Become a Mentor

Alumni of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland hold degrees in mechanical, reliability, or nuclear engineering. They form a unique community that stays connected and also gives back through a combination of time, talent, and treasure.

Donya Douglas-Bradshaw, B.S. ‘94

Donya Douglas-Bradshaw is the Mars Sample Return Deputy Director at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She previously served in multiple senior leadership positions at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, including most recently as Deputy Director for Planning and Business Management for the Engineering and Technology Directorate overseeing operations, training/development, facilities, and budget of one of NASA’s largest engineering organizations. Her work has included project management of multi-million-dollar projects, for example, Lucy, a space probe mission to the Jupiter asteroids. She has served as principal investigator and manager of technology developments achieving breakthrough innovations, as systems engineer of large multi-disciplinary teams, and as technical line manager for senior engineers and instrument managers. Donya and her husband have five children and are both proud Terp alumni.

CiCi Onyekwere Lyons, B.S. ‘16

While completing her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at UMD, Chioma (CiCi) Onyekwere-Lyons also made her mark in Terrapins track and field, breaking a 14-year school record in weight throw and a 34-year record in discus, and medaling in a succession of NCAA and Big Ten championships. She soon went on to make her mark in the international arena, taking home the gold medal in discus at the African Championships in 2018—a title she would successfully defend four years later, while also racking up first place at the African Games in 2019. In 2022, CiCi has won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K. with a throw of 61.70m—a personal best. Since 2017, CiCi has worked for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, most recently as Senior Exterior Lighting Design and Release Engineer, including for the 2020 manufacturing year Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator.

Justin Di Palo, B.S. ‘11 M.S. ‘12

A childhood fascination with cars fueled University of Maryland (UMD) alumnus Justin Di Palo’s (‘11, M.S. ‘12) interest in engineering. As a professional engineer, however, he’s turned his focus to a broader concern: developing technologies that can support sustainable living and help save the planet. Today, Di Palo has built a career as a decarbonization expert and currently serves as associate partner and national sustainability integration lead for the Syska Hennessey Group. A global mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design consultation firm, it specializes in large commercial projects, including in areas such as industry, commerce, healthcare, and aviation.