Navy veteran in electrical and computer engineering program living his dream

As a person who loves to learn, tinker, and travel abroad, electrical engineering junior Adam Boyd is living the dream this summer.

Boyd is participating in an internship with the Institute of Aerospace Engineering at the Technische Universität Dresden in Dresden, Germany, through a program called Erasmus+.

Working from a picturesque office in the city, Boyd is building experimental tools to test materials and sensors to be placed on nano-satellites destined for space.

The work is moving him one step closer to realizing his lifelong dream of earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering to pursue a career that makes an impact. His eventual goal is to join a nonprofit that provides access to energy and education in rural areas around the globe.

A Navy veteran and nontraditional student, Boyd’s journey is characterized by taking the long view. After using tuition assistance to earn his associate’s degree over the course of seven years, he enrolled in the undergraduate electrical and computer engineering program at Colorado State University.

Boyd said he appreciates the supportive community of students in ECE and continues to be intrigued by the discipline. “I’m surprised at how deep you can go into the different subfields of ECE and how it bleeds into almost every aspect of modern-day studies,” he said.

Besides enjoying the challenging work of his internship, Boyd’s summer experience has validated his desire to pursue a master’s degree abroad. When he returns to the U.S. this fall, he plans to finish his undergraduate degree and continue his involvement with Rams Without Borders, encouraging students of all backgrounds to help build a better world through engineering projects.