James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Student  

I'm a senior, I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the student body president.

Student  

These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Student  

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into, which is super cool.

Eva Goorskey 

Oh, I was so scared, like I wasn't gonna make friends because, like, I'm kind of an introverted person. I'm kind of shy, and I was like, there's no way I'm gonna be able to make a friend in like, a large lecture hall. But I think what helped me the most was just like, proximity with my dorm, that's how I've met my closest friends today is just like the people that were in my freshman dorm, yeah, and we all just kind of clicked. It was, like, easy. After the first week, we were all, like, good buddies.

Michaela 

It's funny you say that, because that's my entire friend group to this day, as well as, like, the people that, I mean, not entire obviously, we've accumulated a couple more, but most of them are from the floor of my freshman year dorm, which I'm like, that is so like special that we all just ended up in the same place at the same time.

Eva Goorskey 

I think it's very common for people to like, make friends freshman year that just like last.

Michaela 

Well you bring up a good point about you being introverted or more shy or reserved. Because I feel like most of the times when you're thinking of making friends like you have to be taking the initiative. You have to be super outgoing, you have to be super extroverted. But I feel like that's kind of what we talk about on this podcast, is how college is for everyone. And you will find your place, no matter your personality, and you will find friends, even though that's kind of a concern, I feel like, for everyone going in, yeah. So yeah, it's just very special. College can kind of foster any sort of personality type, and that is what we discuss here on Major Insight. So I am Michaela Buck, and who are you?

Eva Goorskey 

Hi. My name is Eva Goorskey. I'm a chemical engineering major, and I'm a junior.

Michaela 

Very nice. What kinds of things are you involved in on campus?

Eva Goorskey 

So I am the Vice President of Engineers Without Borders at Miami University, and I also do research with a professor in the CPB department, and I also do this thing called Chemi Car. It's like a car competition, where you make, like, a shoe box sized car that runs off of a chemical reaction. So that's been really cool.

Michaela 

Wait, I like, need to know more about that immediately. That sounds so cool.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, it like kind of evolved after a senior design project. And we've had teams in the past, but I don't think they've competed that much. And then this past spring, we, like, put together a car last minute and competed in regionals. We got seventh, I believe.

Michaela 

Congrats. Is this with a bunch of other schools?

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, okay, out of 14. So we got like,

Michaela 

 Hey, that's not 14 or 13.

Eva Goorskey 

Yes, yes. So yeah, that's been really fun. We we had to, like, name the car, and we named it. Thanks for checking in. I'm still a piece of garbage, because it was supposed to be looked like a dumpster truck got it okay.

Michaela 

What was like the nuclear reaction it ran off of, like, that's kind of techy, I guess. And getting into details, but I'm just curious.

Eva Goorskey 

So I don't actually remember the exact reaction, but it was like generating high --

Eva Goorskey 

it was hydrogen, and then, like, hydrogen goes to a hydrogen fuel cell, and that basically uses the hydrogen to generate power and then turns the wheels.

Michaela 

Very cool. Are you doing that again this year?

Eva Goorskey 

 Yes,

Michaela 

Is it like a garbage truck every time?

Eva Goorskey 

No, it doesn't have to be.

Michaela 

Oh, it doesn't have to be a garbage truck. You get whatever you want.

Michaela 

That sounds very involved, yeah. So can you tell me a little bit about Engineers Without Borders, or how you kind of got into that leadership position?

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, some teams have, like, really fancy, like, pressure tanks, things like that, but we're not that fancy.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah. So I was interested in Engineers Without Borders, like, from the start when I got to college. I think just because I thought it was like the people in the club were cool. People seemed really excited about it, and also, like Humanitarian Engineering is important to me. So what Engineers Without Borders does is basically implementing projects locally and globally that try to help life in some way. So for example, us, we're trying to build a bridge in a local nature preserve. Of to help people on the trails, you know, navigate better, because there's like, a huge dip. So, like, that's kind of for safety and for enjoyment. And then in Rwanda, we have water distribution projects, so essentially, taking, like, a spring source, and distributing that water down to villages that need it, and trying to decrease the amount of time people take to, like, go and fetch water.

Michaela 

Oh my gosh, that's incredible.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, it's been really cool. I think what is special to me about Engineers Without Borders is like they focus a lot about sustainability and also working with the communities. So they're not okay with just going to a random community and like, implementing some sort of solution without checking with them first. And every single project has, like, multiple phases. So after you build whatever it is you want to build, you have to monitor it for some time and make sure that, like, the thing that you built isn't gonna, like, fall apart, right?

Michaela 

And like, the community, I'm sure, is very involved with that process.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, they have, like, such a big voice in it as well, which I think just makes sense. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Michaela 

Absolutely. And so you're vice president of that organization, okay? And how do you like that?

