Engineering is all about art and science, yet many don't know this. One of my main goals is to introduce engineering, not as some advanced education, but as a type of art. Though engineering normally requires advanced education, I know many people who have greatly succeeded in the field with only a high school diploma.
For a little backstory, my great grandfather (he and I never met, but everyone who knew him -especially my mother- said we would be inseparable) was an electrical engineer. He barely passed high school but went on to patent some of his inventions involving phones. He was a phone electrical engineer, so he wired buildings and such. One thing my mother brags about is that he wired the main Dodgers Stadium in California and got free tickets for life (my mother is a Dodgers fan because he would always take her to the games.) As a quick reminder, he did most of his work in the late 60s to early 90s, so phone lines still existed.
I did not know this information about my great grandfather until recently, and it inspired me even more to become an engineer. Therefore, I am aspiring to be that person that inspires the next generation to continue engineering. So many students do not understand the basics of engineering, and I believe that if they did, many more would be open to pursuing the field.
When I tell 8th graders and middle schoolers what I do, I always start with the engineering basics, Art, Math, and Science. Art tends to get a lot of kids excited and interested in what I have to say. So, from there, I start to explain the diagrams of engines, planes, robots, and anything you can think of. This will scare some people off, but the ones who stay will ask question after question about what engineering truly is. Now I know it's my time to shine and answer those questions.
Even if I do not know the answer, encouraging kids to go find the answer themselves through the engineering process is amazing. They always light up when I tell them that they can do engineering, even though they are still in middle school. Engineering is for those who want to build and explore beyond what is known, and a kid's imagination is perfect.
-The Astronaut
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