ME Alumnus Proud to Name CSU as Alma Mater
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Kevin Weed, 1993/1996 mechanical engineering alumnus |
Mr. Kevin Weed (ME '93, '96) has important information to share with CSU engineering students. He wants them to know that working as a rocket scientist is "just too cool," that "cryogenics isn't freezing dead people," and that he considered voting for Sonny Lubick for President on November 2. In addition, Mr. Weed has a message for CSU engineering alumni and friends: "I see the potential of this College and this University. I can see the arc of where things are going and I get really excited. I like what I see and I want to help make this a reality."
What leads Mr. Weed to share these statements? His CSU engineering education significantly impacted his life. And his passion for his alma mater has shaped his career, his connections with CSU, and his charitable giving.
Following his graduation from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Weed and his wife, Kelley King, moved to Chandler, Arizona where Mr. Weed started his career at Orbital Sciences. "At first, we weren't too thrilled about the idea of moving from Colorado to the desert," he noted, "but how can you pass up an opportunity to be a rocket scientist? You can't."
Mr. and Mrs. Weed remained in Arizona for five years, and he notes that they probably would have stayed forever had Ball Aerospace not offered to bring them back to Colorado.
Mr. Weed now works at Ball Aerospace as a Senior Engineer in Cryogenics and Thermal Engineering. He states, "Cryogenics involves working in an environment that is below 200 Kelvin, or -100° F. This has allowed me to contribute to projects such as high-gain antennas for the Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The antennas operate at cryogenic temperatures and require special analysis to ensure they function properly on Mars."
For the past three years, Mr. Weed's work has focused on new business, which involves a wealth of proposal writing, budgeting, scheduling, and analysis. Several times each year, he has the opportunity to brief NASA on current or prospective missions.
When asked to share words of wisdom with students pursuing an engineering education at CSU, Mr. Weed emphasized the importance of communication. "A good communicator is able to influence peers, supervisors, and clients," he shares. "The keys to good communication are clarity and brevity."
Mr. Weed financially supports the College of Engineering, and he encourages others to do the same. "When a group of people gather at work or at a party or at a backyard barbecue, the same question always comes up: 'Where did you go to school?' Have you ever noticed the reactions when people name Harvard, Yale, MIT as their alma mater? That's the reaction I want to get when I proudly say that I am alumnus of Colorado State's College of Engineering."
And that in itself is "just too cool."
To learn more about how your gift can impact our current and future students, visit www.SupportEngineering.colostate.edu or call (970) 491-7028.