Mechanical and aerospace engineering student finds possibility around every corner
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—If mechanical engineering student Luis Jacobo Meija were asked to sum up his experience at Western Michigan University using just one word, he would likely choose “opportunity.”
After only a few years at WMU, Jacobo already has a lifetime of knowledge and skills under his belt. From professional development and leadership experiences to real world applications and social opportunities, Jacobo has done it all—and he’s only just getting started.
Jacobo is a part of WMU’s 2+2 agreement with the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC). This program allows for students from the Dominican Republic to complete their pre-engineering courses at INTEC and then transfer to WMU to complete their degree.
“I knew transferring to a different school, let alone in a different country, was going to be a big transition,” says Jacobo. “Something that did surprise me, and a lot of us, is how much the University supports students, the number of opportunities available, and in general, how much the staff is willing to help and want you to succeed.”
Jacobo’s list of accolades and accomplishments is long. He was awarded a Student Sustainability Grant through WMU for his research in synthesizing and developing a novel carbon-based catalyst material for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). He is in the first year of his master’s degree as a part of the accelerated graduate degree program in mechanical engineering, meaning that he will complete both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years. During the undergraduate portion of his degree, Jacobo was an undergraduate research assistant; now, he is beginning a new role as a graduate teaching assistant.
“I feel conducting graduate level research in my undergrad made me more prepared for my master’s and bridged a huge learning curve,” says Jacobo. “This fall I start my teaching assistantship, and while I have no idea what to expect, I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Additionally, Jacobo has been a part of multiple travel opportunities with WMU support for both research and student organization experiences, including trips to Argonne and Fermi labs in Illinois, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Conference in California, and the 3D Printed Aircraft Competition and 3D Experience World in Texas.
“With growing concerns regarding non-renewable energy depletion and environmental impacts of conventional energy sources, PEMFCs represent a promising clean energy alternative that converts chemical energy to electrical energy through emission-free processes like oxygen reduction reactions,” says Jacobo. “Current state-of-the-art catalyst materials like Nafion are prohibitively expensive, creating significant barriers to widespread PEMFC adoption. My research addresses this challenge by developing low-cost, high-performance, environmentally friendly carbon-based materials to enhance catalytic activity.”
Since arriving at WMU, Jacobo helped create two Registered Student Organizations (RSOs): the Solid Mechanics and Structures Hub (SMASH) and the Dominican Student Organization (DSO). In addition to this, he was president of the SHPE while an undergraduate, and the director of allocations for the Western Student Association (WSA).
“Through SHPE, I was able to learn so many lessons and connect with so many people with experiences similar to my own in that first, pivotal year,” says Jacobo. “It was the type of guidance that only someone in my shoes could give me, and for that I’m thankful.”
According to Jacobo, he never expected to be SPHE president. He joined the organization at the encouragement of fellow international students and soon found the guidance he needed to succeed.
“Until that point, no one had prepared me for what it is like to be an international student: many companies that work with mechanical and aerospace don’t accept international students,” says Jacobo. “The market is competitive, and work permits seemed very complicated at that time. Even for those that do hire international students, you are competing with people who have had internships or know the processes better than you.”
On top of all his extracurriculars and achievements, Jacobo is currently working with an independent research group, Constructed Use of Regolith for In-Situ Engineering in Space (CURIE-S), as part of a proposal writing program funded through NASA called the Lucy Mission’s L’SPACE Program.
“I joined in the summer of 2024 to learn how to better write proposals,” says Jacobo. “In the end, my team and our project won 1st place, and a $10,000 prize to develop our idea with NASA advisors. Our early work was presented in the 2025 Composites, Materials & Structures (CMS) conference. Our goal is to use space materials for in-situ manufacturing for future space missions and settlements.”
Now, as Jacobo enters his master’s program, he is looking forward to the opportunities his future career will offer.
“The area of mechanical engineering that I want to specialize in is materials engineering,” says Jacobo. “There are so many ongoing investigations going on in different fields—energy materials, space materials, biomaterials. I find it all to be very exciting, and every day there are new things being discovered. I definitely plan to get my Ph.D. in the future, but I want to work in the industry in order to have more experience.”
Jacobo notes that his hard work and success is the product of taking whatever chances he could. He looks at every possibility he sees, utilizing an eye for growth.
“Ask, reach out, network,” says Jacobo. “There are so many life-changing opportunities, events, and people in Western that might be just one conversation away. Talk to students, talk to your advisor, talk with your professors, talk with the staff, talk with the custodian. Learn from their experiences and listen to their advice."
“Also, don’t be afraid to try new things.”
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