Who are you?

    -Name: Lauren Willson
    -Email: lauren-willson@uiowa.edu
    -Major: Chemical Engineering
    -Minors/Certificates: Chemistry, Mathematics
    -Year: Junior   
    -Hometown: Burlington, IA

What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming freshman?
I would say that incoming freshman should get to know their classmates! It's really helpful to be able to work with the people in your major because you reinforce the concepts you learned in class and you have people to study with!

What organizations outside the college of engineering do you belong to?
Outside of engineering, I am involved with the University Democrats and the University of Iowa Ski and Snowboard Club..

How are you an "engineer ... and something more"?
Outside of my engineering classes, I spend a lot of time drawing and painting. Art is a way I can disconnect from the more math-heavy classes in the engineering curriculum. It helps me relax and take some time for myself.

What is your favorite part about being a student at The University of Iowa?
My favorite part about being a student at the university of Iowa is the proximity of campus to downtown Iowa City. There is always something to do and I like that everything is close. There are a lot of great coffee shops to study in and restaurants to try.

Who is your favorite professor and why?
My favorite professor so far has been Professor Shepherd in the chemistry department. It might have been a large lecture class, but he was able to engage all the students in the material. He was able to break down complicated chemistry topics in a way that made them easy to understand.

What has been your favorite course?
My favorite course was Introduction to Engineering Computing. It was different from my other courses in that it was a coding class. I thought it was going to be difficult, but It came relatively easy to me and the projects were somewhat open ended, so I could explore different approaches to the same problem.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time at The University of Iowa?
In my free time, I like to read, draw, and spend time with my friends. I also like to get outdoors and go for walks when the weather is nice.