Eva Goorskey 

It's been really fulfilling. I think it gave me a lot of leadership experience working with all our different teams and like operations, and also being able to communicate with we have a couple a handful of Professional Engineers as mentors, so being able to communicate with them has been really cool. And I think that's what makes our club also kind of special, is that we have those connections to professional engineers so that our students can get advice, career advice from them, or just general advice, because--

Michaela 

They know what's happening, you know, like, it's their everyday lives. I think that has been something that's so impactful in any organization when you have a guest speaker come, or even in classes when they have guest lectures, kind of like, I always love listening and because I'm like, they have done something that I could be potentially interested in. Like, I want to know everything that you have to tell me. Like, I'd like to be like a sponge and just like, soak up all the information. Because I seriously, I feel like that aspect of organizations like that is so helpful, just for like, even knowing what you want to do or figuring that out. And like, I feel like there's so many different pathways that like people represent. And yeah, having like, real world experiences helps to translate that.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, because sometimes, like, when you're in a classroom and learning about these things, and like, you want to be an engineer, but like, if you haven't actually met an engineer, you can't really visualize yourself in that role. But if you've met someone that kind of is like you in some way, like that's why I think representation is so important, because, like, meeting engineers, like out in the real world, can really help you see yourself as one. Yes, absolutely.

Michaela 

How did you come into engineering? How is that choice for you? And, like, especially your chemical engineering, correct? Yeah, so how'd you choose that route?

Eva Goorskey 

So I've always been, like, interested in STEM I think I can attribute this to my dad, because he's a huge nerd, and he, like, raised all of me and my brothers, like, as nerds, like, really into STEM, but so I knew I wanted to do STEM, but I didn't really know what, and I was very unsure, actually. So when I came to college, I knew that I liked biology and I knew that I somewhat liked math, and so I was like, Oh, I'll do biomedical engineering, but I didn't really know what it was. And I was also like, engineering sounds really hard, yeah,

Michaela 

it's daunting. It's one of those majors that you're like, yes, engineering, yeah--

Eva Goorskey 

 And like, so when I before I even came in, I was like, yeah, I'll go in as engineering, but I'll probably change out of it. And I remember looking online on Reddit and things like that about engineering and how people liked it. And I just remember seeing so many posts that were like, engineering is so hard.

Eva Goorskey 

Like, I had to pull an all nighter every day in my college career. And I was like, Wow, that sounds terrible. I was like, This sounds really scary. And then I get to college, and it's not that bad, and I don't have to pull all nighters every night. And I actually have never had to pull an all nighter, yeah, and I remember the turning point was my intro to engineering class, because that actually taught me what engineering was.

Eva Goorskey 

This was my first semester, the class called CEC 111 Okay, so shout out.

Michaela 

Shout out, CEC 111.

Eva Goorskey 

So I learned that engineering is about helping. People about building a solution that addresses real world needs. And maybe that sounds really simple, but I previously thought of engineering as some high level, like, no one can understand it unless you're a genius type thing. But it's not, it like helps people, and in order to do that, you have to understand what people need. And so I think engineering is just very people centered, and that's what's special about it, and that's something that I really think that I could be good at, and I strive for, is for like, to improve my communication skills. Because in engineering, like, you're going to have to be able to communicate any sort of ideas that you have and in research as well. And, yeah, I just realized engineering is, like, really cool and kind of more down to earth than I thought it was.

Michaela 

Yeah, so maybe quite a few misconceptions you'd say about the major going into it.

Eva Goorskey 

And I think I, I think the Reddit posts I were, yeah--

Michaela 

I was reading, no more doomscrolling on Reddit.

Eva Goorskey 

Don't, don't read Reddit posts, I guess.

Michaela 

Yeah, this is wrong and fake, and I've lived to tell the tale.

Eva Goorskey 

 Yeah, because it's not that bad and it's really cool.

Michaela 

Yeah. Have you ever doubted your decision, or have you ever wavered in, like, the engineering path at all?

Eva Goorskey 

Oh, yeah, because I started as biomedical engineering, but I was considering so many other engineering disciplines, like chemical, mechanical, and then I was considering other things, like statistics, just math, and then considering not being in STEM at all. It was I'm having a crisis. It was confusing, yeah, and I remember what helped me was I was like, with my friend one day, and like, complaining to her about how indecisive I was. And she like pulled up a color picker thing, wheel on online somewhere, and she like inputted all my choices, possible choices, and she like spun it and it landed on mechanical engineering, and that's when I knew, like, I didn't want to do mechanical budget, because I was the feeling that I got was like, I don't know if I want to do that.

Michaela 

They always say that if you're indecisive about two things, to flip a coin, and then if it lands on you're gonna be like, oh my God, no, no. I know I want to do the other one, but if it lands on the one you want, you're gonna be like, yeah. So I think it's such a good tactic. That was genius. Yeah, something's spinning a wheel.

