For the first question, I don't know if I am properly addressing the prompt. It says "experience" which is what I described but I don't know if it really cuts it...please help:
Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
When I was working as an intern, I was told by my supervisor that "you can be the smartest guy in the world, but if you can't apply it to society, you're just as dumb as the next guy." That is what I believe intellectuality is. When I participated in a 3D Design camp over the summer, I was able to experience this belief. My team was instructed to use CATIA, a 3D design software, to develop an F-22 Raptor, a U.S. fighter plane. Upon its completion, the wireframe sketches we made resembled a picture of the plane. But something was wrong... I stared deeply into the computer screen. My pupils widened as the pixels on the screen vibrated in my eyes. Then I had an epiphany- why were we designing this? Why does anyone design or create anything? What good is an invention if it can't be used by society to benefit the world as a whole? I realized that's the ultimate, continuously running goal of the world- help society help itself. Innovation truly is nothing unless it helps millions of people live and breathe. In this case, planes needed the wheels to utilize hydraulics to sustain itself during the impact force during landing. Yes, the design wasn't actually going to government headquarters but what if it was? The way it was fixed at this point, the plane would stumble into its landing, slam onto the ground, and possibly concuss anyone on board. I modified the constraints to the design so that, during implementation, the bottom portion of the wheel leg would utilize hydraulics and shift up into the upper portion to sustain plane balance. Moreover, the constraints allowed the wheels to fold up into the plane after takeoff. Now the plane could actually function in the real world, helping U.S. citizens fight for their country- and that is what is truly important.
Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
When I was working as an intern, I was told by my supervisor that "you can be the smartest guy in the world, but if you can't apply it to society, you're just as dumb as the next guy." That is what I believe intellectuality is. When I participated in a 3D Design camp over the summer, I was able to experience this belief. My team was instructed to use CATIA, a 3D design software, to develop an F-22 Raptor, a U.S. fighter plane. Upon its completion, the wireframe sketches we made resembled a picture of the plane. But something was wrong... I stared deeply into the computer screen. My pupils widened as the pixels on the screen vibrated in my eyes. Then I had an epiphany- why were we designing this? Why does anyone design or create anything? What good is an invention if it can't be used by society to benefit the world as a whole? I realized that's the ultimate, continuously running goal of the world- help society help itself. Innovation truly is nothing unless it helps millions of people live and breathe. In this case, planes needed the wheels to utilize hydraulics to sustain itself during the impact force during landing. Yes, the design wasn't actually going to government headquarters but what if it was? The way it was fixed at this point, the plane would stumble into its landing, slam onto the ground, and possibly concuss anyone on board. I modified the constraints to the design so that, during implementation, the bottom portion of the wheel leg would utilize hydraulics and shift up into the upper portion to sustain plane balance. Moreover, the constraints allowed the wheels to fold up into the plane after takeoff. Now the plane could actually function in the real world, helping U.S. citizens fight for their country- and that is what is truly important.