Alumni Profile: Tom Pennell '02
What I found at TC3 was exactly what I needed. My support network expanded to new friends and caring instructors.
Tom Pennell understands things in a way most people cannot. In a world where some of the biggest, most important things are some of the smallest things, Tom and his colleagues at the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) are on the cutting edge. Even if that edge is so tiny you need a specialized electron microscope to see it.
Pennell has been a member of the technical staff at CNF for the last 10 years, guiding cleanroom facility users through the various aspects of micro and nano scale device fabrication as the Youth Outreach Coordinator. His path to a career on East Hill started when he restarted his college journey at TC3.
Why did you choose to attend Tompkins Cortland?
I came to TC3 during a difficult time in my life. Getting excellent grades in high school was easy for me. What I found after a year at another university was that I lacked maturity and the ability to move forward without a support network. I knew that I wanted to be an engineer but needed closer guidance.
How did your college experience at Tompkins Cortland prepare you for what came next?
What I found at TC3 was exactly what I needed. My support network expanded from close friends and family to new friends and caring instructors.
I earned my A.S. in Engineering and then went on for bachelor’s degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at SUNY Buffalo. My master’s degree research focused on biomedical studies and the creation of microfluidic devices to study human cell interactions.
What has been your career journey, and how did your time at TC3 influence your path? Nobody’s career journey is a straight line. Often it is the path of a ping-pong ball being bounced around until you find just where you want to be. Since my first day at the Cornell NanoScale Facility, it has been my dream job. I immediately recognized the facility as a place of innovation and a place where I could make a mark. In between college and my current career, I worked in several different industries including military electronics and biomedical device design and evaluation. Where I ultimately found my passion is in education. Around five years ago I became the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the CNF. What I really love is teaching people of all ages about something that seems so complex, nanotechnology, and having them walk away with the confidence that THEY CAN understand these concepts.
Who at TC3 had the greatest positive impact on your experience or your future?
There are so many people at TC3 that had a positive impact on me. Paul Testa and Joseph Meeks are instructors that come to mind. I would have never passed differential equations were it not for Joe Meeks! The other group that had a major impact on me at TC3 was the group of friends that I made. The comradery in the classroom was great, but we found support in each other outside the classroom. My engineering classmates and I used to gather in the parking lot every morning and walk to class together. I will never forget the morning we walked in the door together and watched the World Trade Center buildings fall on the TV in the TC3 atrium together. We went to class on time and immediately had the support of our professors (who were likely as confused as us at the time). After classes were dismissed, my friends and I sat outside the building, discussed how our world had just changed dramatically and we stayed for each other. I don’t think any of us realized that afternoon how much our world would change, but we formed a unique bond.
What are some of your favorite memories from TC3?
Eating in the cafeteria and studying with friends. Engineering is a collaborative endeavor. I learned that at TC3 by studying with my peers.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to yourself (or anyone) when you started at TC3?
YOU CAN! No matter where you are coming from when you walk in the doors of TC3, there are people who will support you and YOU CAN accomplish your goals!
Keep learning! After you graduate from TC3 there is a world of people out there. Every person on this planet has something they can teach you.
Embrace the opportunity to be an educator. You got where you are today because others taught you and gave you their skills. The greatest good you can do for society is to give your knowledge to others. Try not to be a curmudgeon about it for the benefit of future generations. Show them your passion!
What does the TC3 mean to you?
TC3 holds a special place in my heart. It had been 20 years since I’d visited TC3’s campus when I came back recently. When I walked in, I was deeply moved. Much of the facility was the same. Those familiar hallways that I walked every day when I was much younger. At the same time, there had been so much growth! The athletics facility, the BorgWarner Morse TEC field house, and many other parts of campus didn’t exist when I was pursuing my education. It was nostalgic and exhilarating at the same time.
I’ve recently had the chance to give back to TC3 as our nation works to expand its semiconductor workforce; something I have expertise in. The CNF and TC3 have formed an amazing collaboration and are working to create new and innovative content to educate the workforce that will be the future of our area.
TC3 continues to evolve in the most positive way. I’m proud of the way the college keeps having a positive impact on our community.
Photo Caption (top): Tom Pennell instructs a group of students in the Cornell NanoScale Facility Cleanroom
Photo Caption (below): Tom Pennell works with a group of students in his role as Youth Outreach Coordinator at CNF
