Watson College alum pursues semiconductor research at Intel
Connections made through Mechanical Engineering Department lead to role as test R&D engineer
With her bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from her native Iran, Ghazal Mohsenian, MS ’20, PhD ’22, came to Binghamton University determined to further her education.
After graduating from the Mechanical Engineering Department’s doctoral program at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, she was inspired by her various internship positions and secured a permanent spot at Intel Corp. working on semiconductors.
Q: How did you first know you wanted to be a mechanical engineer?
A: When I was completing my bachelor’s, I wanted to pursue my graduate studies at one of the best universities in the world, and SUNY was one my top options. Mechanical engineering was the closest major to aerospace. So I came to Binghamton. My first inspiration came after I received positive feedback from my industrial mentors on the results of my research, and I was able to see how my work in semiconductor field led to saving energy and cost.
Q: Did you always know you wanted to work for a company like Intel?
A: It’s funny. I used to think about what I would want to do in five years.When I was in elementary school back home in Iran, I got my first laptop. I saw Intel’s logo, and I thought it would be so cool to work for this company. It’s so crazy to see how that dream came into reality now. Of course, over time, I learned more about Intel’s mission and position in the industry, and that assured me that I wanted to be part of Intel’s family.
Q: Could you tell me a little bit about the work you’re doing?
A: I’m a test R&D engineer at Intel Corp. We’re one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world. My role is to conduct research and develop new equipment to make sure Intel has the capability to test new packages and that they are ready for production in perfect condition. It is amazing to see I was able to utilize all of the electronic cooling basics that I learned at Binghamton into my daily job.
Q: What were your experiences like at Watson?
A: Watson was my second home during my graduate studies. It wasn’t just the college’s educational support that gave me peace of mind, but cultural and immigration support were also very helpful. A PhD journey has its own challenges, but Binghamton gave me everything I needed for my future career. I also would like to thank my PhD advisor (Distinguished Professor Bahgat Sammakia) and my committee members for academic guidance. On the day of my PhD defense, they complimented me on how much I had grown as a person as well as a researcher, which meant a lot to me.
Q: What were your internship experiences like while studying at Binghamton?
A: My internships were great. My first internship was at Tate, which is a manufacturing company for the data center industry. At the time, I was doing research on airflow dampers at Binghamton. We purchased one of their products, and I was doing research on how that specific product improved data-center efficiency. While looking into the product, I randomly had a question that I didn’t know the answer to, so I texted it to the manager of the corporation. It was clear there was a fault in the product, and they started talking about it. Six months later, he reached out to me and said they were looking for an intern, so I went.
Following that internship, my second was with Intel Corp., and that’s where I’m working now. I think the story of how I found Intel, or how Intel found me, is actually pretty cool. I went to an IEEE conference that my professor asked me to participate in, as I had published a paper there and was going to be a part of the poster session. Afterward, the hiring manager came up to me and asked me to explain my poster a little bit more. About a year and a half after that, she reached out and said there was an available position that I might be interested in. That’s how I found my new manager and my new job.
Q: What would you say was your biggest takeaway from your experience?
A: I would say being confident in yourself. The sky is the limit. You can do whatever you want to do by hard work. Also, in my experience building a strong professional network was very beneficial to my career.
Q: If you had to give one piece of advice to Watson students, what would it be?
A: Time flies. Enjoy every second of life. I know sometimes you are stuck and it looks like you can’t find your way out. I promise two years later, you laugh at those moments. Try to be happy and confident in yourself.