Katie Doyle ’16 was raised by a family of engineers who encouraged her to tinker and ask questions.
“My grandfather gave me my first electronics kit when I was 5, and I made every project in the book,” she says. “Engineering was always kind of on my radar as being something I would enjoy.”
Doyle’s family also had an affinity for the arts, and frequently took her to shows, including the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
“I remember staring in awe as dancers were raised effortlessly from below the stage,” Doyle recalls of the performance. “I couldn’t stop looking around trying to figure out where the lights were coming from and how everything worked.”
She pursued both disciplines while at the University of Maine where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology and minors in electrical engineering technology and theatre.
“Theatre has always been a big part of my life, and when I realized that I could make a career out of creating those magical moments using technology, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she says.
Today, Doyle is a mechanical design engineer at TAIT Towers, a company headquartered in Lititz, Pennsylvania that designs, constructs and delivers live event equipment. She works on a team in the touring department to design staging and automation equipment for some of today’s top concert acts.
“Our shows travel all over the world and are experienced by millions, if not billions, of people every year,” she says.