I'm still adding a lot to this. I know it might need to include more on engineering itself and Princeton in specific. But could you tell me what I should do to make this cohesive and interesting?
Thanks!
He launches himself like a projectile from a catapult, grabs hold of a rope taut between two walls of the room, and hurtles down a make-shift zip-line. He repositions his body and juts out his legs to gain forward momentum before leaping onto paper sculptures hanging from the ceiling. He swings like a lemur through tree canopies as the exit draws nigh. With a final jump, he steps onto the tip of the shaft of an upright broomstick, ever-so-delicately in balance with its center of gravity, and lands safely on the windowsill. Buzz Lightyear had done it again. Employing every resource available, the toy space ranger constructed a system that would let him take flight despite his inutile plastic wings.
To me, this encapsulates the beauty of engineering, with which one can achieve the seemingly impossible. By reading Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines, I've become accustomed to engineers turning science fiction into reality. As a 10-year-old, I would flip through my dad's issues of WIRED magazine, marveling at pictures of tomorrow's technologies in the hands of today's engineers. Once, I was on my schoolbus reading an article about the XOS 2 exoskeleton, a full-body suit that would give the wearer-an American soldier, ideally-super-human strength reminiscent of Iron Man. My friend pointed at the design and scoffed, "That's not happening for another 100 years. At least." I told him to never underestimate a dedicated engineer.
Surely enough, Raytheon Labs delivered and the suit was named TIME Magazine's "Most Awesomest" Invention of 2010. Unfortunately, the cost of the XOS 2 is exorbitant and the suit remains economically unsuitable. It may go the way of the Segway, a revolution in engineering expected to redefine daily life, which fell flat because of its impracticality; we don't need high-tech, two-wheeled, mobile platforms.
What we do need today is affordable and accessible alternative energy. Plasma cells. Fuel rods. Convection chambers akin to massive lava lamps. Growing up, I've been surrounded by heated debate over global warming and international research in renewable energy. I kindled an interest in green technology and have wanted to play a part in turning alternative energy into the norm. My first attempt at engineering green technology was in middle school, when I built a solar-powered water heater. I remember eagerly sitting with the contraption on my apartment balcony at 4am, literally watching its paint dry so I could run my experiments as soon as possible. As a volunteer at the Liberty Science Center in 2008, I marveled at the Energy Quest exhibit, where the possibilities for clean energy seemed endless. Yet, our nation had still not significantly implemented alternative energy in its power grids. Frustrated by the unrealized potential of renewable energy, I made a decision to pursue engineering in that field.
Interning at Solaire Generation, I was exposed to the synthesis of engineering and business. The management of technology. By sitting in board meetings to help me develop presentation materials, I gradually became exposed to the challenges a technology company like Solaire faces. Surely, the meetings involved technical deliberations on increasing snow load capacity to improve functionality and changing cell contours to maximize solar ray absorption. However, the majority of the time was spent discussing immediate business issues such as attracting customers, generating revenue, and competing with other firms. It became clear that though the company excelled in developing its technology, strong business management would play a key role in its growth.
An education in chemical engineering from Princeton, along with certificates in Sustainable Energy and Engineering and Management Systems would be invaluable for me on my path to developing and distributing commercially viable alternative energy. At Princeton, I would truly be able to go "To infinity and beyond!"
Thanks!
He launches himself like a projectile from a catapult, grabs hold of a rope taut between two walls of the room, and hurtles down a make-shift zip-line. He repositions his body and juts out his legs to gain forward momentum before leaping onto paper sculptures hanging from the ceiling. He swings like a lemur through tree canopies as the exit draws nigh. With a final jump, he steps onto the tip of the shaft of an upright broomstick, ever-so-delicately in balance with its center of gravity, and lands safely on the windowsill. Buzz Lightyear had done it again. Employing every resource available, the toy space ranger constructed a system that would let him take flight despite his inutile plastic wings.
To me, this encapsulates the beauty of engineering, with which one can achieve the seemingly impossible. By reading Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines, I've become accustomed to engineers turning science fiction into reality. As a 10-year-old, I would flip through my dad's issues of WIRED magazine, marveling at pictures of tomorrow's technologies in the hands of today's engineers. Once, I was on my schoolbus reading an article about the XOS 2 exoskeleton, a full-body suit that would give the wearer-an American soldier, ideally-super-human strength reminiscent of Iron Man. My friend pointed at the design and scoffed, "That's not happening for another 100 years. At least." I told him to never underestimate a dedicated engineer.
Surely enough, Raytheon Labs delivered and the suit was named TIME Magazine's "Most Awesomest" Invention of 2010. Unfortunately, the cost of the XOS 2 is exorbitant and the suit remains economically unsuitable. It may go the way of the Segway, a revolution in engineering expected to redefine daily life, which fell flat because of its impracticality; we don't need high-tech, two-wheeled, mobile platforms.
What we do need today is affordable and accessible alternative energy. Plasma cells. Fuel rods. Convection chambers akin to massive lava lamps. Growing up, I've been surrounded by heated debate over global warming and international research in renewable energy. I kindled an interest in green technology and have wanted to play a part in turning alternative energy into the norm. My first attempt at engineering green technology was in middle school, when I built a solar-powered water heater. I remember eagerly sitting with the contraption on my apartment balcony at 4am, literally watching its paint dry so I could run my experiments as soon as possible. As a volunteer at the Liberty Science Center in 2008, I marveled at the Energy Quest exhibit, where the possibilities for clean energy seemed endless. Yet, our nation had still not significantly implemented alternative energy in its power grids. Frustrated by the unrealized potential of renewable energy, I made a decision to pursue engineering in that field.
Interning at Solaire Generation, I was exposed to the synthesis of engineering and business. The management of technology. By sitting in board meetings to help me develop presentation materials, I gradually became exposed to the challenges a technology company like Solaire faces. Surely, the meetings involved technical deliberations on increasing snow load capacity to improve functionality and changing cell contours to maximize solar ray absorption. However, the majority of the time was spent discussing immediate business issues such as attracting customers, generating revenue, and competing with other firms. It became clear that though the company excelled in developing its technology, strong business management would play a key role in its growth.
An education in chemical engineering from Princeton, along with certificates in Sustainable Energy and Engineering and Management Systems would be invaluable for me on my path to developing and distributing commercially viable alternative energy. At Princeton, I would truly be able to go "To infinity and beyond!"
