As the summer wraps up, we sat with Preston Yang, an undergraduate student at NYU to discuss his time at Cohesive, and his experience in a fast-paced robotics startup.
Each semester, Cohesive Robotics welcomes university students to the team through our internship program. We’re particularly proud to partner with New York-area universities to host students in a variety of engineering disciplines. This semester we welcomed mechanical engineering student Preston Yang to the team to support product development, assembly, and deployment testing. Preston is completing his undergraduate degree at New York University.
We sat down with Preston as the summer session wrapped up. Read on for his take on what it’s like to work at a robotics startup, and why robotics is a passion for him.
You're about to enter your final year for your undergraduate mechanical engineering degree. On a scale of building a robot to surviving an apocalypse, how prepared do you feel your engineering skills have made you?
To be honest, I feel more prepared to survive an apocalypse than building a robot given my engineering skills so far. It’s actually something I’ve thought about before, having watched a lot of zombie movies and thinking about what gadgets I could make to survive if I were the protagonist, or how I could fortify my shelter or house. On the other hand, I would say I feel kind of confident in building a robot as well, although I would definitely need a lot of help from electrical engineers. But for me, surviving an apocalypse definitely seems more achievable than building a robot.
Tell us about your upcoming school year and future plans after the internship.
Well, for the upcoming school year, I’ll be taking my normal coursework while continuing to work with NYU Motorsport. As for future plans, I’ll have to start applying for jobs and potentially to grad school, which is a bummer, but also an exciting new chapter of my life.
Why Mechanical Engineering? What drew you to the field?
Great question. One of the main things that drew me to mechanical engineering was being able to understand how things worked and ultimately figure out how to make them work better. I know the same could be said about any other engineering field. In fact, I originally wanted to major in CS and even took college level courses in elementary school, but I chose mechanical engineering because I want to be hands-on. Mechanical engineering for me gives me a balance of creativity, technical problem-solving, and hands-on work, especially when one of my ideas goes from sketches to a physical part I can test.
What interests you about robotics?
What makes robotics interesting to me is the various different fields having to work together to make one functional system. Mechanical design, electronics, controls, software, and manufacturing are all connected, which means there is always something new to learn and no shortage of problems to solve.
Could you share a specific project or course from your academic career that you found particularly interesting or challenging?
Since my freshman year I’ve been part of NYU Motorsports, a student-run team focused on the design and fabrication of Formula and Baja SAE race cars. I would say this has been the most rewarding and interesting project of my academic career. My time with the team has given me most of my practical experience in mechanical engineering and, in part, helped prepare me for my internship at Cohesive.
What motivated you to apply for this internship at Cohesive?
I was motivated by the opportunity to experience what it’s like to work at a robotics startup. Since robotics brings together mechanical design, electronics, controls, software, and testing, I knew the Cohesive would allow me to work across many different fields, take on a wide range of responsibilities, and contribute to projects with a real impact on the company.
Discuss a specific skill or concept you've learned or encountered during the internship that surprised you.
Although I’ve encountered this skill before, I definitely learned a lot more about keeping projects on track. It’s not only about working quickly and efficiently, but also actively thinking about when design reviews and review calls should be scheduled, not only at the end of design phases, but throughout them, along with finding quick ways to validate designs.
What unique skill or experience do you think is most valuable for thriving in a fast-paced startup environment?
Adaptability and forward thinking are probably the two most valuable skills for thriving in a fast-paced startup environment. You have to be comfortable diving into unfamiliar problems, asking good questions, communicating clearly, and learning quickly without having to be babied. You also need to plan well ahead while initially problem solving to prevent later reworks, whether that be manufacturing processes, assembly, or hardware selection.
What do you like about studying and working in New York City? What’s the most challenging aspect of it?
Everything about studying and working in New York City is great. Having access to a diverse mix of people, industries, great food, and opportunities means there’s always something happening (Heavy on the food, though). It provides a pretty good balance between engineering and my life outside of it. I’ve talked to other friends pursuing their engineering degrees at schools in the middle of nowhere, and I’ve heard it’s miserable. But it’s definitely a double edged sword, as balancing the pace of the city with school and work is a challenge, as is the price of everything.
As much as you’re comfortable sharing, tell us about a hidden talent or hobbies you have outside of engineering.
Outside of engineering, I enjoy hiking, photography, cooking, and going to flea markets. Besides becoming an insane engineer, another goal of mine is to eventually open my own beef noodle shop somewhere. Not sure if that counts as a hidden talent or hobby, but it’s definitely something I’d like to do outside of engineering.
If you could give one piece of advice to your freshman year self about pursuing a career in tech or engineering, what would it be?
One of my biggest regrets, even now, was not getting involved earlier. So, to my freshman self: start building things and get involved as early as possible, even if you don’t feel completely ready. Sure, grades are important, but classes only provide the foundations. Project teams, internships, and the mistakes you make along the way are where you learn the most.
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