While many students study abroad to fulfill language credits or other electives, one mechanical engineering student had a rare opportunity to experience their engineering major abroad.
Born and raised in College Station, Texas, Jensen McMurray ’24 graduated from the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University. As a junior, she spent a semester studying engineering abroad through the A&M COE Exchange: École Supérieur Nationale d’Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), a French engineering university in Aix-en-Provence, France.
The mechanical engineering department worked to organize a semester-long program with ENSAM which would be compatible with the MEEN curriculum. ENSAM covers eight campuses and three institutions and quips engineers to tackle industrial challenges through sustainable technologies. During McMurry’s time in France, she learned hands-on engineering skills through group labs and projects, and she participated in Invent for the Planet. Her largest project concerned perovskite solar cells, an area of solar cell research that seeks to replace silicon in solar cell structure and replace it with more flexible and possibly more efficient perovskites. McMurry and her classmates accumulated past research on the topic and formulated a plan to improve the stability of perovskite cell structure. They began by analyzing the crystal structure of existing cells using X-rays and numerical analysis.
She also learned how to design and execute sand casts (creating a sand mold to form metal castings) and perform nine different types of welds, and heat treatments and hardness tests on different materials.
“I learned so much by participating in this style of learning and experiencing how to work with international teams,” McMurry said. “The whole experience pushed me out of my comfort zone as an engineer and global citizen. I’m extremely grateful that our department found that program worthwhile to develop.”
Mechanical Engineering in Aggieland
As an undergraduate, McMurray completed two internships and was also a member of Chi Omega, Titans of Investing, and †he Student Engineers’ Council, where she served as Envision Conference co-chair.
“Texas A&M Engineering stands out because you are challenged to apply that understanding outside of the comfort of the lecture room,” she said. “The materials, particularly the projects in senior year that your courses have prepared you for, require a level of engineering creativity that only comes from a good work ethic and a curiosity to learn more — both things that are encouraged by the faculty and culture in the mechanical engineering department.”
One of these projects, a senior capstone design course, required McMurray and her classmates to problem-solve for an external company. The team was sponsored by the Los Alamos National Laboratory and designed an environmentally robust roll switch. They went on to compete in the LANL Design Competition this year and presented the final version of their design project at the College of Engineering’s annual Engineering Project Showcase.
“After a few internships and studying at a foreign university, I have found that the most valuable part of my education in the Texas A&M mechanical engineering department has been how the curriculum and professors push you to excellence,” she said. “The ability to go beyond what is expected translates into innovation and a work ethic that is extremely valued by companies and engineering teams around the world.”
After graduation, McMurray returned to France for a month in Nice where she took French language courses. Learning the language is vital since she hopes to work in France during her career. She now works in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group in Dallas. During her time there, she plans to gain business strategy to help her explore and develop new technological industries and scientific applications.
“I have always had a passion for space exploration,” she said, “so I hope to incorporate my engineering background and future business knowledge into a career where I can contribute to that industry. The rigor of my degree and the department’s culture are valuable when it comes to so many industries and career paths. Aggies can do it all!”