Hi! My name is Kevin Nybeck and I am a rising sophomore mechanical engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. I was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from Edina High School.

This summer, I will be participating on the People and Other Animals – Writing Wyoming program in July! This program focuses on analyzing anthropological methodology to investigate multispecies communities, learning techniques in environmental writing, and also the lessons of how we engage with the natural environment.

Admittedly, a mechanical engineering student spending three weeks studying wildlife, anthropological history, and varying ecosystems may seem an interesting pivot to the traditional technical studies. I believe that observing how nature and the environment interact will provide me a unique lens on design and problem solving. On this trip, I will also be working with students of other disciplines, which is a valuable skill for my personal and professional growth.

This program stood out to me because it provided me an interesting opportunity to explore not only a fascinating ecological environment, but also further develop my spatial reasoning tools, cross-disciplinary translation and field constraints/adaptability skills. This trip will enhance the way I analyze how the world naturally evolves through an engineering mindset. Wyoming is interesting in how a lot of the land is untouched and wild, which provides us a valuable spot to conduct research on.

In high school, I was a successful cross-country runner and our varsity team won the 2024 Minnesota State High School League Championship. Being in the outdoors, whether I am hiking, golfing or running, has been a valuable aspect of my life. Having the ability to spend time in nature while also developing my engineering and professional skills is an opportunity I am extremely grateful and excited for! The University of Pittsburgh has opened a world of possibilities and provided me this opportunity, which will have a massive impact on my future as an engineer and a Pitt alum.