Blog 1 – Senior Final Lesson/Interview Reflection

~Time lapse photo of airplane takeoffs at Hannover Airport, Germany.

1. What three lessons were most helpful for you to see, and why? 
• Aerospace Engineering, Power Engineering, and Aircraft Museums were most helpful for me to see. Aerospace and Power Engineering showed me what a good lesson should be like, while Aircraft museums gave good examples of what I should avoid doing when presenting. For example, I really liked Power Engineering because the speaker was very clear and knowledgeable about his subject. Even during the Q&A portion of his presentation, he was able to answer all questions clearly, and proved to the audience that he was really prepared for his lesson. Aerospace Engineering was helpful for me to see because the speaker gave me a clear insight of what topics I can consider, and how and where I can approach someone for mentorship opportunities. While the Aircraft Museum lesson was not a bad lesson overall, I did not like it as much; however, it was still very helpful for me to see because it showed me big mistakes to avoid. By watching all three of these lessons, I found that it is very important to avoid certain gestures and movements, in order to prevent the audience from being distracted. I also found ways in which I can keep the audience interested in the lesson. 
2. List one thing that you learned about the senior project in interviews that will help you get off to a good start? 
• During the senior project interviews, I learned how I can approach someone to ask for a mentorship opportunity. The first step I should do is to email, or contact as many people I can. Once I get some responses, I was advised not to rely on one mentor, since it doesn't hurt to have more than one mentor. 
3. What topic(s) are you considering, and why? 
• I am considering topics that fall under the Aerospace field; however, I would prefer the topic of Aerospace Engineering. I picked Aerospace because it is something I have always been passionate about. Ever since I was younger, I've always been interested in Airplanes. 
4. What EQ do you think might be interesting to consider in guiding a project like this? (Please don't worry about any sort of formula...we want this question to come from your genuine interest). 
• An idea that I find interesting to consider is something that goes into how the design affects the cost-efficiency of an aircraft. An EQ I can ask can be like "How can an airplane's wing or design best generate lift, while minimizing the amount of drag it produces?" 
5. What are some ideas you have about finding summer mentorship? 
• I already have a potential mentor that is willing to help me with my summer mentorship; however, he is not an Aerospace engineer, and works in aircraft maintenance. I am willing to do something like aircraft maintenance as my topic, but I am hoping to find more mentorship opportunities that goes with Aerospace engineering. An idea I have about finding summer mentorship is by asking friends and relatives for professionals they might know in the Aerospace industry.