Lillia Hammond: From Volleyball Courts to Rocket Science

From the moment our conversation started, I could tell that Lillia Hammond ’25 had a strong sense of curiosity and creativity about her. I already knew that it was extraordinary to be a dual-degree engineering student at Dartmouth College while double majoring in physics and art history at Amherst, but I had no idea what I was about to learn about where her curiosity and skill have taken her.

In discussing how her passion for both disciplines has been fostered through the different stages of her life, I got to know someone who spends her time exploring everything from aerospace engineering to artistic creation, while still making the time to encourage those searching for their passion to do the same. 

Little Lillia 

Hammond has been fascinated with math since childhood, something she told me her grandfather sparked in her. “He would drive me to school every morning, and I was in the backseat. I was in second [or] third grade, and he would give me algebra problems to solve on a little whiteboard, and I would get home from school, and we would do more, she said” 

Her interest in engineering also began early, having been influenced by her father’s job as an electrician. “He was always in the garage tinkering or doing a project,” Hammond said. He often invited her to join him, feeding her early interest in learning about STEM. 

Even during allotted reading time in elementary school, Hammond practiced long division instead. “I was a strange kid,” she told me. “Everyone thought it was weird.”

Beginning in high school, however, Hammond fell in love with visual art. Her freshman year photography class inspired her to get her first camera. With her interest in art piqued, she went on to spend a lot of her time in the dark room. “I would go in there during lunch and just relax and make prints.”

Hammond’s affinity for design and creativity only grew from there. She soon enrolled in photoshop classes and signed up for her school’s literary magazine. But she still made efforts to stay engaged with STEM: During her summers, she worked as a counselor for a nearby science camp.

Beyond science, math, and art, however, Hammond also competed for her school’s volleyball and basketball teams. She also played on a club volleyball team. “I was very into athletics,” she said. “Every day I’d have two or four-hour practices, and weekends were [pretty much] for tournaments or games.”

Drawn to STEM — Must Be Magnetic 

Having already kindled her creative pursuits, Hammond viewed Amherst as an opportunity to further develop her long-held interest in STEM. What she remembers most vividly about her first year, she told me, was how close-knit the physics community was. “We had the physics lounge, everyone was so supportive, and our TAs were so giving. They put so much effort into their teaching.” 

Another important aspect of Hammond’s time at Amherst has been her decision to pursue Amherst’s 3-2 engineering program, a dual-degree program where students spend three years studying physics at Amherst and then transfer to Dartmouth to complete two years of engineering studies, resulting in two bachelor’s degrees. Her interest in the program came from the support of faculty. Since she had already written letters of recommendation for her past applications and knew how exceptional the opportunity would be for Hammond, Professor of Physics Ashley Carter informed her about it and pushed her to submit the application 36 hours before the deadline. 

Despite her hesitancy to leave Amherst, Hammond decided to pursue engineering at Dartmouth upon her acceptance to the program. “Once I got there and started taking these engineering classes, I was like, this is absolutely what I meant to do. I love this.”

While she said that she had completed the prerequisites by chance, the extensive planning that goes into the 3-2 application can be strenuous. To prevent future applicants from dealing with the same problems she faced, Hammond has been “mentoring a bunch of underclassmen [who are] trying to get into the program, or at least guiding them, telling my story.” 

Lillia “The Machine” Hammond & The Machine Shop

Finding time for creativity as such a busy Amherst student can be difficult. For Hammond, however, working it into her daily life has been fruitful. “I absolutely prioritize the fun stuff … My art history major is a creative outlet that I can work into my schedule.” 

The machine shop, located in the Science Center, is also a way for Hammond to fuel her creativity in her spare time. It became clear, as our conversation went on, that the projects she produces there hold a special place in her heart.

The summer after her freshman year, Hammond participated in the Science Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program. In addition to this, she also participated in a three-week metalworking course, which made her “instantly love” the machine shop. 

“When my sophomore year started up, I would go in between classes …  I made a lot of cool projects.” From a kaleidoscope to an air engine to a cribbage board for her Grandpa, the passion behind these projects and the 10 hours a week she spends in the shop is visible to anyone around her.

In my conversation with Jim Kubasek, the head of the machine shop, he said, “Some students come back and they want to do something and explore a little. With her, it’s been more conquering.” 

