DEGREE: B.S. in engineering; M.B.A. in finance, University of Hartford
JOB TITLE: Operations director, Rolls-Royce Singapore
FAVORITE TRINITY MEMORY: Freshman year 1978, the blizzard of the century. The Hartford Civic Center roof collapsed. My very first snowstorm, and boy was it BIG! Classes were canceled for a week so we could dig out. Coincidentally, it was also Chinese New Year and we got caught in the blizzard trying to get to a Chinese restaurant. There were many “firsts” for me coming to America from Malaysia. Culture shock was inevitable, making new friends and learning a new way of life was memorable. Living in Elton freshman year was a blast, getting a dose of Americana and making new friends. I guess most memorable are the people I met and the kindness shown to me.
REPORTER: What does your work at Rolls-Royce entail?
HO: I run a plant that produces new Trent 900 and Trent 1000 jet engines for the Airbus A380 jumbo and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These are two of the biggest engines ever built for commercial aviation. I have a staff of 280 people.
REPORTER: What do you enjoy most about your work?
HO: I get tremendous satisfaction knowing that the work we do impacts the lives of thousands of people who fly every day. Our product brings people together and provides huge economic benefits.
REPORTER: And what do you find most challenging?
HO: Getting 280 people to sing to the same hymn sheet is never an easy task. I see my job as the conductor trying to get all the musicians to play beautiful music. In my case, it’s about getting people to work together to make safe and reliable engines, keeping them all happy and motivated, and sustaining the business.
REPORTER: What drew you to the engineering field?
HO: Where I grew up, I was told that there are only three professions that I should aspire to: medicine, engineering, and teaching. I was good in math and physics, hated biology, and didn’t want to be a teacher. So, by default, it was engineering. Interestingly, I found out that I really like engineering and stayed with it.
REPORTER: How did your time at Trinity affect your path in life?
HO: I always tell people that I had the best of both worlds: a liberal arts education and an engineering degree. I am really glad that I had a broad education instead of a narrow focus on engineering and science. I am as much at ease talking politics and history as I am talking about the laws of thermodynamics. Trinity gave me a superb education, and I am so much better off in every respect because of it. I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for Trinity, and I honestly mean that. When I graduated from high school, my poor parents who have 11 children couldn’t afford to send me to college. I had to seek external funding or not go. Trinity offered me financial support and helped fulfilled my dream. I am forever indebted to the College.
REPORTER: Which Trinity professor was most influential to you and your career? Why?
HO: I would say the then-chairman of the Engineering Department, Dr. August Sapega, was the most influential on my career. He was a tough professor, but very fair. I took two classes from him: one was “Strength of Materials,” and the other was a senior project. He was more interested that you understood the material rather than just getting good marks. If you did not do your work properly, especially lab work, he would make you do it over and over again until you got it right. I remember him saying, “Where a doctor’s mistake is buried, an engineer’s mistake is always revealed.” His passion for the profession is second to none. He has rubbed that off onto me, and I am glad he did.