Eytan Modiano
Title: Richard C. Maclaurin Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautic
Briefly describe your journey to MIT? After completing my PhD at the University of Maryland, I worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory for 6 years before joining the MIT faculty.
How did being a FLI student impact your experience navigating higher education?
Neither of my parents attended college. My mother completed elementary school and my father got a high school degree. Hence, I could not rely on my parents for guidance. In high school, while most of my friends were participating in extra-curricular activities, I was working as a cashier in a discount store in Downtown New Haven (23 hours per week). When it came to college, the only thing I could seriously consider was my local state university (UCONN). Naturally, I studied engineering because I was told that’s a good way to ensure a good job. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing or why. However, I excelled in classes, and started doing research with a professor who took interest in me. This research led me to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Maryland, and eventually a faculty position at MIT.
While attending UCONN may be viewed as a disadvantage, I feel that it was a perfect on-ramp for me. I was able to excel in a way that I am not sure I could have had I attended a more competitive school.
What advice would you give yourself if you were able to go back and speak with the undergraduate version of yourself? My high school guidance counselor told me that given my background, I may have to follow a longer path to get where I belong, but I will nonetheless get there. That was great advice. As an undergraduate, I really had no idea about future career opportunities, and how to pursue them. In hindsight, I wish that I gave that more thought.
What advice would you give a current MIT student? Focus! In particular, focus on one or two important things. Get started early with research and summer internships. Time goes by fast, and before long you will be out of MIT.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work/research? I love travel and cooking.