Maria Jose Lopez Aguirre

Outstanding Graduate Maria Jose Lopez Aguirre says her curiosity and love for learning drew her to major in engineering management. Lopez Aguirre considers the major the perfect mix of technical problem-solving and leadership.

“I’ve always been fascinated by how things work, but I also love working with people and seeing the big picture — how all the parts of a system come together to make things possible,” she says. “This major has allowed me to do both and find my place where curiosity and a drive for improvement meet meaningful impact.”

Lopez Aguirre says she came to Arizona State University to pursue her dream of competing in NCAA triathlons while receiving a high-quality education in engineering. She considers her experience at ASU the perfect combination of sports, academics and professional growth.

She enjoys her major’s broad applicability to a variety of fields.

“Whether it is working on technical solutions in aerospace manufacturing, optimizing supply chains, leading community projects or increasing sustainability in fashion, all of it connects,” Lopez Aguirre says. “I was surprised to see that engineering management is about understanding how systems work, and through that, leading to real and meaningful change.”

She realized she was on the right track during her systems thinking class taught by Ali Kucukozyigit, an assistant teaching professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU.

“It completely shifted how I approach problems and even come to understand them,” Lopez Aguirre says. “It taught me to ask why and never stop asking.”

While at ASU, she took part in Engineering Projects in Community Service, or EPICS, where she worked on the Devils Prosthetics project to create 3D-printed prosthetic hands for amputees. Lopez Aguirre served as president of the Community Service Subcommittee within the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for Sun Devil Athletics.

“I was blessed to be part of the ASU women’s triathlon team and involved in several engineering projects,” she says. “I was able to guide students through being a teaching assistant in class as well, develop meaningful relationships with mentors and meet the people I hope to love the rest of my life.”

Lopez Aguirre says among her achievements at ASU were winning three National Championship titles for ASU’s triathlon team. She was also involved in Tip of the Fork, a leadership program in Sun Devil Athletics.

After graduation, Lopez Aguirre will begin her career as a project engineer in Phoenix.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2025 class here.