We're excited to connect with our alumni through our Darlington Connects series. Today we hear from Sneh Patel (’10), aircraft performance engineer at Gulfstream Aerospace.
As a four-year boarding student from Mapanga, Malawi, Sneh Patel (‘10) was very involved and served as an academic prefect; member of the Honor Council; and member of the crew, swim/dive, golf teams.
“My time at Darlington was beyond any of my expectations,” he reflected. “I believe my time was truly well spent and I am very grateful for all the friendships and mentorship I received.”
As a little boy, Sneh loved airplanes, and growing up he knew that he wanted to work in the aviation industry. He further solidified his career path in one of his high school science classes.
“Mr. Sweeney’s AP Physics class is what really solidified my interest in engineering and made it seem less scary,” said Sneh. “He spoke very passionately about physics and had a great way of communicating difficult concepts.”
After graduating, Sneh attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he was a member of the golf team and earned his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. After several internships, he started his full-time career in the aviation industry in 2015.
As an aircraft performance engineer at Gulfstream Aerospace, he works with many different systems on the aircraft and helps design, characterize, and optimize the aircraft systems. His role is to determine how well the aircraft fulfills its intended design goals, as well as improve upon the applicable design aspects if possible/required.
“My favorite part is the perspective and problem-solving opportunities my position exposes me to,” said Sneh.
As part of the Darlington Connects program, Sneh offered to connect with students and alumni that are interested in working in STEM/STEAM-related fields and shared some advice.
“Join or participate in professional engineering societies like AIAA, IEEE and SWE,” he said. “These societies host amazing national, state, and local events for the purpose of fostering interest in STEM/STEAM-related fields. For students currently in high school, I would strongly recommend seeking out some sort of apprenticeship or participating in summer coding bootcamps, robotics bootcamps, etc.”
To connect with Sneh, please email connect@darlingtonschool.org.
Are you a member of Darlington Community (or do you know one) with an interesting career or community involvement? We'd love to spotlight you in a future blog! Please email connect@darlingtonschool.org if you are interested in being featured.
