Undergraduate / Tell us about an engineering idea you have... [3]

People from around the world were expecting the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference to solve the troublesome climate problems. Unfortunately, the world leaders only agreed to a non-legally binding agreement which required countries to set goals to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The size of the emissions in the coming decades is determined not only by political decisions, but also by technological breakthroughs.

Outside my window, snow falls silently. Inside my warm home, the heating system hums, burning natural gases and releasing carbon dioxide. I am trying to perfect an idea that originated from last summer; if we can now enjoy fruits harvested in the summer, then can the summer heat be stored for the winter? Is it possible to capture the winter cold and then use it during the summer?

In order to live comfortably, we rely on heating systems in the winter and air conditioners in the summer. These equipments require colossal amounts of electricity and burn a substantial amount of coal or natural gases. Basically, our comfort is at the expense of sky-high bills and environmental pollutions.

I hope to develop a material that, when attached to the walls, can absorb heat during the summer, reducing the indoor temperature. During the winter, this energy storage material can emit the heat absorbed during the summer, and thus, increasing the indoor temperature (see diagram below). I believe that even if such technology can not completely replace the air conditioners and heating equipments, it can certainly save a considerable amount of energy. I understand that in order to achieve such a technology, I need to acquire a broad knowledge of various fields and to conduct extensive research...

Undergraduate / A short paragraph from my Why Northwestern essay. [4]

...It takes more than just outstanding academics to impress me. An excellent university must balance students' social lives with their academic lives, and Northwestern does exactly this. With approximately 35 percent of all students in some Greek house, Northwestern certainly provide students with a wide non-academic curriculum. The most celebrated symbol of Northwestern is probably the "Rock," a giant boulder on which students have the freedom to display their artworks or advertisements. Other student traditions I anticipate are the Primal Scream and Armadillo Day, which are great activities for students to socialize and to relax their minds. Through Northwestern's lively traditions and its vast number of student organizations, I hope to make many friends of different ethnicities and background...

Undergraduate / Why biomedical engineer? Why Johns Hopkins? [6]

The spark of my dream was ignited by my best friend, Andrew. Since birth, Andrew has lost thirty percent of his hearing. When he was in middle school, his parents took him to the most prestigious hospital in my state to cure his hearing disability. Unfortunately, after a series of tests, the doctor informed them that there are no surgeries or treatments that could restore his hearing. The only solution was to wear a bulky, ugly hearing aid. As the only student in my school wearing a hearing aid, Andrew was viewed either as a senile hospital patient who must be treated with extra care and pity or as a freak who deserved nothing but isolation and hurtful mockeries. Andrew wished only to be viewed as the confident and self-assured person he truly is. He returned the hearing aid and hoped life could return back to normal. Being his best friend, I fully understood his feelings and pains. Because of his moderate hearing loss, Andrew had to put in more time and effort than others to achieve his 3.98 GPA. In addition, his inability to hear subdued voices often resulted in several awkward situations, which in turn made him taciturn and confident. Nevertheless, I don't think Andrew has reached his full potential. Indeed, his success was only limited by his hearing impairment. Had his efforts not been hampered by this disability, his achievements would have been even more outstanding.

I often wonder how many people are like Andrew, unable to reach their full potential because they're embarrassed to wear a hearing aid. If the nearsighted can undergo Lasik Laser eye surgery to restore their vision then why can't hearing loss be cured as well? On the same token, if the nearsighted are able to wear contact lenses in order to hide their disability, then surely the hearing impaired should have hearing aids that are equally unnoticeable. There's a great need for an effective treatment for permanent hearing loss and microscopic hearing aids. Through my best friend, I recognize the weight of my mission, and I consider attending Johns Hopkins University to be the first step toward this dream.

With either a biology major or a biomedical engineering major, I have the capability of lessening the burdens of the hearing impaired. As a biologist, I will take advantage of Johns Hopkins' world class research facilities by further developing the hair cell regeneration research-an experiment aimed to revive damaged hair cells. As a biomedical engineer, I shall explore alongside of world-renowned, yet unpretentious facilities to design and produce affordable micro-hearing aids.

Hopkins' emphasis on biology and biomedical engineering, its incessant focus on extensive research, and its wide variety of majors have compelled me to call it my alma mater. I'm ready to be a Blue Jay, and I am cognizant that attending Hopkins will make me successful in accomplishing my dream.

Undergraduate / Why Engineering? Why Cornell Engineering? [3]

I do not like my ending, how can I improve it?

I must thank my best friend Andrew for igniting my dream. Since birth, Andrew has gradually lost thirty percent of his hearing. The only solution to his problem was to wear a bulky, ugly hearing aid. As the only student in my school wearing a hearing aid, Andrew hated to be viewed as a senile hospital patient who must be treated with extra care and pity, so he returned this expensive device. Without the aid, Andrew had to put in more time and effort than others to earn perfect grades. In addition, his inability to hear subdued voices often resulted in several awkward situations. Had his efforts not been hampered by his hearing impairment, his achievements would have been even more outstanding.

I often wonder how many people are like Andrew, unable to reach their full potential because they're embarrassed to wear hearing aids. If the nearsighted are able to wear contact lenses in order to hide their disability, then surely the hearing impaired should have hearing aids that are equally unnoticeable. There is a great need for microscopic hearing aids. Through my best friend, I recognized the weight of my mission and developed an unyielding interest in engineering.

Engineering is the water of today's society. As water is necessary for life, engineering is required for the continuation of civilization in the twenty-first century. We humans have five essential needs: food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and communication. All of these demands depend extensively on engineering: from modern farming to food processing, textile manufacturing to clothes designing, villa building to skyscraper erecting, road constructing to bridge framing, and cell phone developing to internet maintaining. Because engineering can affect the world so drastically and in so many ways, I decide to devote my life to engineering and consider attending Cornell's School of Engineering to be the first step towards my goal.

Cornell Engineering offers hands-on research opportunities where I have the privilege to explore alongside of world-renowned, but unpretentious facilities. The numerous project teams and the cutting edge technologies will certainly aid me in my pursuit of inventing helpful devices such as affordable micro-hearing aids. Another aspect of Cornell Engineering that attracted me is the requirement of an introductory engineering course. This class will expose me to various fields of engineering and will present me a better understanding of my future career. In addition, the Kessler Fellows Program also intrigued me. I believe this program will turn my dreams into realities by shaping me into an effectual leader of the business world.

The superb quality of Cornell Engineering in all aspects has compelled me to call it my alma mater. I am cognizant that attending Cornell's School of Engineering will make me successful in accomplishing my dream.