“Next stop: Mars” for UTSA mechanical engineering student

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CLASS OF 2020

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DECEMBER 7, 2020 — Jahsiah Toby, leader of the Undergraduate Mars Rover Team, supported by UTSA’s Center for Advanced Measurements in Extreme Environments, is an upcoming engineer to look out for in the industry.

The mechanical engineering major, who will graduate this month, has a fascination with space and technology that led him to get involved with CAMEE the moment it launched at the university. He credits the program with expanding his thinking on how engineering can be applied to a career that impacts Earth and beyond.

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“It helped me get connected with NASA personnel as well as understand different guidelines to further my education.”

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“I believe working on the CAMEE project is a good starting point,” Toby said. “It helped me get connected with NASA personnel as well as understand different guidelines to further my education.”

In addition to CAMEE, Toby was active in several organizations at UTSA, including Student Council, the National Society of Black Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.

As a child, Toby said it was his first Lego kit that got him interested with engineering. In contrast, he comes from a family of medical professionals, so education has always been a top priority. His mother is currently working toward her Ph.D.

Inspired by his mother’s higher education pursuit, Toby is considering entering the mechanical engineering master’s program at UTSA to enhance his credentials for a career in propulsion engineering to enhance space travel.

“My family was always supportive of my decisions. Since they have attended college, it helped me understand what I wanted to do with my own degree,” said Toby. “Seeing my mom go back to school and pursue her Ph.D. has encouraged me about the possibility of getting my master’s degree at UTSA.”

Growing up, he was taught to pay attention to the environment and reduce his carbon footprint. As a result, another option for Toby is gaining greater awareness and advocacy for alternative energy sources to protect the environment.

“I can incorporate the knowledge I have learned through my inspired degree at UTSA and apply it to industries that I would want to make an impact in,” Toby said.

With Toby’s drive and outgoing personality, he’s developed many valuable relationships at UTSA to help him shoot for the stars after graduation.

— Christopher Garza

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