Abraham Martinez

Engineering Futures Scholar

Abraham Martinez, a first-generation computer science student at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, said he chose this major because of the opportunities to improve things like healthcare, security and technology and to make it accessible and affordable for everyone. 

“This was what intrigued me: to be able to change the future, not just for me, but for the next generations and lay down the foundation for someone else to change the future for them and the next generation too,” Martinez said. 

Martinez, whose family lives in Chino Valley, Arizona, said his parents always pushed him to pursue higher education and plans to pursue at least a master’s degree after his bachelor’s degree is complete. 

The transition into college has been smooth for Martinez, but he said it’s weird coming back to his dorm after class and not seeing his family there. He said he emphasizes the importance of finding friends who share the same interests to fill the void of not having family around, and said he credits his brother for helping him transition int 

Martinez looks forward to being more involved in the Engineering Projects in Community Service Program (EPICS) and the Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative (FURI). 

When Martinez isn’t in school, he enjoys playing soccer, football or basketball and exercising in his free time. He said he always found them to be good outlets from school. 

Some advice he has for incoming freshmen is to take advantage of the opportunities offered at Arizona State University. 

“Once you come to ASU, make sure you immediately have a friend group or join any clubs or organizations so you don’t always feel alone and you can lose yourself with friends and people that you like around you,” Martinez said. 

By Laura Stack, Science and Technology Writer, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
March 11, 2020