Kara Krone, Medieval Literature to Mechanical Engineering
Kara Krone didn’t start out knowing herself as an engineer. As a child, she was drawn to artistic pursuits such writing, painting, and dance. These passions were seemingly passed down through family lineage. Kara’s father is an artist and musician, but also a handyman; fixing fridges and crawling through ducts, he also plays guitar during Christmas and hikes into the mountains to paint in the open air. Growing up, Kara learned as much about color theory as she did about the mechanics of refrigeration.
After obtaining a degree in Medieval Literature from UC Berkeley, Kara began working in a law firm as a legal assistant. She filed papers, edited sentences, and processed mail, but found her life lacking of the creativity and artistry she craved. Kara wanted an interdisciplinary career, one where she could use her knowledge of art and design to actively impact the world; she found that path in engineering. It turns out she had hands like her father’s—with a deep need to create, conjure, and construct.
Kara’s life in art had always been entwined with engineering. Whether it was strength testing materials for hula hoops, repairing LEDs, or researching the chemical properties of paints and glues–she has always had a passion for hands-on pursuits. Since transitioning to engineering, she’s built a drone from scratch, programmed robots for children, and helped students with disabilities play kickball at recess.
Kara was drawn to Boston University’s LEAP because of the unique opportunity it provides in transitioning humanities students into graduate work in engineering. She is excited that LEAP gives students the ability to work with peers from similarly diverse backgrounds, bringing a constant infusion of new insight and breadth of experience to the engineering experience.