Student Q&A: Abdullahi Mada '25, Mechanical Engineering Major and Westinghouse Intern Student Profile
Photo by Ethan Stoner '25.
Meet Abdullahi Mada '25
- Job Title & Employer
- Intern, Westinghouse
- Major/Program
- Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- High School
- Pittsburgh Allderdice High School
- Now Living In
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Dream Job
- Licensed professional engineer working for companies developing next generation nuclear energy technology
- Hobbies & Interests
- Volunteering with local youth development programs, soccer, painting and reading
"I appreciate the mechanical engineering faculty's commitment to meeting students where they are academically and providing guidance and resources to help bring each student up to the University's academic standards. This, to me, is the epitome of what it means to be a teacher, and it resonated with me."
Why did you choose Point Park University, and what do you like about the mechanical engineering program?
I chose Point Park because it is close to where I live so I can commute easily, and it is a smaller campus. The mechanical engineering program aligns with my passions for engineering, and it prepares students for a wide range of occupations within the general engineering landscape, which increases my chances of landing a job after graduation.
How did you land your internship at Westinghouse, and what does your role entail?
I started searching for internship positions in the middle of my sophomore year, but I specifically wanted to intern for a company in the energy industry in Pittsburgh or nearby. Westinghouse was among the companies I applied to, and they got back to me during the summer before my junior year. I was hired in November 2023 and have been with them ever since.
I am currently responsible for designing three of the heat exchangers that are a major part of the energy conversion system for Xcimer’s fusion pilot plant (FPP). Xcimer, a Westinghouse client, is a private company focused on developing a nuclear fusion power plant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Xcimer will be demonstrating sometime at the end of this year the possibility of bringing nuclear fusion to the power grid by launching their FPP.
How did Point Park help prepare you for this role?
My favorite courses at Point Park were Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer. Everything I do now at Westinghouse requires an understanding of engineering principles that I acquired in one or all these classes.
What are some of your key takeaways from your internship experience?
One of the main lessons I learned from my internship is to continue to learn. There is always new knowledge to gain, and the best way to learn is to collaborate with colleagues in other groups or departments. Also, my mentor shared a saying, “There is no such thing as a free lunch." He was explaining that when you are developing a system, you will always have to sacrifice one thing for another. For example, you can increase the efficiency of a system, but you might pay the penalty in cost. I learned that it always depends on what the customer wants and what is feasible.
Why are you passionate about engineering?
As a boy, my brother and I had a plastic bin that we used to collect parts of electronic devices (wires, batteries, DC motors, etc.) that were no longer in use around the house. Sometimes we would take our father’s old radios and break them apart to use their parts. Every weekend, my brother and I would spend hours in our room trying to understand how things worked and trying to build something with them. I didn’t realize it then, but I had a genuine curiosity and fascination for how things work. My brother is now an electrician, and I chose the engineering route.
As far as my chosen branch of engineering, this influence came later when I was in middle school. I used to enjoy watching leaves fall from the trees. I would play a game where I tried to predict exactly the location on the ground where the leaf would land as it was falling. However, I could never get it correct, and this ignited questions and curiosity as to what governed the nature of this fall. Those moments led me to study mechanical engineering because that branch of engineering can reveal the answers to the things I was intrigued by when I was younger. I enjoyed Point Park's courses on fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics because they touched on the variables that played a part in the falling of that leaf. As an engineer, I study fluid and energy systems and try to understand how they work so I can solve the problems in society that are affected by these physical laws. I am simply a bridge between the problem and the physical laws of nature.
Which faculty members have had a significant impact on you?
Point Park's mechanical engineering professors bring their direct industry experience into the classroom. My favorite faculty by far are Ryan Hoover, Ph.D., and Aram Parsa, Ph.D. They both have either worked or completed some work for Westinghouse. This was beneficial to me as I started my internship because I felt as though the line between academia and industry had vanished – they were my professors and colleagues simultaneously.
Are there any courses you've taken outside of your major that you really enjoyed?
I took a class last semester called, “Finding Your Vision, Finding Your Voice,” and I have to say, it challenged my artistic side. I enjoyed the learning experience and being able to look deep within myself and find my voice.
What have you enjoyed about being a student at Point Park?
Point Park emphasizes student success, and I feel the University is ensuring I am prepared for the real world as an aspiring engineer. For example, Dr. Robert Garson's teaching methods are unique and sometimes challenging to grasp at first, but I know he is driven by a desire to prepare us for the industry's real-world challenges and expectations for perfection.
I appreciate the mechanical engineering faculty's commitment to meeting students where they are academically and providing guidance and resources to help bring each student up to the University's academic standards. This, to me, is the epitome of what it means to be a teacher, and it resonated with me.
I would recommend Point Park because the University believes in its students and knows how to nurture them to achieve success.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
My advice to future students is:
- Trust the process by trusting your professors.
- Be open to learning and accepting different teaching methods.
- Sit in front of all your classes – you will gain more.
- College can be stressful on the mind, so don’t forget to smell the roses sometimes.
Learn More About the School of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Q&A: Ryan Hoover, Ph.D.
