Ben Rondeau’s passion for engineering didn’t start at Alfred University. After graduating from trade school, he knew he wanted to continue his hands-on learning. He gravitated toward Alfred’s Mechanical Engineering program and enrolled as a freshman. Like every engineering major, Ben took the First-Year Seminar, where he learned about the different branches of engineering offered at Alfred. After a few sessions, something clicked. Ben switched his major to Glass Engineering Science, and he’s now in his junior year.
“I saw a growing industry with important research that could make a real difference in the world.”
In his new major, Ben studies the many unique properties of glass and how it can be applied across science and engineering. He quickly fell in love with glass science and wanted to explore it further. His excitement led him to a summer ceramic research opportunity—despite ceramics not being his main field, he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“In the most basic terms, we were trying to improve the efficiency of batteries by using ceramics.”
During this research, Ben formed both personal and professional connections. One of the most influential was Dr. Scott Misture, who later helped Ben secure another research position during the school year. Here, Ben worked for Dr. Holly Shulman, Director of the Space Materials Institute at Alfred and president of BlueStar Advanced Manufacturing, a company which works alongside NASA. He was even photographed for the fall edition of Alfred Magazine while holding a microwave-sintered lunar tile sample he’d worked on.
This opportunity helped Ben become familiar with Alfred University’s advanced research equipment and opened the door to additional research projects and conferences.
“I met a lot of awesome people through my research positions—many of them are still close friends today.”
Of course, academics aren’t the only thing that keep Ben busy. Since his freshman year, he has been an active member of the bowling club. Off campus, he practices Karate, keeping his black belt sharp at Alfred’s dojo. And when he’s not studying, researching, working, or training, Ben spends time with the many friends he’s made at Alfred.
Ben’s research continues today. He is currently studying the electrical properties of glass during the crystallization process and is scheduled to present his findings at the American Ceramic Society Spring Meeting this April. His journey at Alfred has given him résumé-building experiences, hands-on opportunities, and connections he says he never would have found anywhere else.
