ASU graduate impacts manufacturing engineering research

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

Zachary Goode was surprised to learn that many of the undergraduate programs in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University offered research experience — an opportunity usually only offered to students later in their academic careers and to graduate students.

This consideration launched him into an engineering degree with a concentration in robotics at ASU’s Polytechnic campus.

As Goode “became really interested in the process of taking a design and editing it to be more economically feasible to manufacture,” he eventually pursued a manufacturing degree in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks as well.

He took part in manufacturing research with Associate Professor Dhruv Bhate in his 3DX Research Lab,. There, Goode says he gained critical research skills from Bhate who was instrumental in helping him grow as a student.

“Dr. Bhate welcomed me and two other undergraduate students onto his research team,” says Goode, who is also a Barrett, The Honors College student. “It’s through him that I was lucky enough to land my current position at Northop Grumman.”

Throughout his undergraduate academic career, Goode prioritized research endeavors. He is an active participant of a U.S. Department of Defense-funded Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement, or SCALE, program and is currently collaborating on a research project with NASA and Penn State University.

Outside of the classroom, Goode is a member in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers student professional chapters. He also participated in the Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative, or FURI.

Following graduation, Goode plans to continue on his research trajectory as an Accelerated Master’s degree program student in the manufacturing engineering program. While pursuing his master’s degree, he will also continue his work as a radiation electrical test engineer at Northrop Grumman in Chandler, Arizona.

Goode looks forward to a future in engineering because he says it’s something he doesn’t mind spending all of his time doing.

For him, “being able to design and build whatever I want is what keeps me motivated.”