“Enthusiasm financial aid s you to get started, but it’s perseverance that allows you to move forward and achieve your goals.”

A few years ago, alumnus Jon García Urbieta (Tecnun’16, MII ’18) dreamed of studying at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At the time, he was a junior majoring in Industrial Engineering Industrial Technology at Tecnun, the School of Engineering at the University of Navarra. Once he began the Master’s in Industrial Engineering , he was able to make that dream a reality and moved to Boston to join MIT’s Space Propulsion Laboratory. There, he wrote his master’s thesis on electric propulsion for small satellites and worked as a researcher.

Upon returning to his native Donostia in 2019, he began his professional career at GKN Automotive (now Dauch), where he has spent the past seven years working on the “ development ” for electric motors and digital twins in the automotive sector. His boundless curiosity about science has led him to fill in while simultaneously pursuing an industrial doctorate in collaboration with the “ research center ” for Naval and Industrial Technologies at the University of La Coruña. He has now decided to expand his business education by pursuing an Executive MBA at IESE Business School.

Jon García Urbieta during his time at MIT.

When he looks back, he says there’s still a lot left of “that Jon from * Tecnun*,” always eager to take on new challenges. However, experience has taught him to value the process more and enjoy it, as well as to learn from the people around him and everything that happens along the way. In this way of understanding life, there is one key figure: his father. “I admire his professional career, but above all, the values with which he has worked and led people.”

How have you grown since you graduated from Tecnun?

At Tecnun , they prepare us very well for professional life—not only through technical knowledge, but also through a culture of hard work and a strong work ethic. I have wonderful memories of my years at the university, but it’s true that I left with the idea that I wanted to get things right the first time. Over the years, I’ve learned that moving forward also means living with uncertainty, trying, making mistakes, learning, and trying again.

Your passion for science and research has been with you all these years. Is it possible to conduct research within a company?

When I returned from MIT, I knew I wanted to work in industry while continuing to delve deeper into the field of mobility, whether in space or in other everyday applications. It’s possible to conduct research while working at a company, although it’s true that balancing it with a job full-time is demanding. Over the years, I’ve published articles in high-impact journals, contributed to registered patents, and had the opportunity to present my work at international conferences. This dual role requires strong discipline , and you have to give up certain things. That’s why I believe it’s essential to be passionate about what you study or research. Enthusiasm financial aid s you to get started, and it’s perseverance that allows you to move forward and achieve your goals.

Jon García Urbieta at MIT's Space Propulsion Lab, preparing a thruster.

What does your job entail, and how might it affect our daily lives?

My job involves developing virtual replicas of automotive components, such as electric motors and transmission systems. These are what we call digital twins. This was the topic of my doctoral dissertation.

All of this can have a very tangible impact on our daily lives, as it allows us to virtually test many alternatives before building prototypes and to focus physical testing on areas where it truly adds value. In the automotive industry, for example, it can help us develop more efficient vehicles, anticipate breakdowns, or create better products—more quickly and using fewer resources. But this technology can be applied to virtually any field, from energy and manufacturing to healthcare: wherever there is a real-world system that we want to understand, optimize, or predict, there may be a place for a digital twin.

What excites you most about your job?

What truly drives me is developing sustainable technologies that have a real impact on society. After all, in the field of mobility, we’re striving to create systems that use resources more efficiently. Another important part of my purpose is contributing to our local and national communities by applying some of what I’ve learned abroad and striving to make a positive impact through my work.

 How do you see your future?

In the short term deadline, I want to make the most of the Executive MBA I’m pursuing at IESE. My father, who holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Business Management and has served as General Manager for several small and medium-sized enterprises in the Basque region, always shared with me his view that a great engineer must also understand the business side of the industry. That’s why I’ve been gradually educating myself in areas such as strategy, leadership, team and project management, and people management—and the EMBA is the natural next step to broaden that perspective.

Jon García Urbieta on the MIT soccer team.

Beyond that, my professional future is wide open. I feel prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead. What I do know for sure is that I want it to involve technology, lifelong learning, and people and projects that make a difference. I’ll probably never stop studying and learning, although the way I do it may change over time. I’ve also learned that life isn’t all about studying and working: I try to find time to play sports, spend time with my family and friends, and pursue other interests, such as music. For me, the most important thing is to be happy with what we do, act with integrity, and take care of the other aspects of life.