Judy Segura, lead thermal architect and expert in thermodynamics at Apple Inc., credits much of her success to the strong foundation she built at Cal State Fullerton, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and physics in 1994. As a first-generation college graduate, Segura’s path to success wasn’t a direct one, but it was paved with determination, resilience, and the support of mentors and programs that gave her the tools to thrive in competitive disciplines.
Segura grew up in a Mexican-American family with nine children. Despite limited resources, her parents, both from Mexico, prioritized education, ensuring their nine children had access to quality learning opportunities. Her mother managed the household while her father worked as a house painter and part-time handyman for their Catholic school, ensuring his children received a good education.
Segura’s interest in engineering began during her senior year at Brea Olinda High School, where she was encouraged by her geometry teacher to explore the field. Initially, she was drawn to French because it came easily to her, but the appeal of becoming a French teacher began to wane as graduation approached.
“I never took an honors class in high school,” Segura says. “But I asked myself, what could I do with math, which was a subject I always enjoyed? That’s when I was introduced to engineering.”
Segura’s curiosity led her to Kirkhill Inc., a manufacturer of elastomer products, where she shadowed an industrial engineer. The experience was eye-opening, and she began to realize that she could either be the one in the suit giving the tour or working on the production line.
She decided to pursue engineering at Cal State Fullerton, and says she owes a lot of her success to the opportunities she found there.
“Cal State Fullerton has such tremendous resources. Through programs like the Educational Opportunity Program and the Minority Engineering Program, I got to meet professional engineers, find my community, and also realize what an anomaly I was,” Segura says. “There were very few women and very few Mexican-American students in the engineering program, but being part of these organizations gave me a sense of belonging.”
She was also inspired by others’ doubt.
“I asked why there were no women in mechanical engineering, and I remember very clearly a male student saying ‘Oh, because it’s too hard,’” Segura says. “It might’ve inspired me for the wrong reasons, but the decision turned out to serve me well.”
Building Confidence at CSUF
Segura’s time at CSUF was a transformative experience. She met her most significant mentor, Murtadha A. Khakoo, professor of physics, in year three of the required subject.
“He believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself,” Segura says. Khakoo, then a new professor who came from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, invited Segura to help him build equipment for his new lab. There, she began to develop the skills that would set her on the path to a career in applied physics. She was also inspired by the fact that, in addition to being a professor and mentor, Khakoo was a scientist, father, husband, and active member of his church. She decided she wanted to follow a similar path.
“He said, ‘If you want to teach, you need to get your Ph.D.,’” she recalls.
Khakoo supported Segura’s quest, but another professor told Segura a doctoral program would be too difficult.
“Challenge accepted. I was going to graduate school,” she says.
Segura’s undergraduate years were marked by involvement in student organizations like the Mexican American Engineering Society (now MAES: Latinos in Science and Engineering, Inc.), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers, which all provided opportunities for networking, mentorship, and professional growth. She also completed numerous internships, including at The Aerospace Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
“Through these organizations, I met Lupita Montoya who went to Cal State Northridge, and she said she was going to Stanford and that I should apply too,” Segura says. “I applied there and to other programs. While it wasn’t the university offering me the best financial package, some people told me Stanford would be too difficult so, of course, I had to go there.”
Staying the Course at Stanford
At Stanford, Segura majored in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in thermosciences, which is basically applied physics. She describes the experience as both heaven and hell – intellectually enriching yet incredibly demanding. There were times when she wanted to leave, but didn’t.
“At Stanford, I was competing with students whose parents were professors, who’d been taking apart computers since they were five. It wasn’t easy and was very uncomfortable at times, but it was worth it,” Segura says. Despite the challenges, Segura stayed connected with various engineering organizations at Stanford, finding strength and community among her peers. Segura says she was also supported by her advisor at Stanford, John Eaton, professor of mechanical engineering.
She was also inspired by visual reminders of her unique journey.
“In the thermosciences building, they had one water fountain, and above it were plaques where every year they added names of people who graduated,” she says. “There were very few women and no women with Spanish or Latino names. I kept thinking wow, no one with my background has come through here, and that kept me going. I needed to finish and to make sure I wasn’t the last one.”
Inspired by Industry
Segura had originally intended to teach, but she saw how hard the Stanford faculty were working – with minimal work-life balance. “It was disappointing because I thought I could have a career and a family, to teach and give back to the community, but I found that wasn’t very common outside of CSUF.”
As she was writing her dissertation, Segura decided to connect with the SWE professional chapter in the Bay Area. The woman she spoke with mentioned an opening at Cisco Systems in San Jose, but Segura said she didn’t think she fit the role because they seemed to be looking for electrical engineers or computer scientists. A few months later, the same woman reached out again and said she remembered Segura’s academic background when talking to a manager, a mechanical engineer, who was having trouble getting adequate airflow through a server rack for data centers.
“She said, ‘Do you want to talk to him?’” Segura recalls. “I studied air flow and did simulation work, but I couldn’t believe my work was applicable to a real industrial problem. I helped him, and then what was supposed to be a three-month summer internship turned into a three-year job.”
She says her time at Cisco was a fun and amazing experience during the dot-com boom of the late 90s, and she developed a passion for product design, which opened a new world to her. She finished her doctorate three years later – as the first Mexican-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a specialization in thermosciences at Stanford.
“Almost 20 years later, I’m still working in product design and electronic cooling,” Segura says. “Cisco was a great jumping-off point for my career, and it allowed me to come to Apple with valuable industry experience. More than 17 years into my time here at Apple, it’s still a tremendous joy making things people use every day, and it’s been an amazing experience working here as a thermal engineer.”
Giving Back With Gratitude
Segura is deeply committed to giving back to the community and sees mentorship as a way to influence and support the next generation of engineers.
“Working at Apple, I’m encouraged and enabled to find ways to give back to my community,” she says. “At some point, I did have to abandon my dream of being an academic – but I think that made me double down on wanting to mentor and work with students whenever possible. I realized I could still help influence and support students, prepare them for their journeys, and remind them that they need to be fearless and take advantage of opportunities.”
Segura regularly shares her journey with students and encourages them to take risks, embrace challenges, and pursue their dreams, even when the road ahead isn’t clear.
“If you’re facing obstacles, you’re not alone,” Segura says. “There are always curves, twists, and turns, but you have to keep going.”
Recently, Segura participated in a panel at Cal State Fullerton, where she and her colleagues shared their experiences with students interested in engineering. She believes in the power of community and the value of sharing her story to inspire others to reach their full potential.
“As a first-generation college student, I know how important it is to have someone who believes in you,” Segura says. “I want to be that person for others – someone who can show them the way, just like my mentors showed me.”
