Why I Chose to Study Engineering

Why I Chose to Study Engineering The significant contribution of engineers to the local and global communities is what has inspired me to study engineering. There are many disciplines of engineering though I have chosen to study architectural engineering. In this essay, I will reflect on my choice of study and explore the skills and contributions of architectural engineering. I will discuss what factors have inspired and motivated my choice of study, the roles of an architectural engineer, the attributes required to be a successful engineer, how they serve society and the obstacles that will be faced in the industry. I did not choose architectural engineering at random, there are some aspects that inspired and motivated my choice. I have always known I wanted to pursue a career in engineering, as I enjoy mathematics and physics, but I was unsure of which field. My personal interests have had a large impact on my choice of study. I love to design and create, take on new challenges, solve problems and give back to my community. Originally, I intended to study mining engineering and participated in a week of work experience at a mine. After that week, I believed that it was not for me. I had heard of architectural engineering and thought I would check it out. I researched everything I could about it and knew that it was the field I wanted to do. Architectural engineers give so much to the community through the structures they assist in designing. I hope to be able to help create systems that will assist our society. There were times when I was doubtful as engineering is a male-dominate field and the only course available is in Melbourne. However, my parents have pushed me to pursue my dream. They are my motivation, I do not want to let them down. I aspire to make them proud. Architectural engineers apply engineering principles and technology to the design, construction and planning of buildings. They are responsible for taking a design from an architect and developing the details of the buildings structural and environmental systems. The systems of a building include: structural integrity, heating/air conditioning systems, ventilating systems, plumbing, fire protection and electrical systems [1]. As shown in [2] architectural engineering incorporates elements of several other engineering disciplines including mechanical, electrical, fire protection, and others. Some architectural engineers may focus on specific areas, such as a structures capability to endure the stress of natural disasters. While others may concentrate on improving air quality, energy efficiency and minimising environmental impact. They work in teams with architects and engineers who a specialist in other fields [1]. As to be able to design and construct a stable and safe building, they need to be able to communicate, work together and solve problems. The attributes of a successful engineering can be listed in to three categories set by Engineers Australia. These three categories are: knowledge and skill base; engineering application ability; and professional and personal attributes [3]. The first two categories are based on having an understanding and application of engineering, mathematics and physics. The last category includes many of the key attributes required to be a successful architectural engineer. The ability to communicate with others and work in a team environment are two of the main key attributes. An engineer needs to be able to communicate well, both orally and in writing, to not just other engineers but also other specialist. In the industry, there will be times when engineers must work with others that may not have the same level of knowledge, so they must convey technical ideas in non-technical language understood by the audience [3]. Architectural engineers need to be creative, inquisitive, analytical and detai l-oriented [1]. This will enhance their problem-solving skills and lead to further ideas and developments that will serve society. Architectural engineering has a large impact on the systems that support societys standard of living [4]. Engineers are continuously aiming to improve and develop concepts that will greatly benefit society through the use of science and technology. Architectural engineers create building systems based on what is requested from society [4]. They have developed buildings that can withstand the stress of a natural disaster. They strive to create safe and convenient places for people to work and live. The designs developed by architectural engineers do not just benefit society with the final structure but also during the planning and construction phases. The different stages of a project require people from different professions, initiating many job opportunities for people within the communities. When architectural engineers have a project, they aim to create a safe and functional building suited for the consumers but this doesnt come without many obstacles. In the work force, there will be obstacles and challenges. There are many factors that could impact a project including: environmental impact, budgeting, resources and work environment. There are major concerns from society about the environmental impact of projects, thus engineers are trying to minimise our impact [5]. Budgets are a foremost factor in the creation and construction of a building as it is what gives architectural engineers a guideline, though sometimes it is considered a constraint. The budget allowed also impacts the availability of resources and materials. Architectural engineers can only create a building with what is available as it is unprofessional to start a project and realise that there is a limited amount of the building materials. The final factor, workplace environment as seen in [6] is the most critical factor in maintaining the productivity rate and satisfaction levels of a workplace and employees. The main aspect that has inspired me to study architectural engineering is the large contribution it has on improving and developing societys standard of living. In this essay, I have reflected, discussed and explored the aspects that have inspired and motivated my choice of study, the responsibilities and role of an architectural engineer, the attributes required to become an accredited engineer, the impact that they have on society and the challenges that will be faced in the workplace. References [1] Architectural Engineering Overview, Sloan Career Cornerstone Center. Accessed on: Mar. 10, 2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.careercornerstone.org/pdf/archeng/archeng.pdf [2]C. Ozansoy, Class Lecture, Topic: Chapter 1 What is Engineering? NEF1103, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Vic., Feb., 27, 2017. [3] D. Dowling, R. Hadgraft, A. Carew, T. McCarthy, D. Hargreaves and C. Ballie, What is Engineering? in Engineering Your Future: An Australasian Guide, 3rd ed. Milton: John Wiley Sons, 2016, ch.1, pp. 24-27. [4] University of Michigan (2013, Aug. 2). 2013 James R. Mellor Lecture William Banholzer [Video file]. Accessed on: Mar. 19, 2017. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XY4mMZNGl4 [5]D. Dowling, R. Hadgraft, A. Carew, T. McCarthy, D. Hargreaves and C. Ballie, Sustainable Engineering, in Engineering Your Future: An Australasian Guide, 3rd ed. Milton: John Wiley Sons, 2016, ch.3, p. 119. [6]E. Ajala, The Influence of Workplace Environment on Workers Welfare, Performance and Productivity, The African Symposium: An online journal of the African Educational Research Network, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 141, 2012.

Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder Essay

Throughout the decades of time, society has been continuously determining the perception of what it is to be â€Å"beautiful.† The American standard of beauty is often reflected upon advertisements that convey an unrealistic expectation for most everyday women. Whereas, teenagers have grown to interpret advertisements as a model for how they should appear physically. Marilyn Monroe was perceived as the epitome of beauty in the 1950s. The well-known sex symbol was recognized because of her curvaceous build. But for instance, Twiggy, a popular model in the midst of the 1960s, later set a misconstrued standard to what was beautiful. With the rising of her stardom, the glamorization of being thin was beginning to take a turn on a more positive note. That is until the famous 90s heroin chic model, Kate Moss, hit the scene taking the modeling industry by storm in an unhealthy manner with her campaign â€Å"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.† As time continues to inevitab ly move forward in American culture, as will the image and conception of what beauty truly is in the eyes of our society. The value of women has always been subjectified to that of their appearance; therefore, the desired standard to be â€Å"beautiful† continues to evolve in the wrong ways. Today, the media puts pressure on both girls and women to look a specific type of way and throughout the past several years it has begun surface more frequently due to the drastic lengths people are willing to go to achieve their idea of perfection. Molly Edmonds, a woman who wrote â€Å"10 Ways the Definition of Beauty Has Changed† on a popular health website – HowStuffWorks – exclaims â€Å"the problem is, what society considers beautiful has a tendency to change, which means our pursuit of beauty tends to be lifelong and subject to the whims of trendsetters.† In American culture today, society is endlessly pushing the average woman be compelled to the thought of have a slimming but toned stomach, long but muscular legs, basically, a perfectly proportioned body in order to bear a cceptance from those amongst them. If a young female in this day and age is, for example born with brown, curly hair she might feel as if she has to have blonde, straight hair in order to fit in. As if somewhere in the world there is a recipe for the perfect woman that requires specific ingredients and an  exquisite taste. Most females are not satisfied with their physical features because of the image of this â€Å"ideal woman† that has been corrupted in the minds of people through radio, television, magazines, and movies by advertising with these countless models, which are materialized by their unrealistic slender bodies and high cheek bones. Basically, telling us that we are not good enough on our own skin; that we need THEIR tips, THEIR products and THEIR services to transform into THEIR picture perfect, ideal women. To the naked eye, these various advertisements and ways of entertainment seem to be harmless but in the reality of the widespread problem, the media is relentlessly bombarding us with their desires, permanently damaging the self-esteem of both women and even men. Although it isn’t written about or explained through definitions, we’re able to recognize society’s standard of â€Å"beauty† by the images of the men and women that are chosen to be projected. Beauty throughout the mid-century was evoked sensually through a â€Å"natural look.† Therefore, normal women were discovered for that certain type of look; women like Norma Jean, also known as Marilyn Monroe. Traveling back into the 50’s, a time where beautifully built women were praised by all, both men and women, because of their physical appearance. Marilyn Monroe was emulated for her full-figured stature and ravishing natural beauty. Anne Peterson once wrote, † Monroe was a presence impossible to ignore. Her image signified vitality and brazenness, sexuality and innocence. It reset the standard of what it meant to be sexy, and what it meant to be sexy in public. No star has troubled the status quo as significantly since.† After becoming Playboy Magazine’s first cover model and centerfold, Monroe soon achieved in becoming one of the largest the sex symbols of the decade. The actions people displayed began to transcend from an uptight society to a point where people were free to express themselves. This added a boost to prod individuals into becoming more open with their sexuality instead of hiding their true selves to those who surrounded them. In addition to modeling Marilyn’s acting career blossomed. â€Å"People all over America were buying televisions to put in their homes, which caused moving film to play a much larger role in society than in previous decades.† (Boyd) This new up rise in the ways of entertainment developed a type of industry where physical beauty was essential for making  a career. Marilyn Monroe’s signature blue eyes and curly blonde hair contributed to her stand out look compared to the other popular models and actresses of the era. As the years continued to pass, so had a tremendous development and perception of beauty through the eyes of our society. â€Å"Since the 1960s, models such as Twiggy and Kate Moss have replaced more voluptuous figures like Marilyn Monroe as the new ideal of beauty and the desired male look has likewise become more trim and hard-bodied with each passing decade.† (Tolerence) From the original curvaceous figure of Marilyn Monroe, that had rose along with television sales in the 50s, to Twiggy’s emaciated figure that was popularized as the art of runway modeling began to become more common, and which later returned back to a more waifish or heroin chic look, increasing Kate Moss’ popularity in the fashion industry. â€Å"Twiggy’s role in new fashion portrayal was probably the biggest change in ideals in the 20th century.† This â€Å"skinny† look that was advertised more and more, pushing the image that full-figured models were beautiful too created an uprooting dilemma throughout the years. Taking a turn for the worst in this time period, girls and women then began to obsess over both their weight and self-image. It wasn’t until then was when many of the different eating disorders that are known today were discovered. George Santayana once said, â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.† The quote is suitable to relevance of the fashion industry; in a way that history does repeat itself. Each year that passes uncovers a new kind of fashion statement. Along with these statements comes a new image; an image on how one needs to look to fit in. What society has had trouble grasping is that physical appear is not what beauty needs to be defined as. Beauty should be defined by the goodness of your heart and the knowledge you enlighten the world with. Works Cited â€Å"THE IDEAL WOMAN THROUGH THE AGES.† DISCOVERY NEWS. N.P. 12 DEC. 2012. WEB. 2 APRIL 2014. http://news.discovery.com/history/art-history/history-beauty-120412.htm PETERSON, ANNE. â€Å"THE UNHERALDED MARILYN MONROE.† THE HAIRPIN. N.P. 26 OCT. 2011. WEB. 2 APRIL 2014. http://thehairpin.com/2011/10/scandals-of-classic-hollywood-the-unheralded-marilyn-monroe Edmond, Molly. â€Å"10 Ways the Definition of Beauty Has Changed.† HowStuffWorks. Web. 7 April 2014. http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/hygiene-tips/10-ways-the-definition-of-beauty-has-changed.htm/printable â€Å"SIZE BIAS AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION.† TOLERANCE. WEB. 7 APRIL 2014. http://www.tolerance.org/article/size-bias-social-construction Wood, Louise. â€Å"Perceptions Of Female Beauty In The 20th Century.† Web. 7 April 2014. http://barneygrant.tripod.com/p-erceptions.htm â€Å"Playboy.† Wikipedia. Web. 7 April 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playboy Etcoff, Nancy. â€Å"Survival of the Prettiest.† Web. April 7 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/e/etcoff-prettiest.html

