For each essay reviewed, I will review one in exchange.
Tell us what you found meaningful about one of the above mentioned books, publications or cultural events.(300 words or fewer)
Imagine controlling the weather and possessing the power to stop rain. Last summer, at the Rain Room exhibit hosted by the Museum of Modern Art, I waited seven hours, seemingly with all of New York, to be allotted the privilege of the gods. The Rain Room was an intersection of science, technology, and human ingenuity. Body-mapping cameras controlled a grid of falling water that cycled at a rate of a thousand liters per minute: wherever you stood, the water did not. The Rain Room encouraged people to become performers on an unexpected stage, bringing together art enthusiasts, technology lovers, and the simply curious, like me. No one could explain exactly why I waited on line from eight o'clock in the morning until three in the afternoon only to be rushed out of the exhibit by security guards after fifteen minutes. Perhaps it was the fear of missing out, the longing to join others in conversation about the latest trend in interactive art. In the end, it was most likely the need to validate that despite the downpour, I never got wet-a perfect metaphor for the obstacles in life that trip me up, but never permanently.
After experiencing the Rain Room, I was reminded how to enjoy life one moment at a time. It did not matter that I spent an entire Sunday afternoon on a warm, humid sidewalk only for my pilgrimage to end in another warm, humid building. The involvement that went into my journey-making friends with strangers on the pavement and slowing down in a world all about hustle and bustle-made it worthwhile.
Tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why.(300 words or fewer)
Columbia is a microcosm of New York City-a melting pot of ethnic and intellectual diversity. When I visited the University for an Engineering Invitational and sat on the steps of Low Memorial Library, I could feel the energy from the city reflected in the bustling student population and vibrant campus. When Mr. Vallancourt presented to the audience a tidbit of his "The Art of Engineering," I fervently wished that I was a freshman in his course so I could see the rest of his presentation. His apparent passion for electrical engineering and teaching students was as bountiful as the internship opportunities that accompany Columbia's location in the heart of the United States' most dynamic city.
Because the Fu Foundation School is dedicated to creating socially responsible engineers, I can turn to societies like Engineers Without Borders to weave civic engagement into my education. The Office of Global Programs' study abroad options simultaneously extend my learning beyond the classroom and apply my knowledge toward helping others. Columbia's unique Core Curriculum and commitment to acquiring knowledge across several disciplines ensure that I'll graduate as a well-rounded, intellectually aware Lion. The Core, with the breadth that it imposes, allows my classmates and I to share a significant common foundation of knowledge that fosters thoughtful discussions and the formation of strong bonds. I cannot imagine a better place than Columbia's Morningside Heights campus to thrive in an environment focused on innovation and collaboration.
If you are applying to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. (300 words or fewer)
My interest in biomedical technologies, coupled with summer program experiences in STEM, has given me the desire to become a bioengineer so that I can develop healthcare solutions to help those, like my sibling, with chronic autoimmune disorders. My older brother has ankylosing spondylitis (AS), long-term arthritis that affects his spine. On some days when his joints are especially inflamed, he cannot get out of bed and struggles to even sit up. As an engineer, I want to push the vanguard of biomedical solutions for the problems society faces today. I can use my persistence in overcoming challenges and understanding of biology to better devise synthetic biomaterials for artificial joint replacements and work toward answering other conundrums in biomedical engineering. Columbia's recent breakthrough in repairing damaged joint cartilage and addressing the issue of implementing synthetic replacements underscores its passion for innovation; I want to be a part of the same community that fosters such groundbreaking research. Senior design projects in biomedical engineering reflect Columbia's devotion to undergraduate involvement, and it is with those ventures that I can solve real-world problems.
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, with its wide array of undergraduate research opportunities and world-renowned faculty, is the perfect place for me to harness my intellectual curiosity and use it to make a permanent difference in medical science.
