Cornell:Tell us about an engineering idea you have, or about your interest in engineering. Describe how your ideas and interests may be realized by - and linked to - specific resources within the College of Engineering. Finally, explain what a Cornell Engineering education will enable you to accomplish.(500 Word)
Every time I build, my mind ponders how the end product will function; how having a certain overall shape or placement of parts could increase the effectiveness of the machine. In the science Olympiad event, MagLev, this was essential.
My first impression of MagLev was "this will be so easy, the descriptions practically tells you how to build it." This turned out to be a big understatement. My first maglev was a rectangle piece of foam board with 2 pillars sticking above it, to hold the motor, and 3 magnets taped on the bottom of each side, north facing down. I thought my maglev had a good chance, it was sturdy and the fan produced a good breeze, but at the first testing everyone's maglev was similar. We all used either a block or a board for the base and then just mounted a motor; from looking at other people's Maglevs we came to the conclusion that the best motor equaled the best maglev. After testing started though a problem arose; every Maglev that used a board as their base would tend to rotate, and every Maglev that used a block as their base would have too much contact with the side of the tracks to move at all. It turned into a competition of who's fan could overcome the friction, a futile competition where the friction always won. In the end no one's Maglev moved, but everyone, including the teachers, gained a new impression of the event.
Since then every time I think about Maglev I would ponder on how to overcome the balance problem. I've build 3.5 Maglevs since then; one where the vehicle is at a slight angle, looking like a bent piece of paper; one where the two boards are connected like a I beam but with 2 middle supports, and the magnets connected to the top board to get the most support from the 4cm tall walls; one that is my primary design, but with a magnet in the middle that repels because of the angle between the track magnets and it; and one that I'm currently working on that is similar to the second design, but inside a coke can. And though I've somewhat overcome the balancing problem, I know it can be better. It is this constant thought of improvement, optimization, and innovation that draws me into engineering.
At Cornell's College of Engineering I hope to continue fueling my interest. The co-op program will allow me to have the best experience in whatever interests I may partake; The college offers a Masters in every field that interest me, particularly mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and computer science, so I would still have time to choose; and the diversity will help me not only develop as an engineer, but also a social person. Cornell is where I can become a successful engineer and a well-rounded person!
Criticize please :)
