It should be no surprise that Taylor White, like most engineers, is strong in math and science. But her interest in psychology ultimately drew her away from the sciences and to industrial and systems engineering (ISE) — the people person’s engineering.
White has lived in Raleigh her entire life and figured she would pursue a STEM degree with her knack for science and math. But she was torn between STEM, the discipline she was gifted in, and psychology, a subject she discovered her love for in high school. She found the answer to mixing math, science and psychology when she visited NC State during her junior year. “I really only had a vague understanding of what engineering was until I visited NC State and heard from engineering students,” White explained. “I remember specifically hearing from two Engineering Ambassadors that day that opened my eyes to all of the different opportunities and experiences you could get in engineering. I decided that day that I wanted to become an engineer.”
White fell in love with the atmosphere and community at NC State during her visit and decided to stay in Raleigh for a few more years. “I originally planned to pursue a major in the College of Sciences, which is when I realized how many options NC State had to offer in the STEM fields and that they had incredible resources for their students,” White detailed. After doing some research, she realized that her future wasn’t with the College of Sciences. Instead, she discovered ISE, the engineering degree at the intersection of STEM and psychology.
When White isn’t in class, she works as a student team leader for the NC State Engineering Career Fair. Students organize the career fair, and her job is to guide the team in preparing the event. White is also an undergraduate research project veteran with the ISE department, most recently working on a research project centered around using data analytics tools to predict defects in additive manufacturing. White also works as a supply chain intern with UPL North America and hopes to find a full-time supply chain or logistics job where she can pursue all of her interests.