufacturing processes,” said Ahmad. “I wanted to be learning engineering from a broader perspective and learning more about manufacturing technologies, while also learning the management and decision-making skills needed for a production environment.”

His time at ASU also allowed Ahmad to gain access to industry and contribute to real-world projects. Though challenging to juggle his academic responsibilities with the demands of an industry internship, Ahmad values the experience and aims to make his mark in industry.

“My long-term career goal is to work my way up the corporate ladder with my ever-increasing skillset and experience,” he said.

For now, Ahmad is searching for opportunities that align with his interests and goals. He’s also considering continuing his education as a graduate student.

“I plan on making a key difference wherever I end up,” he said. “My goal is to be an innovator and a leader.”