Kay Wojtowicz

Kay Wojtowicz ’25 is the latest in a long line of River Hawks. Their grandfather (Ed Rickley ’59), parents (John ’98, ’23 and Carol Wojtowicz ’90) and brother (Scott Wojtowicz ’19, ’20) all earned electrical engineering degrees from UMass Lowell. 

“I’m just the first to study mechanical engineering,” says Wojtowicz, a native of Methuen, Massachusetts.

With a bachelor's degree in hand, Wojtowicz is heading straight into the mechanical engineering Ph.D. program at UML. They will focus on optimizing 3D-printed ceramic materials for ballistic applications, which continues research work that Wojtowicz did as an undergrad under Professor Chris Hansen and Associate Professor Alireza Amirkhizi. The research could be applied when developing armor through the university’s HEROES (Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers) initiative. 

Wojtowicz’ path to advanced research began early. Originally interested in robotics, Wojtowicz used an Immersive Scholars award as a sophomore to work as a research assistant under Assistant Professor Maru Cabrera. 

But an introductory course on manufacturing processes with John Connery, assistant director of the Lawrence Lin MakerSpace, changed everything.

“I fell in love with making things,” Wojtowicz says.

That passion led to an Honors College project, building a 14-part Stirling engine through subtractive manufacturing using CNC (computer numerical control) machining. Connery served as Wojtowicz’ advisor and provided more than 100 hours of one-on-one training through a directed study course.

Wojtowicz also became a manufacturing lab learning fellow, teaching students how to safely use the CNC mills and lathes.  

“I want to be a professor; that’s why I’m pursuing a Ph.D. So it was a great introduction to that,” Wojtowicz says. “I’ve always learned better by teaching other people.”

Outside the lab and classroom, Wojtowicz landed a mechanical engineering summer internship at Globus Medical, a medical robotics company in Methuen, before junior year. 

As a senior, Wojtowicz received a Craig Douglas Undergraduate Research Award from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and won a poster presentation for best additive manufacturing project from the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.

While Wojtowicz didn’t follow in the family’s electrical engineering footsteps at UMass Lowell, the mechanical engineering route has proven to be a perfect fit. 

“My grandfather was really happy when I came here,” Wojtowicz says. “I’m glad I listened to him.”