Meet Tyler-Odeh Abbassi

"What surprised me the most about Rutgers Engineering was our student organizations. When else in your life would you get the chance to work on rockets, cars, satellites, drones, planes, and more all on one campus?" -Tyler-Odeh Abbassi

Rising senior Tyler-Odeh Abbassi is pursuing a double major in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) and computer science. The Honors College student is currently completing a summer internship as a product security engineer at Rivian-Volkswagen Tech, where he is enjoying working with cars. This is his fourth internship, each of which has given him invaluable hands-on experience in various facets of engineering.

Why Rutgers?

I chose Rutgers for a lot of reasons, including professional opportunities, great extracurriculars, and my Honors College enrollment. But I also wanted a big campus, which was also part of my decision. 

What do you like most about your ECE and computer science majors?

My ECE major is truly helping me understand the systems and engineering principles that drive everything we use today. Electricity is one of the strongest and most fascinating forces on earth, and it's so cool to see how uniquely yet predictably it can behave with the right math. 

Learning about the algorithms and computing fundamentals that have driven many technological advancements, including AI, in my computer science major is making me a more well-rounded engineer.

What stands out in your Honors College experience?

It's really an extension of the Rutgers experience. Rutgers is the kind of place that gives you exactly as much as you're willing to put into it, and Honors College is no different. The most valuable things I've gotten from Honors College is the community I've built, the honors clubs I've joined, and the opportunities it has offered me. 

I'm the president of the Rutgers Engineering Honors Council, which is devoted to uniting, educating, and professionally developing Honors College engineering students. I'm also a resident assistant (RA) at Mettler Hall. Watching students learn and come into their own, and being part of their journey, means a lot to me. 

Any other extracurriculars?

I'm part of the Rutgers Rocket Propulsion Lab, where we're working on a fully student-designed and built multi-stage rocket capable of flying tens of thousands of feet in the air. This club introduced me to many software engineering concepts and the importance of teamwork, all of which I use to this day and are a huge part of my professional development. 

Do you have a favorite mentor?

Definitely Assistant Dean and Honors College Director Jean Patrick Antoine. He's always willing to lend an ear to any issue I've had, and it's good to know that there's always someone in my corner who's rooting for me to do well at Rutgers and beyond. 

Can you describe your internship?

My first one with the U.S. Army at Picatinny Arsenal introduced me to the field of embedded engineering. Sophomore year, I was a software engineering intern at Siemens, where I worked with cutting-edge digital twin technology in a corporate engineering setting. Last summer, I was a patent law intern at Colgate, as I was curious about the field of intellectual property law and what a career in that might look like for engineers. In my current internship at Rivian-Volkswagen Tech, I'm combining my previous experiences to do security work for the next generation of software-defined vehicles.

Has anything surprised you about Rutgers Engineering?

What surprised me the most about Rutgers Engineering was our student organizations. When else in your life would you get the chance to work on rockets, cars, satellites, drones, planes, and more all on one campus?

Do you have any advice for new students?

Take every single chance you can to work hard, go out, or try something new, even if you think you'll hate it or it's too much work. The world is working in your favor in more ways than you know. 

Have you given any thought to your post-graduate plans?

I'm looking forward to continuing my career in computer engineering in either the embedded or security engineering industries—or both if a particular role allows that—after I graduate. I'd also be interested in returning to school for my JD so I might practice patent law. No matter what I end up doing, I'll be excited for the next chapter. 

What three words best describe your SoE experience?

Unique. Busy. Educational.