All The Answers

Buenos Dias! The last time I apologized for a short post, it didn't end up being a short post at all, but this time I honestly don't have too much to add. Even so, I feel like I accomplished a lot this week. Since practice presentations begin next week, this week I really had to bear down (ha) and finish up my powerpoint. It's one thing to do a ton of reading and research, but it's a totally different thing to sit down and try to figure out what is worth presenting to you guys, and most importantly, what the answers were to my original research questions. Just to recap for everyone, my primary research question was if the tracking system currently used to track sea otters in Monterey can be improved, and if so, how. After hours of reflection, making charts, and flipping coins (kidding), I can finally say that I have an answer to that question. If you want to know what my answer is... well, I won't spill the beans until my presentation, so you'll have to come and find out!

As for the secondary research question (that isn't really a research question), which was whether or not I like engineering, I can safely say that I do indeed enjoy engineering. Learning about and going through the engineering process was a lot of fun, but it also stretched me in a lot of ways that high school never had, which was really good for me. As a math guy, I thought that engineering was just a bunch of math, but I was actually totally wrong! The only calculations and equations I had to use in my entire research project were when I was making and analyzing antennas. There were a couple other equations that I would've had to use if I had the money, time and resources to actually build a tracking system, but my engineering project was mostly math-less. Some of you who know me well are wondering how I could possibly be okay with not using very much math, but the best parts of engineering (and my project) are when groups of people who know their subject get together and brainstorm ideas furiously. After months of research on tracking systems, I was able to join in these amazing discussions and get a lot of of them. I'm so glad even before I continue on to my undergraduate education I've had the opportunity to get a taste of what engineering is all about.

P.S. Engineers get free laser-pointer pens sometimes, and they are the best things in the world!