10/9/2025 Debra Levey Larson
Written by Debra Levey Larson
Emily Lory is from St. Louis, Missouri. She’s a senior at Illinois majoring in aerospace engineering and getting two minors: computer science and Hoeft Technology and Management. We asked her some questions about how this academic blend came about, her internships and future plans.
How did you decide to do a minor in CS and Hoeft Tech and Management?
"I decided to pursue a minor in Computer Science because I believe that understanding software and knowing how to code is an essential skill for an engineer," Lory said. "Especially in the aerospace department, being able to use programming as a supplemental tool is so useful for completing difficult computational assignments and controls projects.
"I decided to apply for the Hoeft Technology and Management program in my sophomore year because I have always been interested in the intersection between engineering and business. In the program, engineering students take business classes and business students take engineering classes and then together the cohort takes courses on technology management.
"I think many engineers can get caught up in the technical design, but for any engineering company it is really important to understand the financial logistics/business decisions behind a corporations actions. The Hoeft T&M program has given me a new perspective on this."
Did you do any internships/co-ops in aerospace or in your minor interest areas?
"I have done a few internships, and all have used skills from both of my minors.
"My first internship was with Ingersoll Rand as a mechanical design engineering intern. There, I used my computer science minor to write scripts that were used to get modular control over a motor.
"My second internship was with Milwaukee Tool as a quality and reliability engineering intern. I used my T&M minor to understand the business need for my product I specialized in and I used my computer science minor to create a data analysis tool for my team.
"My most recent internship with Boeing as an equipment engineering intern where I used my computer science minor to work on controls and software development for equipment utilized for airplane production. I was also able to use my T&M minor to better understand the operational logistics behind placing orders with suppliers."
How do you manage the course workload in doing a rigorous AE major and the additional work for your minors?
"A lot of it comes down to balancing my semesters so that I am not taking too many technical classes in a semester. It also helps to prioritize time management to make sure I won't be missing office hours, events, or deadlines for my major or my minors."
How do you hope to use both AE and computer science/tech and management in the future?
"I hope to be able to work in the aerospace industry and be able to work in a role that allows me to use my computer science minor as a supplemental tool for computation and analysis. After working a couple years in a technical role, I am interested in eventually working in project management and hope to use what I have learned from T&M to make good decisions as a leader."