You won’t have to go far to find a world-class non-destructive testing lab or program. It only takes a short drive down to the LSC-East Aldine Center, where you’ll find Chris Young, Inspection Technology program lead, passing on his knowledge.

The path for Young, however, took a bit longer before he found himself where he is today. It always seemed like science was his calling, just waiting for the right time when Young would pick up and answer.

Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Young’s family spent the next several years of his life in Abadan, Iran, when his family moved overseas to help build Iran’s first oil refinery. Eventually, the Young family returned to East Texas, but a love for the Houston Astros and big-city attractions pulled them towards Houston.

An interest in science began with Young’s fourth-grade teacher nurturing his initial love for the subject. Later in high school, his physiology and chemistry teachers took over as his mentors.

But it wasn’t always easy to direct his passion in one direction. Over time, Young graduated from Texas A&M University with his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology.

“I had to compress a four-year degree into 10 years,” said Young. “What that means is that I changed directions more than once. At some point, I became disillusioned with college altogether and decided to work in a shipyard.”

During his time working in the shipyard, Young’s insights into metals and material science grew. The experience even shifted his education goals within the science field from biological sciences to computer science and engineering.

While at a job fair sponsored by a local church in 2015, Young met with a Lone Star College recruiter who suggested he contact the director of the Welding program. The lead worked out, and Young joined the program as an adjunct welding metallurgy instructor.

After a few years went by, the opportunity Young had been waiting for was presented, and he transitioned to teaching full-time while serving as the program lead for the Inspection Technology program.

“I didn't believe that I would find a job where I could use every bit of the knowledge that I've obtained over these many years, but Lone Star College and being an instructor in Inspection Technology has proven me wrong,” said Young.

Young describes the program he teaches as one that works with aircraft, trains, bridges, or any infrastructure that needs to operate reliably but will cause public harm if it fails. He’s preparing the first line of defenders to use their training to test the structure’s reliability to withstand the demands of our everyday use.

Inspection Technology takes an understanding of physics, chemistry, metallurgy, material science, and engineering - all subjects Young loves. And he gets to work with people he loves, too.

“The faculty and staff on this campus, and frankly, other campuses as well, all seem to work with a common purpose of trying to find that next small bit of improvement that will make Lone Star College the very best experience for the students and the faculty,” said Young.

There’s no complacency for Young in knowing he’s where he belongs. He still has his own goals to enhance the experience of the students who step into his lab.

In time, he hopes to expand the capabilities of his program. While Young’s students already work in a world-class lab, he wants to focus on creating a world-class non-destructive testing curriculum to take the program to the next level.

Chris Young, program lead, Inspection Technology