Peer Mentors
About
Engineer Peers are upperclassmen students who help first year students feel welcome in the College of Engineering.
First Time First Year (FTFY) students are paired with a Peer through freshmen one credit seminar courses. A pair of Peers supports each first-year seminar section, and each Peer is assigned to two sections. The Peers connect with FTFY students through these seminars as well as through the social events that they host.
Brigid Duffy '26
Major/Minor/Certificates.: Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Engineering Management, pursuing Aerospace Engineering Certificate
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2026
Hometown: Waltham, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: President of Rocket Team, Secretary of AIAA, UTA for MIE 375: Manufacturing Processes, Student Staff at the Career Center
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Science Fiction/Fantasy Movies, Biographical/Historical Books, Volleyball
Fun Fact: I worked as a manufacturing engineering intern over the summer for Analog Devices
Future Goal(s): Get my masters in Aerospace Engineering or Bioastronautics while working full time in a related field
Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2026
Hometown: Waltham, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: President of Rocket Team, Secretary of AIAA, UTA for MIE 375: Manufacturing Processes, Student Staff at the Career Center
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Science Fiction/Fantasy Movies, Biographical/Historical Books, Volleyball
Fun Fact: I worked as a manufacturing engineering intern over the summer for Analog Devices
Future Goal(s): Get my masters in Aerospace Engineering or Bioastronautics while working full time in a related field
Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Jessica Tian '28
Major/Minor/Certificates, etc.: Computer Engineering, Sport Management
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2028
Hometown: China
School Related Activities/Interests: Skating Club, Research volunteer in Kidney OCT Image Labeling
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Skating, Skiing, traveling, Softball
Fun Fact: The sum of my parents’ birth month and date is my birthday
Future Goal(s): Work as a software engineer
Favorite movie: Coco
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2028
Hometown: China
School Related Activities/Interests: Skating Club, Research volunteer in Kidney OCT Image Labeling
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Skating, Skiing, traveling, Softball
Fun Fact: The sum of my parents’ birth month and date is my birthday
Future Goal(s): Work as a software engineer
Favorite movie: Coco
Hanna Liauchonak '27
Major: Industrial Engineering
Expected Graduation: Spring 2027
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario & Minsk, Belarus
School Related Activities: Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers VP, Healthcare Operations Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Weightlifting, Reading, Technology
Fun Fact: My dog works at my hometown gym!
Future Goals: Determine exactly what I want to achieve in life.
Favorite Book: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Expected Graduation: Spring 2027
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario & Minsk, Belarus
School Related Activities: Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers VP, Healthcare Operations Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Weightlifting, Reading, Technology
Fun Fact: My dog works at my hometown gym!
Future Goals: Determine exactly what I want to achieve in life.
Favorite Book: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
James Buckley '26
Major/Minor/Certificates: Biomedical Engineering
Expected Graduation Month/Year: May 2026
Hometown: Wakefield, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Ski and Board Club, Meditation Club, Smash UMA
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Drawing, Video Gaming, Hanging out with My Friends, Baseball
Fun Fact: I Have Seen All 30 Baseball Teams Live
Future Goal(s): Pursue my Master’s in BME
Favorite Movie: Dune 2
Expected Graduation Month/Year: May 2026
Hometown: Wakefield, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Ski and Board Club, Meditation Club, Smash UMA
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Drawing, Video Gaming, Hanging out with My Friends, Baseball
Fun Fact: I Have Seen All 30 Baseball Teams Live
Future Goal(s): Pursue my Master’s in BME
Favorite Movie: Dune 2
Rosie Harrison '28
Major/Minor/Certificates, etc. Mechanical engineering major, pursuing math minor and aerospace certificate
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2028
Hometown: Cohasset, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Treasurer + Recovery Engineer on Rocket Team, 3D Printing Intern at ADDFab, DJ on WMUA Student Radio
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Listening to music + collecting old tapes, running, exploring new places
Fun Fact: I am originally from NSW, Australia but went to school here!
Future Goal(s): Work towards a masters in aerospace engineering and move to the mountains somewhere
Favorite Game: Zelda Breath of the Wild
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2028
Hometown: Cohasset, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Treasurer + Recovery Engineer on Rocket Team, 3D Printing Intern at ADDFab, DJ on WMUA Student Radio
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Listening to music + collecting old tapes, running, exploring new places
Fun Fact: I am originally from NSW, Australia but went to school here!
Future Goal(s): Work towards a masters in aerospace engineering and move to the mountains somewhere
Favorite Game: Zelda Breath of the Wild
Pranav Kadam '27
Major: Computer Engineering
Graduation: May 2027
Hometown: Pune, India
School related Activities: Badminton Club,RISE Scholar, Secretary at PIT club
Hobbies: Gaming, Archery, Rock Climbing, Sketching
Fun Fact: I am ambidextrous, and can play 5 musical instruments.
