Lexi Durbin (’25, Mechanical Engineering) had a transformative summer working in Dr. Harman Khare's Tribology Research Lab. Through the faculty-led research experiments, she says she developed her ability to work independently, enhanced her collaboration skills, and gained a strong sense of self-confidence.
"I cannot emphasize enough how much of an impact research with Dr. Khare in the tribology lab has had on my time at Gonzaga," Lexi said. "This research opportunity let me pursue my passions and get a taste of how they'll apply to the real world."
Lexi's research journey began in her sophomore year during the materials engineering class taught by Dr. Khare. He suggested she consider working in his tribology lab the following spring. That led to a summer job 10 hours a week running experiments.
"My summer research, without a doubt, prepared me to work independently. Dr. Khare taught me how to use the equipment and prepare samples, then trusted us to be in the lab to conduct our research -- to obviously ask questions if needed, but I worked on managing my time and work process. I ended up gaining a lot of confidence that way."
At the same time, she worked on that balance between self-sufficiency and collaborating with others. It's okay to not know everything and ask for guidance and work collaboratively towards solutions.
"Lab work helped me with understanding how important it is to just ask. Obviously, you learn from messing up, and Dr. Khare did trust and allow me to improve my skills through trial and error. But it's worth it just to ask. I learned to just be comfortable with collaborating, reaching out to either Dr. Khare or the other students that had been working in the lab longer than me," Lexi said.
That experience is serving her well in her senior year. Not only is she still working in the tribology lab, she is President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and co-chairing the SEAS Clubs Council. Her Senior Design team is exploring manufacturing processes for a type of polyurethane foam.
"It's still looking at the function of materials and how they perform under different conditions.
As graduation approaches in May, Lexi is excited about her future in materials engineering and sustainable manufacturing.
"I want to get into industry, utilize my whole Gonzaga experience towards long-term solutions to the climate crisis. I want to give back to the planet through engineering," she said.
Reflecting on her time with faculty-led research, she encourages other students to consider GRO-MECS summer opportunities.
"I think it's a really good way to be able to get involved. I feel like some of the hesitation students have is just not knowing where to look and who to ask about research. And the more students know about it, I think the more they'd jump at it."
And any research experience is valuable, she says, even if it's not the "dream" situation.
"Absolutely do research in any capacity," she advises. "The hands-on experience, working in a lab, and collaborating with other students and professors is going to be so valuable."