Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, Engineers Week (February 19–25, 2023) is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. Beyond a week-long event, Engineers Week is a year-round commitment to making a difference and aims to:
- Celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world
- Add a voice to the conversation about the need for engineers, technicians, and technologists
- Engage students in engineering
On this Engineers Week, we sat down with MSE alumna Jessica Nash (Ph.D., ’17) to learn about her professional life as an engineer.
Hi Jessica! We are excited to highlight you this week. Can you share your job title and where you work?
I am currently a Software Scientist and the Lead of the Education program at a research institute called The Molecular Sciences Software Institute (MolSSI) at Virginia Tech University. At MolSSI, we support software development efforts in the computational molecular sciences through the creation of open-source scientific software and by providing education and training to scientific researchers. At my job, I develop scientific software and interact with the computational molecular sciences community. In my role as Education Lead at the Institute, I oversee our education and training efforts and maintain our online tutorial materials. We’ve taught workshops for over 2,000 students at in-person or virtual workshops since 2017, and our website attracts over 5,000 monthly visitors. Overall, I love my job because I get to learn new things and interact with scientists all the time.
I am also a part-time course designer and instructor for the Master of Molecular Science and Software Engineering program at UC Berkeley!
How would you describe your time at MSE?
There were so many great things about the MSE department and NC State that I enjoyed as a graduate student. I appreciated the many opportunities for professional development and interacting with local industry, and enjoyed the sense of community within the department. One event I looked forward to every year was the chili cook-off (coordinated by the MSE Graduate Student Association). While I was a graduate student, I started a scientific art competition to accompany the chili cook-off. I appreciated that in MSE, ideas like that were supported, and students could contribute to the department culture.
Another story I specifically remember is a time that I mentioned to Edna (MSE Graduate Services Coordinator) that I had a headache and she went downstairs to the Chemical Engineering office to find a Tylenol for me. That happened in maybe my first year of grad school, and it made a huge impression. During my graduate degree, I felt I was in a place where students were supported.
The overall atmosphere at NC State was supportive of my growth. I also participated in the NC State University Graduate Student Association (GSA) as an executive board member for two years, during which I served as Vice President of Academic Affairs. The skills I gained outside of the lab planning events and working in organizations have been as valuable for me as the scientific expertise I gained during my Ph.D.
Are there any faculty or staff members you have fond memories of?
I’d like to call out my Ph.D. advisors Prof. Yara Yingling and Prof. Thom LaBean. I learned so much and had so many opportunities in grad school thanks to both of them. I had the chance to go to Denmark twice during grad school with Thom’s group. Yara was a great research mentor, and I also learned a lot from her on how to present information.