IBM Research

Joselyn Torres, GEM Fellowship Winner to Attend University of Michigan this Fall Joselyn Torres, CAS summer intern and recipient of a 2004 GEM fellowship It was during his final year of high school that Joselyn Torres, now a CAS summer intern and the recipient of a 2004 GEM fellowship, decided he wanted to major in electrical engineering. That choice is one he has never regretted: “Technology is moving the world of today, and I’m so glad to be a part of that!” Torres, originally from Isabela, Puerto Rico, attended a math and science academy before he went to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez to earn his B.S. Another new phase of his life will commence shortly. This September, Torres begins pursuing a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, where he will join its excellent program in VLSI. Once he finishes his graduate studies, his ultimate goal is to become a professor or work in a corporate research lab. This marks the intern’s third summer at Austin Research Lab, and he now reflects on the ways in which being part of IBM has been a positive growth experience. As an undergraduate, it afforded him the opportunity to “get to know graduate students and very smart people in his field – the best in VLSI.” Torres started working with Juan Antonio Carballo in 2002, studying high-end energy-efficient communications chips. He cites Carballo and Ann Marie Maynard, director of the Austin Center for Advanced Studies, as major influences and sources of support to him in his educational and career endeavors. Torres has now gone on to work with and learn from Kevin Nowka and Ivan Vo. This fall, his relationship with IBM will continue in the form of a GEM fellowship, which will help cover his tuition and stipend. He hopes to return to IBM next summer. Torres’ philosophy toward life is that “winners never quit.” He may enjoy playing basketball and watching movies in his free time, but when it comes to work, he knows that diligence is the key to success. In fact, when asked to describe himself, the first word that comes to his mind is “hardworking.” Juan Antonio Carballo, his past mentor, uses the exact same adjective to convey Torres’ most admirable qualities: “his hardworking spirit and lack of fear in addressing new problems.” Carballo adds that his former protégé “would never hesitate to take any challenge.” One formidable hurdle Torres faced in previous years when he came to Austin Research Lab from Puerto Rico was communicating in English. In Puerto Rico students take English classes throughout their school years, and often college textbooks are written in English. But the everyday language is Spanish. “This is a big constraint for Latinos. It’s so hard to show others that you understand your work and whatever is going on around you when you’re forced to speak a language that you’re not yet comfortable with.” Still, feeling confident about expressing himself was something Torres overcame with practice. Although language barriers are an admitted obstacle, Torres firmly believes in the necessity of diversity within IBM and within the workplace in general. His line of reasoning is simple and persuasive. “Different people think in different ways. And when you’re trying to solve a problem, you need all of those different perspectives to come up with the best possible solution.” -By Emily Seen, 2004 Austin CAS Summer Intern August 2, 2004