Transformative Research, Undergrad Impact

This summer, Baylor students Emily Zimmer and Ishaan Patel were busy with elite internships in the field of engineering. Zimmer, a senior mechanical engineering major, worked in Fort Worth with Jacobs, an international engineering powerhouse. Patel, a senior biomedical engineering major, interned at SpaceX.

Both are pursuing careers in their dream fields, and both say their experiences in undergraduate research at Baylor — one of only 13 schools ranked in the top 30 in both undergraduate teaching and research —  played a role in getting them where they are.

Their mentor, Lulin Jiang, Ph.D., is a highly regarded engineering leader working on ground-breaking projects funded by the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense and more. No matter where her work takes her, however, she’s never far from her role as a mentor to the undergraduate students who engage in hands-on work alongside her.

“I wholeheartedly believe what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:12: ‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example,’” Jiang says. “I believe we are called to ‘fan into flame the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6).’ When I was a student, I was blessed to always be encouraged by my mentors, and I humbly hope to pass that on — lifting up the younger generation, entrusting them with important work, polishing their leadership skills by assigning them to lead subtasks and providing a research platform to fan into flame their gift of God.”

During her time in Jiang’s lab, Zimmer has helped design concepts for fuel injection projects, and said she was able to “apply fluid mechanics concepts before taking the course.” She further contributed to injector design, created inner burner structures and worked on a Department of Defense project aimed at improving soldiers’ quality of life.

Patel moved from assisting with experiments to designing experiments, has run troubleshooting for a variety of lab needs, learned about paper writing for lab applications and grown as a test engineer.

Both credit those experiences as playing a key role in receiving their internships, and Zimmer has a job offer lined up for when she graduates.

“Dr. Jiang is an incredibly understanding and compassionate mentor who challenges you enough to make sure you know what you’re doing,” said Patel. “I have learned so much in her lab, and the connections I’ve made have led to great experiences in my internship.”

Zimmer added, “Dr. Jiang is the kind of mentor who celebrates your progress and offers encouragement and genuine positivity. My experience in her lab has opened several professional opportunities.”