Matthew Cardinale

Matthew Cardinale says he was driven to become an engineer to “help push society forward and improve quality of life.” As a type 1 diabetic, he understands firsthand the impact that technology can have by making conditions easier to manage.

Mechanical engineering in particular caught his eye because he always enjoyed building things. This interest drew him to investigate mechanical design and the process by which things are designed and produced.

“I have gained satisfaction from going through the engineering design process and seeing a project go from conception to reality,” says Cardinale. “I feel this is what has drawn me the most to engineering.”

Cardinale chose to join the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering due to the various resources offered.

“I was drawn to this because I felt that I could enhance my education outside of the classroom,” he says.

One such opportunity came in the form of the CanSat Mechanical Engineering Competition, an annual student design-build-launch competition for space-related topics organized by the American Astronautical Society. Cardinale served as a subteam lead for the ASU team.

Cardinale is a student of Barrett, the Honors College at ASU and chose to design and construct a model roller coaster to fulfill his honors thesis. He is excited to share the culmination of skills and knowledge he has obtained in his education upon graduating.

When reflecting on the impact that faculty have had on his experience, Assistant Teaching Professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering Raghavendra Murthy comes to Cardinale’s mind.

“Dr. Murthy has been instrumental in the completion of my Barrett Honors thesis, providing my partner and me with the tools and insights needed to succeed,” Cardinale says. “Additionally, he has really helped me build connections between coursework and application, which will serve me well going into industry.”

Cardinale says that the connections he made with faculty and fellow students are some of the most important takeaways from his experience at the Fulton Schools as he heads into his career.

After graduation, Cardinale will begin work as a systems engineer for Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona.

“In the long-term, I would eventually like to move into engineering management,” Cardinale says. “As a result, I plan on pursuing an MBA after working for some time. As an engineer, I want to do something that leaves a positive impact on society.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ Spring 2023 class here.