Finding Passion in Engineering: Calvin Li’s CPSE Story (sponsored)

Sponsored article courtesy the Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering (CPSE) program at the University of Maryland Shady Grove:

Calvin’s Background
Recently, Calvin Li, a current senior in the Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering (CPSE) degree program at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), sat down and shared his experiences as an Engineering student in MoCo. Calvin is a Montgomery County (Moco) native who attended Wheaton High School. After graduating, he attended Montgomery College, earning his Associate of Science in Electrical Engineering. Calvin then transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park’s (UMD) Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program at USG to continue his education.

 Why Calvin Joined CPSE
There are myriad reasons why Calvin joined the CPSE program. Calvin chose this program because he enjoyed electrical engineering and computer engineering, and CPSE promoted the integration of both fields. Calvin stated, “I found my love in [CPSE’s] Verilog HDL and Programming”. Calvin took a chance on this program because of how new it was. He initially believed that an electrical engineering degree would have been a safer option for his education, but when Calvin met CPSE’s Program Director, Dr. Gomez, in person, Calvin saw career possibilities that were precisely what he was looking for. He would be satisfied with his education, interlacing different types of firmware to create more complex devices. Calvin also picked the CPSE program because he believed that the program would teach him more real-world applicable knowledge than any other program. He believed that the program would bring out the best in him and that he could work in fields like Verilog Design, Cloud Development, Software Analytics, Wi-Fi Technology Engineering, and more. What also attracted him to the CPSE program was the small class sizes that make it easier to interact with professors and build a good mentorship among faculty and students.

“I don’t regret [joining] this program; I really enjoy it”, Calvin expressed.

CPSE a Hidden Gem
Calvin further stressed, as a current student, that his professors and faculty in this program were excellent. He noted how the CPSE program was a gem because of the small class sizes and how accessible the professors were. The most exciting class that he had taken in the CPSE program was a course he is currently taking this semester involving Firmware Design with UMD professor Dr. Jerry Wu. Calvin mentioned, “I think that Dr. Wu is overall a really good professor; I just like all the content that he explains; it feels poetic in a sense.” Calvin further emphasized how good of a Professor Dr. Wu is as he noted, “The reason why I liked having him as a professor is because of how well he explained the content and how much I felt like, oh wow, I’m learning so much and applying it to something.” There is also so much diversity in the CPSE program in every aspect. Amongst the students, there is diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc. There are also a handful of first-generation college students. The students of the program come from all different kinds of backgrounds and beautifully collaborate in harmony together, just like a team. The students of the program have become like a tight-knit family.

Calvin’s Aspirations and CPSE Contributions
Calvin is currently a tutor and peer mentor for the junior cohort of the CPSE program. His education is future-proof as there are many different careers that a graduate of the CPSE program can obtain after graduation, including Software and Hardware Development, Information Technology, Cybersecurity Analytics, Embedded Systems Design, Python Engineering, and many more; after graduating, Calvin plans to find an internship or a full-time career in a government defense sector. After this, he intends to work in innovative engineering companies like TESLA. Calvin wanted other prospective students of this program to know that programming is essential as there is an accumulated amount of it over time. Programming is fundamental to the CPSE program. Calvin now believes CPSE provides better opportunities than his original electrical engineering option. Why? Calvin says, “I can easily apply any knowledge [I’ve] learned and apply it to real-world engineering projects and designs”. He believes that CPSE has helped him with his future endeavors “by creating unique projects that I can carry into the workforce and say that I did this, look how cool I am.” He further explains that in his firmware course, students utilize custom pieces of hardware, program drivers for their hardware, and write user-level programs on them. Calvin believes these skills are examples of what engineers need to know to keep up and work on innovative solutions every day with the evolution of technology.

This program is an excellent option for Montgomery College graduates looking to transfer. If you or someone you know is interested, take your first step, whether you are looking for a career in the tech industry or to prepare for your graduate education, the CPSE undergraduate engineering program provides the knowledge and skills you’ll need to succeed. Interested in learning more? Visit https://shadygrove.ece.umd.edu/ and follow them on social media @umdcpse