Alex Ruchti is the first ever student to be enrolled in MSOE’s new computer science program.

Hailing from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, he grew up mainly home schooled but was also active in the PHS Robotics Team (#1259), as well as a participant in Project Lead The Way classes at Pewaukee High School. He has also been active in FIRST Robotics teams for many years.

Until his junior year, Ruchti was certain he wanted to be an electrical engineer. He began to doubt this choice when he realized he really wanted a career that would let him have a more direct impact on the well-being of others and began to consider biomedical engineering or medicine as his new path. However, thanks to an uncle (an MSOE graduate) who works at a company using AI as a non-invasive way to read blood sugar, Ruchti was inspired to pursue computer science after seeing the real, positive impact it can have on people’s lives. Aside from the opportunity to make a difference in the world, he is also excited by the diversity of career options afforded by a computer science degree.

While he was at first unsure about coming to MSOE, a second visit solidified his decision. After meeting with Dr. Derek Riley, head of the new computer science degree, Ruchti was very impressed with the vision presented for the Computer Science program, and further liked that MSOE is a smaller campus and offers small classes taught directly by professors. With this, he was further inspired by meeting Dr. Dwight Diercks ’90 at the groundbreaking for the new computer science building—the aptly named Diercks Hall. Ruchti is very excited about this new, currently under construction facility, for the excellent learning and growth opportunities it will provide to him and other MSOE students.

In his life, Ruchti says he has “always been motivated by positive results, whether these results are the movements of the robot that I designed to play chess or simply succeeding at another chemistry test. However, as I've grown up, I've realized that real-life results don't simply stop in my own personal bubble. These results can impact individuals throughout the world. I am driven by the knowledge that what I accomplish in the classroom or the lab can improve lives of those closest to me as well as those with struggles that I cannot imagine.”

As a student at MSOE, Ruchti is looking forward to continuing his pursuit of positive results and accomplishing things in the classroom and in labs that can improve the lives of others. Outside of his classes, Ruchti is excited to join MSOE’s formula hybrid team and would like to play soccer as well.  

Fun Fact: Although he did not choose MSOE because of family ties, both of Ruchti’s parents also attended MSOE!