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Trudy Curley Highlight
There are times when I design or build something and it doesn’t work. But don’t ever be afraid to take the initiative and take the lead.
About Trudy
- Growing up, my family had a very “fix-it-yourself” mindset—we would never call a plumber or electrician; we would figure out a way to fix it ourselves—so I spent a lot of time building things.
- I developed an early interest in math and science which, combined with my knack for building things, led me to pursue engineering in high school.
- I earned a full-ride scholarship to college as a Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar for my work promoting community-based programs to empower the underserved.
- Attended The University of Kansas, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
- While in college, I became the president of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), which seeks to increase American Indian representation in STEM fields.
- As a sophomore, I interned at Hallmark Cards in process improvement and supply chain business enablement, which really helped me understand how engineering aligns theory and real-world problems.
- I also interned at The Boeing Company working in commercial aircraft and military testing, which led to my first job out of college working as a mechanical engineer in the automotive industry.
- I now work as a mechanical engineer for Axon, working on weapons and TASER self-defense devices.
