Giulia Martorana Engineers Opportunities

Physics and engineering both rely on math and scientific principles. Physics senior and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) President Giulia Martorana bridges both worlds.

"What got me into science is always wanting to ask questions and wanting to know what the root of a problem is," Martorana said. "Physics and engineering are both ways to find that root."

She joined SHPE on the advice of her older brother. He joined SHPE as an undergraduate at the University of California San Diego. Martorana said the same community that had helped him could also help her.

"We're both first-gen college students," Martorana said. "He knew if I joined SHPE, I would be getting the chance to involve myself more in my heritage, and I would be able to gain valuable insights and experience in STEM."

SHPE is a national organization and the largest association for Hispanic people in STEM. It welcomes Hispanic professionals from all backgrounds and has chapters at universities across the United States.

Martorana joined SHPE her first year of college and became president of the Carnegie Mellon chapter in the fall of 2024.

"My mission as well as the broader mission of SHPE is to ensure Hispanics in STEM receive the same opportunities that their peers may receive and to create a community where people can feel welcomed," Martorana said.

Her first year, there were fewer than 10 students interested in attending SHPE's annual National Convention; in 2024, the Carnegie Mellon chapter reached over 35 students attending, with the general chapter doubling in size over the past four years.

"It's been really exciting to see how big SHPE has gotten at CMU," Martorana said.

This year, she led the Carnegie Mellon chapter to SHPE's annual convention, where over 15,000 members of the national organization gather to learn, network and gain community. After raising money from the Mellon College of Science and the College of Engineering, she ensured 90 percent of convention attendees from Carnegie Mellon were fully funded.

"Because of the conference, a few people have gotten full time job offers and internships," Martorana said. "It was super exciting."

Martorana has been part of the efforts to expand SHPE's reach not only at Carnegie Mellon but in high schools. She and her co-chairs helped reestablish a chapter of Noche de Ciencias at Carnegie Mellon. Noche de Ciencias is a SHPE program that connects students from underresourced high schools with workshops and classes related to STEM. Typically, members of SHPE travel to schools to provide these opportunities, but the Carnegie Mellon chapter is working to bring local students to campus.

"We bring in high school students who get to attend workshops and bond over their common excitement of science," Martorana said. "They learn how to 3D print or how to code, which are opportunities they may not be able to receive otherwise."

Martorana builds community in other ways. She works as a teaching assistant and engagement leader for the Summer Academy for Math and Science, a pre-college program for high school students that offers them hands on experiences to explore STEM. She also is a student ambassador for the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.

Particle physics excites Martorana. Her first year, she worked with Manfred Paulini, professor of physics, on his research with the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment operating at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The CMS experiment investigates data from the LHC's high-energy proton collisions and uses this data to investigate new ideas in particle physics.

Paulini said Martorana's determination and passion stood out in the lab.

"Giulia is an incredible person who has a lot of grit and persistence," Paulini said. "She is not somebody who gives up easily even when faced with serious setbacks. Her ability to overcome hurdles together with excellent manual skills in the lab will make her an exceptional researcher in particle physics."

After graduation, Martorana plans to attend graduate school with the goal of researching particle physics. She said she wants to offer a community for others the same way SHPE helped provide a community for her.

"Part of my goal is to provide a sense of community and to make people feel like they can come as they are," Matorana said. "I want to make sure STEM is a place for everyone."