SUNY New Paltz Alumnus Heriberto Garcia working at MIT
04/18/2008
Heriberto Garcia (Herbie) graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in Electrical Engineering in the spring of 2007. He is currently employed at MIT Lincoln Laboratories, working in the Air and Missile Defense Technology Division. He describes his job as follows: “The particular group in which I work supports the Missile Defense Agency in the development, deployment, testing, and enhancement of the ballistic missile defense system. Specifically, we perform detailed system and component engineering, flight and ground test analysis, and advanced capability development.”
Herbie “wearing” a very desirable hat: the MIT dome.
Herbie is making the most efficient use of his time at MIT, by simultaneously working and taking courses: “I work in an academic and research environment. Therefore, continual learning is essential. I am currently taking the courses Analog Filter Design and Introduction to Radar Systems. Next semester, I will be taking Digital Filter Design. I have been able to follow the classes very well using my previous education at New Paltz.”
Herbie and his friend, a little bird that tells him the solution to many difficult problems that arise at the MIT Lincoln Lab,
The MIT job opportunity presented itself through Herbie’s affiliation with the Engineering Department’s Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE): “I attended one of SHPE’s eastern conferences, and MIT Lincoln Laboratories had a booth with information about potential career opportunities. I applied and the rest is history! I can’t stress enough the importance of joining organizations like SHPE.”
Regarding his New Paltz engineering background, Herbie says: “New Paltz has prepared me for my current activities at MIT in a number of ways. First, they gave me a good foundation in my writing and presentation skills. My current job entails me to give presentations from time to time, and good writing skills are essential. I also feel that New Paltz prepared me to be confident in working in a research environment. It can be quite intimidating working with people who hold PhD degrees from MIT, Harvard, CALTECH, and Cornell. However, my background in electrical engineering facilitates my understanding of my job and keeps me competitive.”
Herbie is planning to utilize this golden job opportunity to its maximum potential: “I eventually want to apply for the highly competitive MIT Lincoln’s scholars program, which would pay for my PhD at MIT, plus 85% of my current salary. However, there is an application requirement of a minimum of 2-years work in the Lab. Therefore, my immediate goal is to work very hard for the next two years in order to establish myself at the MIT Lincoln Laboratories.”