Eva Goorskey 

 I'm so grateful for that. Yeah, and I chose chemical for better job prospects, but also because I think it's very broad, and it can apply to so many different things, and I like that, yeah, as well, absolutely.

Michaela 

 And speaking of job prospects, do you know what you want to do at all? Post grad? Are you kind of still figuring that out. No pressure. I'm a senior who hates that question, but I feel like, yeah, do you have any like idea?

Eva Goorskey 

I think I want to go into the pharmaceutical industry. Okay, either that or I'll get my PhD in Chemical Engineering and maybe become like a professor, because I really love research, and I'm not sure, like which type of research I want to do, whether that's in academia or in the industry, but probably pharmaceuticals, I think that interests me. And yeah, I just want to do something that's going to help people in some way.

Michaela 

 Yeah, what's the research you do now at school?

Eva Goorskey 

The research project that I'm on now is actually not chemical engineering related. It's more biomedical, but it's really cool. It's we're trying to optimize a model of a 3d printed prosthetic hand and trying to improve it while keeping the cost low. So like in the world of prosthetics, there's a lot of it's like a spectrum, and there's a lot of really advanced and expensive prosthetics, and they're like, they look like real hands and legs and things like that. But then on the other side of the spectrum is like, very like mechanical prosthetics. They're very cheap, and they're kind of like a makeshift solution. And our idea is just try to, like, blend at the two of them, yeah. Happy medium, yeah. So, like, it's still the hand we have right now is still, like, powered by just like the movement of your wrist and your like residual limb, but it would be the thumb itself would be powered through the electrical signals by your upper, like your forearm. Wow, that's cool. The idea is that we're trying to just blend the electrical components with just the mechanical components and make something that's more user friendly, but still less than $100.

Eva Goorskey 

Wow, less than $100? Wow. That's so cool. I feel like that hands on experience also helps you know what you might want to do in the future. Like, just even something, like, it's not even chemical engineering, but like, having this experience will kind of tell you, like, okay, loved this project in college. Like, maybe I could find something similar once I graduate, yeah. And I think any sort of, like, org research, etc, helps do that. Like, kind of just find your way a little bit, yeah.

Eva Goorskey 

And it helps you learn a. Lot outside of the classroom. Like, I didn't know really anything about, like, electrical components and like microcontrollers and servo motors.

Eva Goorskey 

And I didn't know anything about 3d printing either. Like, I've never threed printed anything before the project, and being on the project, I can learn these things, and I can learn more about what interests me. Like, we're trying to incorporate a machine learning component to it as well. So that also interests me, yeah, as well. Because I think coding is really cool as well.

Eva Goorskey 

Wow, we have, like, different sides of the brain. Like that is, like, almost gibberish me, but I find it so fascinating that, like, you're working on something so life changing for someone, like, a prosthetic hand is so cool. And like, yeah, the electrical nerd, like, That's so awesome. I'm like, such a great project to be a part of. Yeah, absolutely.

Michaela 

What do you think like your biggest challenge has been thus far, not even just with your major, but college in general, what has kind of been something that you've had to get through, manage? Well, I think

Eva Goorskey 

As an engineering major, it's really easy to feel like you don't know what's going on. It's really easy to feel defeated when you're doing homework or when you're in class, because it's just sometimes it's just hard, and sometimes you know you need to put a lot of effort into it to be able to understand things. And I've definitely felt in class like that I was incompetent or unable to understand something. But the thing is, like everyone feels that way, and everyone is trying their best. And I think that maybe this sounds generic, but believing, believing in yourself and believing that you can figure out the solution to a problem has been such a big like theme, I would say, of my college career so far, because I think that's the main theme of engineering, really is like having the aptitude to figure things out while knowing that the problem you're trying to solve has so many different variables and like, such a big scope, I guess.

Michaela 

Yeah, like knowing you're capable. I feel like that's such a lesson in life in general too. Like a lot of the times, even in some of my classes, I would look around and be like, Oh, those people are definitely smarter than me, or they could figure this out faster, like they and it's really, it's like, that's not true, like you really do, like you have to believe in yourself. And like that imposter syndrome really does creep in, especially when you do get to the harder classes, you're like, am I meant to be here? Is this a room I should be in right now? And I think, especially, I'm sure, with engineering, that was probably a bit of a struggle, yeah.

Eva Goorskey 

I just think that it's important to realize that we're all in the same boat, right? And also, I think on the topic of intelligence, I really believe that it can't fully be quantified, like it's just everyone is smart, and everyone has like their different avenues of intelligence. And there's no way you can like one score on a test can tell you whether or not one person is smarter than the other. And therefore, like, We need everyone in engineering, because they have so many different talents and so many different perspectives, and I've been trying really hard to to know that intelligence comes in many different forms, and thinking that one person is just automatically smarter than you, like that's just doesn't make any sense to me.

