Master of Science in Engineering Technology alumna, Marinela Peto (’19), specializes in the design and engineering of lightweight components for Alpine Advanced Materials. As a project engineer, Peto works on lead customer and research and development projects related to Alpine’s flagship composite material HX5. 

“The material, HX5, is a high performance-engineered thermoplastic nanocomposite suitable for applications where the strength to weight ratio is critical,” Peto said. 

Part of Peto’s role involves testing the HX5 material. 

“I am involved with a wide range of engineering projects and also building a library about the HX5 material through testing, including gathering information on its physical properties, EMI shielding, corrosion resistance, bonding techniques, flammability, UV and Gamma radiation exposure, environmental soak tests, and coating systems,” said Peto.

Peto credits working in the exciting area of aerospace and defense materials to the hard work and dedication she exemplified while at UNT. From working as a research assistant in  Assistant Professor Hector Siller’s Lab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering to getting involved with hands-on additive manufacturing methods, Peto identified two key skills learned at UNT.

“First one is time management, without which I could not achieve graduating with a 4.0 GPA, publishing a thesis and two research papers, while also being a full-time student, RA, and mother of 2,” said Peto. “The second one is teamwork. In every class, we had many projects that taught me that no matter how successful you might be as an individual, the overall success depends on your ability to work well as a team.”

Peto’s engineering degree helped her accelerate her professional growth by combining her technical background and research skills – both of which Peto utilizes daily at Alpine Advanced Materials. 

“I am able to use these experiences to effectively and efficiently lead a team of engineers, coordinate with suppliers and deliver quality finished products to my customers under tightly-controlled and defined projects,” said Peto.