Home Country: Ecuador
Program: Mechanical Engineering
University: Escuela Politécnica Nacional
Languages: English, Spanish

Victoria Granja is a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Rice University. She earned both her B.S. and her M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Ecuador. She has always had a keen interest in teaching. She served as a lecturer at her home institution for three years before joining Rice to pursue her doctoral studies as a Fulbright grantee. Her research interests lie in tribology i.e. the study of friction, lubrication, and wear of mechanical components in relative motion. She currently works at the Particle flow and Tribology Laboratory directed by Professor C. Fred Higgs III.

On Houston & Rice:

Rice is full of motivated and high-achieving people that are always willing to support and help each other out. Also, authorities and faculty genuinely care about students and are very accessible. Moreover, Rice’s campus is gorgeous and is like an oasis in the heart of the 4th largest city in the US (you can get the best of both worlds). Off-campus you can find thousands of international restaurants, as well as theater, ballet, symphony, and opera companies.

On Fulbright:

By being a Fulbright Scholar, you become part of a world-wide community that feels like family. You get the chance to know people from different backgrounds and so you get the opportunity of being exposed to different ideas, beliefs and ways of doing things that open your mind and shape you as a more well-rounded professional and human being.

Fun Fact:

I play the guitar. I used to be part of a band.