Ainsley Woodbrown '25

AINSLEY WOODBROWN ’25

Mechanical Engineering Major from Greenville, SC

Ainsley Woodbrown’s journey to Tufts came after a lengthy search. “I was very picky with my college process. I had a very long list of things that I wanted in a school, and Tufts was actually the only school that I could find that checked all of my boxes.” Traveling nearly 1,000 miles from her home in South Carolina, it’s no surprise that finding the right fit was so important. One major part of that fit for Ainsley was the fact that Tufts engineers weren’t boxed into an isolated community. “I knew I wanted to be a mechanical engineer, so I wanted to go to a good engineering school. But I didn’t want to just be with other engineers and STEM people, because I really appreciate different mindsets and ways of thinking.”

That passion for mechanical engineering has long suffused Ainsley’s life, which is convenient as she is the new president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at Tufts. But her journey to discovering that particular passion was unique. “When I was 10, my mom broke her arm and needed surgery. I was very intrigued, and I wanted to know what they were going to do because they had to put a metal rod in her arm. My mom ended up telling her surgeon [about my curiosity], and her surgeon offered to have lunch with me and my mom and talk about what she does. And so for a little bit there, I thought, ‘oh, this is what I want to do. I want to build things and design things that go in people’s arms.’ It was partly about helping people, but also the mechanical aspect of being able to put something together and make sure it works. It took me a while to realize I can do all of that without going to medical school (I really didn’t want to be a doctor). I just wanted to build stuff and be part of that design process.”

Outside of working on projects, however, there was something else about design work that really stood out to Ainsley: working as a team. “A collaborative experience is so special to me. Everyone in the [mechanical engineering] major is just so supportive. There’s a great balance of competition and collaboration. Finding your people is really easy. You just sit next to people in class and talk and soon enough someone will be like, ‘oh, do you want to work on the homework together later? Oh, do you want to be my partner for this group project?’ We’re all in this together. The whole mindset of the School of Engineering is so welcoming.” That collaboration extends outside of the classroom as well, to events that ASME holds. Beyond resume writing advice and major-declaration celebrations, one of Ainsley’s favorite moments was hosting an end-of-year picnic that brought together students and faculty from the department. “That was at the very end of this past year, and that was a lot of fun. We ate sandwiches, played music, it was a beautiful day outside. It was like a networking event, but also just a chance to get together.”

Connecting with professors has been an incredibly rewarding experience as well, especially when determining her plans for the future. When deciding between working in a professor’s lab for the summer or interning with the Department of Transportation, the professor told Ainsley “do the internship. We can do research later.” The academic support and opportunities available to undergraduates has been very helpful as Ainsley discovers what she wants to do in the future. “I spoke with a bunch of professors because I wanted to work in someone’s lab but I didn’t know who’s lab or what I wanted to do. All of the professors that I emailed were very open to meeting with me. It was tricky to get started because it’s intimidating and I had no experience to back me up. But most professors are very understanding of that, and want to help you get started.” Ainsley’s multitude of experiences throughout her time at Tufts, including a previous internship at the only BMW production plant in the United States, has helped her learn more about what she can do with a career in mechanical engineering. “For now, I’m figuring out what I like to do in the realm of mechanical engineering…I took a design course this past semester, and I really loved it, so I think I’m going to look into CAD and using SolidWorks. But I also like the material science side of things. I’m not a chemistry person at all, but I really do appreciate material science.”

As for advice, Ainsley offers this: put yourself out there. “I have to emphasize how helpful it is to attend student panels and other Q&A sessions that are offered. Reaching out to your [optional alumni] interviewer after is a great idea, too. Also, I would like to encourage prospective women engineers to entertain their aspirations. It can feel overwhelming going into a traditionally male dominated field, but you will have such a strong support system. There are wonderful resources at Tufts such as the Women’s Center and the Society of Women Engineers that are fun to be part of.”

Ainsley’s curiosity is infectious. Her excitement when talking about creating projects, both for fun and for class, in the many facilities like the Bray Lab and the Blake Lab that are full of machine parts, and learning how to weld at the SMFA to complete assignments, was palpable throughout our conversation. Ainsley embodies the kind, collaborative, and curious Jumbo engineer: one who is happy to learn and excited to help make the world a better place with her own two hands.