Jake Peloquin’s parents barely had time to clear the wrapping paper before he finished another oversized Lego set. Much to their dismay, he rarely stopped until every piece fit perfectly. Later, he traded plastic bricks for homemade drones and spent hours debugging code until every problem made sense. Looking back, Peloquin said he was “interested in engineering before I even knew what it was called.”
That curiosity followed him to Georgia Tech, where engineering combined everything he enjoyed. Math and physics challenged him, yet creating something tangible kept him engaged. Then, a summer co-op designing custom 3D-printed orthopedic implants changed his future. Although the work seemed like his dream job, something was missing. “It wasn’t just why something didn’t work, but why the current method or technique couldn’t be made to work,” he said. Consequently, he pursued a Ph.D. so he could spend his career answering bigger questions.
Those questions eventually led Peloquin to academia. Research gave him the freedom to explore new ideas. However, teaching became just as meaningful. Some of the most influential people in his life had been professors. Likewise, the students he taught reminded him of himself. Today, he says, “Seeing myself in students, and that same excitement and enthusiasm I had at their age, is genuinely fulfilling.” Helping students succeed, he adds, “is worth more to me than any salary or title.”
When Peloquin interviewed at NC State, he knew he had found the right place. Earlier summers in the Triangle introduced him to the university. Meanwhile, the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering offered a welcoming community and opportunities to collaborate across disciplines. “I felt like I already belonged during my interview,” he said.
Today, Peloquin continues asking bigger questions through research that combines mechanical engineering, materials science, artificial intelligence and data analytics. Although much of his work focuses on 3D printing, his research helps engineers make smarter decisions throughout the design process. At the same time, he challenges researchers to consider sustainability from the very beginning. He encourages them to think “from day one about whether materials can be reused, how the product will hold up over its lifetime and what impact it has on the environment.”
The Lego sets have become research laboratories. The homemade drones have become advanced manufacturing systems powered by AI. Yet one thing has never changed. Jake Peloquin continues asking why.