Adal Malik

Adal Malik: Engineer orbits success at Lockheed Martin

Not long after leaving the bluff, recent graduate Adal Malik was enlisted by Lockheed Martin in a mechanical engineering role, and could not be happier.

“Thus far my experience at Lockheed has been great,” Adal said. “I have been able to apply a lot of the mechanical principles I learned in my courses at LMU on the job.”

For his senior capstone project, Adal developed a “CubeSat” launching mechanism, which combines two Nano-satellites while orbiting in space.

“My capstone project, which was sponsored by Northrop Grumann, another defense contractor and aerospace company, gave me really great insight into space systems,” Adal said, “and that is the sort of department I am working in now.”

Additionally, Adal co-authored a research paper with two fellow engineering classmates and supervising professor on the frictional forces of a new lubricant for medical syringes that is awaiting publication.

At Lockheed, Adal’s current duty is to help design the hardware that assists with spacecraft assembly, test, and launch operations.

A native of the Bay Area, he paired his mechanical engineering major with a minor in applied mathematics, and says that it was on the referral of a friend, a fellow LMU student, that he snagged an interview with Lockheed — quick to point out that this sort of fortuitous connection is a trademark of life at LMU.

When originally searching for colleges, Adal says he was won over by LMU‘s picturesque campus, welcoming student body and top-notch engineering program.

“The strong relationships between professors and students is especially outstanding,” Adal said. “It definitely can help in terms of career plans and looking for internships.”

Outside of his studies, Adal managed to stay pretty busy, joining Beta Theta Pi fraternity, the Society of Mechanical Engineers, and playing several intramural sports — and highly recommends getting involved with as many LMU club and organizations as possible.

“Getting involved really does help strengthen your relationships with classmates and extend your network,” Adal said. “And let’s face it, it is better to know more people, than less.” Looking ahead, Adal says he is excited to get some “real-world” experience and hone his technical skills before setting his sights on an MBA, with the hope of one day tackling a management position. As for what advice he might have for incoming Lions? “Look to get involved, but find balance,” Adal said. “There is definitely a lot of opportunity to be had at LMU, especially to grow as a person. I’m living proof.”