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Caroline Barkman always knew about Carnegie Mellon, but it wasn’t until she began searching potential colleges that she learned one of the top engineering schools in the nation was just a few miles from her Fox Chapel home.

After completing her second-year majoring in materials science and engineering with a double minor in biomedical engineering and Mandarin Chinese, CMU has exceeded her high expectations with abundant opportunities that support her educational aspirations and satisfy her social, creative, and intellectual interests.

“For such a prestigious tech school, CMU has a deep reverence for the arts, which means I get to explore many pursuits beyond my interest in STEM,” said Barkman.

For such a prestigious tech school, CMU has a deep reverence for the arts, which means I get to explore many pursuits beyond my interest in STEM.

Caroline Barkman, Undergraduate student, Materials Science and Engineering

From her earliest days on campus, Barkman knew she was in the right place. In her introductory materials science and engineering class, she crafted a ring out of brass alloy comprised of zinc and copper that has become her most prized possession. Hands-on learning in the labs put classroom teaching into action and helped her understand what it means to be a materials science engineer.

“I was absolutely blown away that right off the bat, in addition to studying basics such as structure, composition, synthesis, and performance, we also got to work with technical equipment and operate kilns and learn to etch.”

In addition to finding time to pursue art, participate in Greek life and the campus Jewish community, and compete on the club squash team, she has also had internships at Ecotone Renewables, which builds tools to support sustainable food practices, and Kurt J. Lesker Company, a vacuum technology company with a materials division.

Barkman says CMU has given her the confidence to pursue so many academic and creative pursuits.

“Where else could I take arts classes in Chinese calligraphy and hot glass while earning a degree in materials science and engineering?”

For media inquiries, please contact Lynn Shea at slynn@cmu.edu.