Will Roberts

What have you most enjoyed about studying (name of your MIT-SHASS field)? Was there a particular discovery, new skill or way of thinking, or insight that you found especially valuable? Please share an example from your favorite class or experience. 

Studying Political Science, I have most enjoyed the notable relevance it has to the world around us. I found it fascinating that the political decisions which affect everyone’s day-to-day lives can be studied, greater understood, and in true MIT fashion, even quantified through the field. An aspect of it that I found particularly valuable is the skill of rigorously studying policies, decisions, and processes that are often driven by human nature, which is very complex and difficult to quantify. In the Public Opinion Research Training Lab class, we were able to design and field a nationally representative survey that provided new insight on when Americans believe political violence and eschewing democratic norms is okay. 

How does the knowledge from this field, or your interest in it, combine with your other major or minor studies at MIT? 

While Aerospace Engineering is on paper a fairly separate area of study from Political Science, the American Government is highly involved with many elements of the Air and Spacecraft design process, and it provides massive regulatory oversight as well. Gaining a much deeper understanding of the political body of the United States and further afield has provided key aspects of the bigger picture that complement and add a real-world aspect to the more precise and specific skills that I learned in Engineering. 

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that the wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you – for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?

I think the wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to me not just by adding a deeper context to every field, but also by keeping many doors open throughout the future. With a greater understanding of a variety of fields, it is much easier to pivot and make the most of a new career or personal opportunity, which may appear quite different. 

What are your plans for the future?

Come May, I will be commissioning as an Operations Research Analyst in the US Air Force and conducting test and evaluation of the Air Force’s newest technology. After my initial military service commitment, I will rely on my MIT and career experience to decide which path to follow next.