Student Spotlight: Mechanical Engineering Junior, Lileigh Nguyen

Lileigh Nguyen is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a Data Science minor. Her time at UW-Madison has been filled with memorable experiences – from bonding with peers in the cars auto shop, stepping outside her norm with undergrad research, gaining valuable professional skills as an intern, and reaping the benefits of Wisconsin summers. With each year of her undergrad journey, she feels more confident in her decision to become a mechanical engineer. Learn more about Lileigh and the moments she’s creating as a Badger engineer!

What has your engineering journey been like? Did you ‘always’ want to be an engineer?

I think I have always been interested in pursuing a STEM degree. In middle school and high school, I was involved in various clubs, including Knowledge Bowl, Science Olympiad, and Math League, and I knew I wanted to pursue a career in science or mathematics. I had a heavy involvement in my high school’s FIRST robotics team, which I think really solidified my passion for engineering, but even then, I remember applying to schools my senior year and selecting a variety of majors. For some schools, I applied for a math degree, at some I applied for engineering, and I’m fairly certain I threw in a couple of applications with biology selected.

All this to say, even though it seems obvious now that engineering is my path, I wasn’t always sure of this, and it’s okay to not have everything figured out going into college or beyond! I’m very thankful I have ended up where I am and have the opportunities I’ve had, but I easily could’ve ended up in a very fulfilling career path outside of engineering–everything will work out!

How did you decide to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering? Is there a specific area of ME you are interested in?

Honestly, I ended up in mechanical engineering on a bit of a whim. In fact, I originally applied under the aerospace concentration at Madison without realizing it, but I progressed fully into ME my freshman year. I had enjoyed my intro engineering class and was getting more involved in ME-based clubs on campus. I ended up switching into mechanical because I thought it seemed the broadest, and so would have the widest range of opportunities.

Since getting further into my degree at Madison, I’ve picked up an interest in power systems. From working on snowmobile engines in ECB’s automotive shop to building test rigs for electric motors, I’ve gotten a first-hand view of exciting cutting-edge technology. This past summer, I took an internship working with high-performance powertrains that got me involved in more of the nitty-gritty of engine work. Seeing something so complex broken down into a plethora of simple mechanical systems, all interacting and working together, is something I find fascinating.

Are you involved in any student organizations? If so, which ones, and what is your involvement?

I am heavily involved in a couple of student orgs across campus–both competitive engineering teams. I am the Co-President of the Baja Racing team: a team that competes to design, build, test, and race with a single-seat off-road vehicle against other colleges from across the United States and the world. Last year, as the Drivetrain Lead, I developed and built the team’s inaugural four-wheel-drive disconnect to allow the car to switch between 2 and 4 wheel drive. This year, I am working on optimizing the drivetrain system, CNC machining the complex components of the car, and supporting the overall development of the projects managed by the 6 sub-team leads for the team. I also handle club logistics like funding, travel, and resource management.

The other engineering org I am a part of is Madison’s Clean Snowmobile team, which is a team dedicated to engineering cleaner, quieter, and more efficient snowmobiles without sacrificing performance. As the Technical Advisor for the team, I help manage and develop the year’s projects, which include prechambers and a custom belt drive kit.

I would absolutely recommend getting involved in a student org, as my time in Madison has been greatly impacted by these experiences. I work with some awesome people and get to apply and build on what I learn in class, which helps me greatly both in school and in internships.

Can you talk about any experience(s) you have with undergraduate research, internships, or co-ops at UW?

I have had some great experiences with both work and research since beginning at Madison in 2023. Internship-wise, I worked as a Test Engineer for Bobcat in the summer of 2024 and as a Powertrain Engineer for Polaris in the summer of 2025. This upcoming summer, I will be interning as a Launch Engineer for Relativity Space. I also work at the Design and Innovation Lab in Wendt Commons!

The most impactful thing I’ve learned at any of my internships is that being able to communicate is the best skill you can have in engineering. So much engineering work hinges on being able to concisely and efficiently share information, sometimes with people outside of a STEM discipline. Being able to present information in a clear, understandable way makes for easier and more productive conversations. Plus, being able to articulate what I didn’t understand means I got a lot more out of my internships.

I am also fortunate enough to work at a great research lab on campus! Under Professor Lei Zhou at the PMCL (Precision Mechatronics and Control Lab), I support the development of an over-actuated axial-flux electric motor with a PCB stator for use in aircraft electrification. Not only do I get to use some super cool resources on campus, but it is a great way for me to combine my skills in mechanical engineering with other engineering disciplines I have less experience in, like electrical engineering.

What’s one “hidden gem” at UW-Madison that more students should know about?

One thing I think people don’t take enough advantage of is Madison in the summer! I know a lot of people head back home or take internships in other places, but after having spent a summer in Madison, I can confidently say that nothing is quite as “college” as a good group of friends, a brat from the Union, and the weekly Wednesday-night live music show on the Terrace. Between the beautiful Madison weather, the access to Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, and the interesting things to do around Madison (like the farmer’s market, the Arboretum, the museums, etc.), a summer in Madison is always a rewarding experience.