Kasthuri Pillapalayam

Hi everyone! My name is Kasthuri Pillapalayam and I am a junior in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Brentwood, TN. I knew UT was where I belonged once I got to visit campus and meet with the Industrial Engineering Department-- I knew I would have a strong support system and plenty of resources to help me succeed in whatever I wanted to pursue. I picked industrial engineering as my major because I really enjoyed STEM subjects in high school but I also liked how interdisciplinary and flexible the major is-- IEs can work in nearly any industry and in so many different roles.

 

This past summer I had the opportunity of interning with Collins Aerospace for their Landing Systems unit in Troy, OH. I supported the Operations Department as a manufacturing engineer. I am currently interning for Keurig Dr. Pepper here in Knoxville as a Process Improvement Intern, working on keeping production of K-Cups running smoothly. These professional experiences have been a great opportunity for me to learn more about the industry and try out different roles before deciding what I would like to do full-time.

 

Outside of classes and being an ambassador, I am involved in a variety of organizations on campus. I am a chapter founder and current Recruitment Director for Alpha Omega Epsilon, the social & professional STEM sorority here at UT. I am also the conference chair for the Society of Women Engineers. In my free time, I enjoy dance, love getting dinner with my friends at Chaiyo (local spot in Knoxville for amazing Thai food), and independently learning Spanish!

 

If you have any questions about what industrial engineering is or about what it's like to be a student at Tickle College, please feel free to reach out to me via email (kpillapa@vols.utk.edu), I would be more than happy to answer them. GO VOLS!!!