Favorite Quote: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein
Future Goals: Aim to join a leading semiconductor company, designing and optimizing innovative circuits to advance cutting-edge chip technologies and system-on-chip solutions.
Graduation: May 2027
Hometown: Pune, India
School related Activities: Badminton Club,RISE Scholar, Secretary at PIT club
Hobbies: Gaming, Archery, Rock Climbing, Sketching
Fun Fact: I am ambidextrous, and can play 5 musical instruments.
Favorite Quote: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein
Future Goals: Aim to join a leading semiconductor company, designing and optimizing innovative circuits to advance cutting-edge chip technologies and system-on-chip solutions.
Manny Kum '27
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Graduation Date (exp): May 2027
Hometown: Worcester, MA
School Related Activities: Involved in UMass University Programming Council (UPC)
Hobbies: Music (Listening and Playing), TV/PopCulture, Reading, Baking
Fun Fact: I’ve listened to Beyonce’s entire discography(released)
Future Goals: Being on the forefront of discovering clean energy alternatives
Favorite TV Show: The Flash (seasons 1-3)
Graduation Date (exp): May 2027
Hometown: Worcester, MA
School Related Activities: Involved in UMass University Programming Council (UPC)
Hobbies: Music (Listening and Playing), TV/PopCulture, Reading, Baking
Fun Fact: I’ve listened to Beyonce’s entire discography(released)
Future Goals: Being on the forefront of discovering clean energy alternatives
Favorite TV Show: The Flash (seasons 1-3)
Andrew Magner '27
Major/Minor/Certificates, etc. Double Major in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, Minor in Mathematics and pursuing aerospace certificate
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2027
Hometown: Andover, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Avionics and Recovery Lead for the UMass Rocket Team, Vice Chair for AIAA
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Rocketry, Programming, LEGOs, Theatre, and Football
Fun Fact: Back in high school I did a lot of acting in theatre. I won state awards for it and ended up performing in front of crowds of over 1200 people.
Future Goal(s): Would love to pursue a masters in aerospace engineering and then enter the space launch industry working on avionics and flight software
Favorite Album: MYTH by The Narcissist Cookbook
Expected Graduation Month/Year: Spring 2027
Hometown: Andover, MA
School Related Activities/Interests: Avionics and Recovery Lead for the UMass Rocket Team, Vice Chair for AIAA
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Rocketry, Programming, LEGOs, Theatre, and Football
Fun Fact: Back in high school I did a lot of acting in theatre. I won state awards for it and ended up performing in front of crowds of over 1200 people.
Future Goal(s): Would love to pursue a masters in aerospace engineering and then enter the space launch industry working on avionics and flight software
Favorite Album: MYTH by The Narcissist Cookbook
Joao Santos '28
Expected Graduation: Spring 2028
Hometown: Brookline, MA
School-Related Activities/Interests: Research member at Computational Simulation Lab; BioSci Club member; HR Onboarding Facilitator & Editor for the Culinary Career Ladder Program
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Collecting CDs, listening to music, soccer, tennis, Formula 1, writing, reading, biking
Fun Fact: I’m originally from Brazil and moved here five years ago.
Future Goal(s): Live in a city like Boston to be near family, and maybe pursue an MBA to enter the business sector.
Favorite Song Right Now: 1999 No Cigar
Hometown: Brookline, MA
School-Related Activities/Interests: Research member at Computational Simulation Lab; BioSci Club member; HR Onboarding Facilitator & Editor for the Culinary Career Ladder Program
Outside Hobbies/Interests: Collecting CDs, listening to music, soccer, tennis, Formula 1, writing, reading, biking
Fun Fact: I’m originally from Brazil and moved here five years ago.
Future Goal(s): Live in a city like Boston to be near family, and maybe pursue an MBA to enter the business sector.
Favorite Song Right Now: 1999 No Cigar
Samantha Yakscoe '26
Major/Minor/Certificates, etc.: Civil Engineering
Expected Graduation Month/Year: May 2026
Hometown: Havertown, PA
School Related Activities/Interests: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Concrete Canoe, employed at the Rec Center
Outside Hobbies/Interests: reading, djing, spending time outside
Fun Fact: I am the manager of the women’s ice hockey team!
Future Goal(s): I want to work on a construction crew
Favorite Movie: Surf’s Up
Expected Graduation Month/Year: May 2026
Hometown: Havertown, PA
School Related Activities/Interests: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Concrete Canoe, employed at the Rec Center
Outside Hobbies/Interests: reading, djing, spending time outside
Fun Fact: I am the manager of the women’s ice hockey team!
Future Goal(s): I want to work on a construction crew
Favorite Movie: Surf’s Up
Become A Peer!
Peers enroll in one or two courses which support their work; Engin 391P, Peer Leadership in Engineering, meets bi-weekly in the fall and provides the Peers training and support for their work, while Engin 391M, Special Topics in Mentoring, meets in the spring and builds the Peers’ ability and unders