Michaela 

Yeah, I think it's interesting. You said it can't be quantified. Yeah, that's so true. Like, there's so many ways you can be considered smart. And like, you could be a smart in an engineering class, but not so smart in a different kind of class. Like, it's very interesting how everyone does have something to offer. And, like, I love how you said everyone should be in engineering. Like, that's so true. Like, everyone can do it if they really wanted.

Eva Goorskey 

Yeah, because I think engineering is so much more than like, the calculations that you're doing on paper. It's like being able to talk to people, being able to connect with people, that skill never goes away. And I've definitely learned through college that anything you do in life, career wise, it's always going to be somewhat of a group project. You're gonna have to, like, work with people and maybe deal with difficult people as well.

Michaela 

People don't contribute as much.

Eva Goorskey 

That's just how it is, and that's why I think engineers, as much as they, you know, need the technical knowledge, they also need the interpersonal skills, the soft skills, those are just so important.

Michaela 

I feel like collaboration is such not even a hard skill, but a skill that you find I find myself like I was supposed to indulging in that doesn't make sense, but like I'm always working with other people, whether that's in class or on an executive board or in an organization like you're always you have to find a way to work with other people. And I think, yeah, that's so insightful that you say that, because it's even prevalent in a major in a profession like engineering, when I feel like people would sometimes consider that not a solo job, but kind of, yeah, yeah.

Eva Goorskey 

I think there's definitely a stereotype that, like engineers are anti social, awkward, and it definitely shouldn't be true.

Michaela 

Yeah, absolutely. Do you have any sort of piece of advice, maybe for your freshman yourself, or maybe a freshman who is listening something you would tell Little Eva.

Eva Goorskey 

Just be more confident. You know, like you can do it. You can be an engineer. You don't need to be doubting it. I think I came in with the attitude of like, I need to be good at this. I'm like, not comfortable with not being good at anything. Like, I need to be good at this. But the more that I'm learning and the more that I'm like in college, I realize, like, you have to accept that you're not you don't know everything right, right? And it's okay to make a mistake, and it's okay to do bad on something. I think I just was a perfectionist, yeah, for a while, but that's definitely kind of changed a little bit over the past couple of years.

Michaela 

Yeah, and after all, we are in college to learn. Like, you know, it's such a learning curve in every sense of that phrase. Like in academics, it is in making friends. It is like socially, it is just trying to build, like, a life for yourself here. Like it's very you learn so much in these four years that I think it's important not to be too hard on yourself, like you said. And something we always talk about in one of my classes is he's like, you guys were all at the top when you were in high school. You know what I mean is like you you all over performed, you all exceeded. That's why you're in college. That's why you're at Miami. But like, now you kind of have to reevaluate where you are when you come to school and you're like, Okay, I'm not that great at this. Like, I'm going to learn how to step it up. Yeah, that's okay. Like, I'm just gonna have to work a little bit harder at this subject in particular, or this skill in particular. Yeah. And it's important to know that, like, you're not gonna be immediately good at something, because, similar to you, I know what you mean. Like, you're like, I need to be good at this.

Eva Goorskey 

Like, yeah, I just didn't want anyone to, like, point fingers and be like, Oh, she's bad at this, you know? Yeah. But I think that that's just an internal thing. No one's actually gonna be doing that.

Michaela 

It's true, though. And everyone is a little bit too worried about themselves to realize, you know what I mean. Like, no one's like, hahaha, you can't do anything. Yeah, it is more so, like, an internal thing, also in, like,

Eva Goorskey 

any major, I think you're never gonna get through it alone. No, there's no way. Like, I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a friend and be like, how did you do this assignment? Or to a professor? And that's that's just so important,

Michaela 

yeah, and asking, but I think it's so strong, yeah, like, it just means you want to learn more, and, like, you want to become more well versed on the topic. I've asked for help every single classroom, and I'm like, Wait, why does this mean? Sorry, I'm a little bit confused, but like, that's how you get better at something. That's how you become knowledgeable on a subject. I think, yeah, it's important that you said that, because, like, Yeah, you can't get through college without having a little community of people.

Eva Goorskey 

And I think it helps you learn. When you talk through a solution or when you're questioning, like, what you know and what you don't know, it really helps you learn as well.

Michaela 

Yeah, and then they're like, they'll either validate you or help you come to a different sort of solution. Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you so much for coming on. Major insight. Eva, so nice to chat with you.

Eva Goorskey 

Nice to chat with you, too.

Michaela 

Eva Goorskey is studying chemical engineering and bioinformatics at Miami University. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in chemical engineering with a focus on pharmaceuticals, and thank you for listening to major insight, many more stories, advice and inspiration are always available wherever podcasts are found.