Juan Salazar is participating in the student-designed program of study offered by the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering at Texas A&M University. In this individualized approach to education, students can take courses across different departments in the College of Engineering, as well as other colleges at Texas A&M.
Salazar’s journey began when he realized that his interests spanned many different areas. After coming to the conclusion that his goals could not be achieved through a traditional route, Salazar took the leap and customized his degree program.
"My interests lie in both engineering and psychology combined in the field known as human factors engineering," said Salazar. "This field was not offered as a degree path, but the ability to create it was, so I did."
Human factors engineering focuses on developing tools and machinery designed for optimal user experience by considering the capabilities and restrictions of humans.
"My degree would deal with the development of more efficient systems by accounting for human constraints," said Salazar. "My long-term career goals are focused on safety prevention. I would like to develop protocols and prevention methods that take into account human behavior tendencies to maximize safety and efficiency and minimize injuries in the workplace."
Salazar is currently taking classes in industrial engineering through the College of Engineering and psychology classes through the College of Liberal Arts. Upon graduation, he will receive a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary engineering with specializations in his respective fields.
"The program taught me how to take control of my education and showed me up front exactly what my degree entails," said Salazar. “I was able to choose which classes piqued my interests and figure out which ones worked toward what I was truly passionate about."