UI homecoming queen is accomplished engineer

Allison Kindig is not the type of student to sit back and watch her college years go idly by.

Kindig, 22 — originally from Cedar Rapids — was named the University of Iowa's homecoming queen last fall. She is majoring in industrial engineering and is seeking a certificate in global health studies and a minor in business administration.

'It was difficult trying to decide what I wanted to study in college because I was interested in everything,' she said.

After initially enrolling in pre-med, Kindig changed course, thanks to an engineering class during her first semester. Before starting college she had very little exposure to engineering, but what she quickly discovered in that first engineering class really appealed to her.

'I chose engineering so I can play a leading role in tackling the most challenging problems facing our world today.'

Kindig treasures the college experiences she's had overseas. During her first year at Iowa, Kindig took an international development course in India, which involved developing low-tech, solar-powered cookers.

Just one year later, Kindig was conducting engineering research to combat deforestation and household air pollution with solar cookers in Cameroon in Africa.

'I worked together with local people to build several full-scale solar-powered devices, including a solar oven,' she said. 'I will never forget baking cupcakes in the village square among swarms of community members eager to taste the power of the sun, learn about solar energy and discuss ways they could start a local community-based business of building these devices.' While in Cameroon, other members of her team worked with people in the community to build a bridge and run a two-week medical clinic.

Her successes in Cameroon inspired Kindig to recently return to India, this time working as a research assistant in a multidisciplinary team seeking to understand and address the problem of deforestation and rural inequities in Rajasthan, India.

'Real world problems require real hands doing real work in real time,' she said.

Outside of the classroom, Kindig is a triathlete, training with the local Trihawk triathlon club.

Proving herself to be a true engineer at heart, Kindig is building a bike that she plans to ride during her last race at the USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals this spring. Building her own bike has challenged her to learn how to weld and use other machinery. 

'It's cool to see how I can integrate two passions to be the best I can be at both,' Kindig said.   

Her advice to young women interested in engineering: 'Seek every opportunity you can to try new and different things in STEM. Maybe, just maybe, you'll unexpectedly fall in love with it, like me.'