As a kid I was fascinated by PBS Kids Design Squad, Mythbusters, and Big Hero 6. As a high schooler, I found studying AP Physics to be extremely rewarding as I overcame challenging problems and got to apply them in labs like hitting targets after calculating projectile motion of a marble. In science olympiad, I discovered the joy of engineering as I watched my balsa wood airplane soar, carrying my aspirations on board. Getting to design and build an arduino project at the Tennessee Governor’s School for Emerging Technologies one summer, drew me specifically to Electrical & Computer Engineering.

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I feel that engineering is like a puzzle—a logical problem where merging all the different clues to break the code is so fulfilling. The process of innovating, refining,  modifying, and finding new implementations of a technology really intrigues me, because with every advancement we expand the horizon of what we can achieve. 

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Computer engineering is everywhere in our interconnected universe. Aerospace companies conduct research on the possibilities of using 3D printing to create rocket parts, less expensively and more efficiently. The latest telescopes can capture ultrahigh-resolution images of the stars every 10 seconds. In the medical field, robots can effectively support doctors with surgeries making them more precise and safe.

 

After hearing about the da Vinci robot, the assistant that makes sensitive surgeries minimally invasive, I was inspired by how robotic technology was helping save lives. Applications like medical imaging and deep-learning based algorithms increase medical diagnosis accuracy and suggest better treatment solutions. Data science and machine learning algorithms have simplified and shortened complicated processes. The more factors and sides to the data that are considered, the larger the picture the data can paint. Through computer engineering, we can optimize our interpretation of the world’s phenomenon and empower even more impactful discoveries.

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Almost every field uses computers in some way to help achieve efficiency and creative goals. But the process of engineering design itself: looking at problems from various angles and interdisciplinary approaches, is another way engineering gives back to the community. It is a method of approaching a product as much as the end product itself.

The process of innovating, refining, modifying, and finding new implementations of a technology really intrigues me. With every little advancement, scientists, engineers, and students expand the horizon of what we can achieve. Every obstacle overcome, fought-for success, and innovative idea increases the amount of lives we can impact.