Hammond shared her appreciation for how he had “dedicated so much time guiding me and teaching me, really took me under his wing.” The artistry and zeal for turning ideas into reality have opened yet another path for Hammond. For her, the machine shop is the place where she realized what she wanted to pursue as a career. 

“In terms of the exact moment, it might have been when I was working on this kaleidoscope project.” Even though it was a very complicated process with complex material, she said, it “solidified I want to do this forever. Even if I’m not involved in a machine shop in my career as a mechanical engineer, I want to have a mill and a lathe in my garage.” 

Lab Rat

Hammond spent last summer in Brownsville, Texas, working with the SpaceX Starship Payload Engineering team at Starbase. There, she came up with and ran a test to make sure the door on the spaceship that holds cargo wouldn’t wear out too quickly. She also helped create special tools to build that door.

“It was a very cool project to be involved in,” she said. “You’re there, modeling and doing math on your computer, and when you turn around, there's a 12-story rocket behind you, and on the way to lunch, you just go touch it casually.” 

As it turns out, Hammond’s hands-on experience goes beyond her time at SpaceX. Her upperclassman years have been defined by hands-on experiences in the field. Since 2023, she has been working as a mechanical engineering research assistant at the 317 Rocket Lab at Dartmouth College. “It’s really cool to get people [to] branch out to a different field, where I get to pursue or get to really do mechanical engineering work.”

To complete her thesis, Hammond worked remotely with the 317 Lab. By next March, they plan to launch rockets into the upper atmosphere in rural Alaska, with the hopes that the specialized instruments will provide new insights into the Aurora Borealis. In addition, she is augmenting instruments that go on rockets, “including sub-payloads, which get ejected [in the air].”

In the future, Hammond said that she would like to see work environments similar to the ones she experienced in these two facilities. In both jobs, Hammond felt that community momentum was key to success. As she described her experience at SpaceX, “it felt like everyone was sprinting together, and you’re motivated by everyone else’s drive to get stuff done,” while at the 317 Lab, “everyone’s very kind and very motivated to teach, learn, and work together.”

Newton’s Laws and Volleyballs

Hammond’s collaboration and leadership have flourished far beyond the lab environment. As the co-president of Spectra, the college’s physics and astronomy club, and co-captain of Amherst Club Volleyball (ACVB), she has taken on leadership roles that have given her the ability to provide “administrative mentorship,” as she calls it, to underclassmen. 

She described Spectra as “a great way for younger students to get involved in research, or get guidance for classes.” She felt that “it’s sort of the hub for the physics community to get together.”

When I asked about the volleyball team, her face lit up. “Oh, my God, I love ACVB! That’s my family.” As co-captain, Hammond has learned a lot about leadership. “It’s been a great way to learn about different types of leadership and what works, what doesn’t; what motivates people, what doesn’t.”

Fran Torres ’26, Hammond’s ACVB co-captain, said that Hammond “carries this confidence and leadership, which is something I’ve admired about her since I got here and that I continue to admire.”

Doing behind the scenes work, like organizing practices and integrating new players into the team has been a way to “tune out the rest of Amherst … and just play hard for like 10 hours a week.”

It’s Hammond Time

When I asked if her younger self would be surprised about who she is now and what she has accomplished, Hammond replied, “Surprised? I don't think so. But I think she’d be super happy, because I get a little bit of everything that I love.”

When I spoke with Carter about Hammond’s drive, she shared, “One time I got to the Science Center really early and stayed late. That morning, I saw Lillia at the ground floor tables working on problem sets with friends. That night, I saw her again in the machine shop making an engine in her free time. She showed me how it worked and then quickly headed off to club volleyball.”

Speaking about all her diverging interests, Hammond commented, “I do a lot of different things, and I don’t want to say it’s a perfect balance, because there’s a lot going on all the time in my life, but I haven’t had to sacrifice anything that I love for another part,” she told me. 

As “truly one of the most amazing students I have come across,” according to Carter, and “the most driven student I’ve worked with,” according to Kubasek, it is clear that Hammond’s passion, leadership, and dedication leave a lasting impact on everyone around her, and will continue to do so during her next year at Dartmouth and in the aerospace industry in the future. 

Had she not explored every possibility and let her interests guide her, Hammond would not be where she is today. To anyone looking to spark their passion, she recommends you “take small steps towards your desire,” and let your interests guide you.