Four years after walking into UB's freshman orientation, three recent graduates are planning to take their engineering degrees to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Steven Brown, Sourobh Ghosh and Daniel Salem each earned a full scholarship to attend U.S. News & World Report's top-ranked engineering graduate program - a title MIT has held every year since the magazine began ranking graduate schools in 1990.
The three friends, who were awarded tuition-free study for the next five years as they each pursue their doctorate in different areas in engineering, decided to become roommates.
"Minimizing the stress in your life outside of academics makes it much easier to focus on your studies and succeed," said Brown, who graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and a minor in mathematics.
Salem agreed. Although he is excited about this opportunity, he is also nervous to start the next chapter of his academic career.
"Going into a foreign environment and not knowing many people, it's more comfortable to be able to live with the people you know - obviously you will meet new people - but having those few people you know will make the transition a lot easier, " said Salem, who also graduated with a degree in chemical engineering.
Brown and Salem were in the chemical engineering major together at UB and became friends after taking multiple classes together. They met Ghosh, who graduated with a degree in economics and mechanical engineering and a minor in mathematics, through mutual friends. Brown and Salem said there is a close-knit community among students in the various engineering programs.
They all applied for scholarships in the fall and received acceptances over winter break.
On top of their full-ride scholarships, Ghosh and Salem earned the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Fellowship, which "supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in fields within NSF's mission," according to the NSF website.
The fellowship will fund three of the five years at MIT for Salem and Ghosh. Their MIT scholarship will cover for the remaining two years.
All levels of the engineering faculty are taking notice of the three students' accomplishments.
"I am simply delighted for Steven, Sourobh and Daniel, and wish them great success at MIT," said Liesl Folks, the dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). "The opportunities that lie in front of them as they enter this next phase of their education are tremendous, and everyone here at UB Engineering will be eager to hear of the impacts they are bound to have on the world around us."
Salem said opportunities he seized at UB weren't necessarily "obvious." Sometimes, students have to go out and seek them.
"It is important for students to realize that UB has a lot to offer and you can really do anything after your time at UB - it's just a matter of how much you are willing to work, your ambition and searching for it," Salem said.
Ghosh credits SEAS for his success. He said the faculty is supportive and allowed him to get first-hand experience in the field. They pushed him and always had his best interest in mind, he said.
"Undergraduate research was one of the main reasons I decided to attend UB," Ghosh said. "UB engineering is very open to the idea of undergraduates getting hands-on experience in research. Because I knew I wanted to pursue higher education, the best thing you could do is get involved in research - so that's what I did."
Kemper Lewis, an adjunct professor of mechanical engineering and Ghosh's research adviser since 2011, called Ghosh "a student that comes around once every few years."
"Sourobh is committed to excellence and integrity and because of this he is committed to true scholarship," Lewis said in an email. "Scholarship is found in the marriage of excellence and integrity, as both are necessary. He wants to make a difference in his scholarship as well, not only in the scientific community, but in the larger global community."
Brown echoed Ghosh's feelings about SEAS - specifically the chemical engineering department.
"UB has given me all of the tools necessary to succeed and motivated me to continue my education," Brown said. "The chemical engineering department is fantastic. The faculty members are very personable and responsive to students. The courses cover a broad range of topics related to chemical engineering, giving students a great background for any field they choose to enter."
Salem said he accomplished his goals because of the opportunities UB gave him. He wasn't sure if he was going to get into MIT, his "dream school," but set the goal and did whatever he could to stay competitive. He said the one opportunity at UB that propelled him to higher education was working with Elizabeth Colucci, an assistant administrative director of the Honors College, who helped him get that competitive edge.
Colucci helped Salem find research opportunities on and off campus. She calls Salem a "multi-faceted guy" and admires his drive and work ethic.
"Dan is a hard worker," Colucci said in an email. "I think Dan has the intellectual curiosity necessary to be a Ph.D. researcher. It takes a special personality to do research and deal with the unknowns and challenges."
Brown worked closely with Mark Swihart, a professor in chemical and biological engineering. Swihart was impressed with how naturally the material came to Brown and said Brown is successful because he has "a positive attitude, stays calm and works smart."
Brown, Ghosh and Salem are all unsure of the exact paths they plan to take with their engineering degrees. Brown is leaning toward research while Ghosh and Salem are thinking about plans to teach in academia. Nonetheless, they're excited to share the journey together like they did at UB.
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
