Tylin Waters
For electrical engineering student Tylin Waters, asking “how” and “why” about everything started as far back as he can remember.
As a child, Waters eschewed fairytales for “The Book of How it Works,” a hardcover about technological wonders, which his dad read to him at bedtime. That curiosity turned into a fascination with the skies.
“If it flies or goes to space, I'm into it,” Waters said. “For me, it’s about exploration. When you think of all the exploring left to do, we can either go deep into the ocean or deep into space, and electrical engineering helps us get there.”
Waters knew a college degree was crucial to secure a job in the aerospace industry, but he experienced some setbacks, including a stint at a private university whose credits did not transfer to other schools. Waters said he found a better way forward at Weber State University.
Now fully engaged in Weber’s electrical engineering program, Waters is perfecting the skills he needs to join the industry he’s always been drawn to. “Everything I’ve been passionate about my whole life, electrical engineering just made sense,” he said.
At 35, Waters said he appreciates the flexibility WSU offers adult learners: “It’s a welcoming place regardless of what circumstances brought you here. There have been delays and obstacles, but I’m still here and I’m in the field I want to be in.”
Waters describes electrical engineering as “versatile.” It can involve simple concepts, like powering a device, to designing stealth aircraft that can evade radar detection, such as the technology used by F-35 Lightning II pilots at nearby Hill Air Force Base.
“It’s an exciting time to be here,” Waters said about his time at WSU. “They’re pumping up the resources for the engineering departments. We’re also building relationships with aerospace companies, which excites me a lot. There’s a big aerospace presence here in Utah.”
He said WSU’s growing partnerships with companies like Northrop Grumman, Boeing and BAE Systems open up opportunities to stay employed in Utah, which he intends to do, and to stay involved in what fuels him.
As an aviator himself, Waters holds a private pilot license and enjoys aerobatic flying. His “big pipe dream” is to build a plane that he could then fly. He said flying gives him real-world insight into the industry he wants to help expand and improve.
This fall, Waters got a head start by scoring a job at WSU’s Miller Advanced Research & Solutions Center, located just outside Hill AFB, where he’s already in the business of prototyping technology that supports defense industry needs in the region.
Ultimately, Waters envisions working on satellites, probes or telescopes — developing technology that will “further the horizon” and contribute to both discovery and problem-solving.
“Engineering encompasses so much, but the common theme is solving problems,” he said. “Pretty much everything in the modern world has some electrical component. Whatever field you want to work in, chances are there’s going to be an electrical engineer involved.”