Any Mechanical FEA Engineers willing to talk shop with a grad student?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently pursuing my MS in Mechanical Engineering in Colorado (coming from a Physics BS background) and I'm hoping to connect with some current engineers who specialize in FEA for structural mechanics on parts not buildings lol.
For context, my current masters thesis uses FEA and experimental testing of 3D-printed composite materials. I spend a lot of my time trying to model crack propagation using Abaqus amongst other things.
While I’m in the academic and research side of things right now, I’m really interested in hearing from professionals about what structural FEA looks like in the industry.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, or even just connect via DM if you're open to a quick chat:
- What does your everyday actually look like?
- How much of your time is spent in software/physical testing
- What does the transition from academic modeling to industry application look like?
- Any general advice for someone looking to build a long-term career in computational mechanics?
Thanks in advance!
P.S. have been applying to a lot of rotational programs but if your company is looking for anybody let me know! I would literally love any job with health insurgence after May 2027!