Financial Compensations for Olympic Medalists

Since time immemorial winning an Olympic medal was perceived as the pinnacle of the attainments of any athlete's career. In our times it has become a commonplace for those winning to receive monetary rewards and life-long forms of compensation for their endeavors. However,these practices have been at the forefront of numerous debates as they are considered to be undermining the true Olympic spirit.Many embrace the idea of financial incentives. One reason for this is the fact that Olympic athletes devote their lives to their sport in hopes of being the best in the world. No matter how talented or driven an athlete,however,they must train for many hours day to day to perfect their skills and be in a phenomenal physical shape,consequently they neglect other fundamental aspects of their ordinary lives.Furthermore,those who aspire to acquire an Olympic medal have a multitude of running living and sport related expenses without having a steady income from their profession. What is more,som e people share the notion that financial rewards significantly impact their motivation to reach the Olympic podium. On the other hand,there are those who oppose to such compensations. They claim that athletes should compete for pride and desire for glory and prestige a medal will bring to their nation.Additionally since the elimination of amateurism in the Olympic Games,athletes are often funded to train through corporate sponsors and endorsement deals,hence,they receive considerable sums of money and in return the company receives publicity. It is often seen even whole teams competing while wearing a company's logo in exchange for financial support,closely resembling and employer-employee relationship. Last but not least they point out some unfortunate events that most us have witnessed,the use of performance enhancing drugs.Having seen many Olympic medalists being stripped of their medals after doping scandal outbreak they believe that monetary rewards undermine the nature of Olym pic Games which ought to be governed by fair play,ethics and morality. By and large,it seems that people have a good reason to be dismissive of the notion of athletes receiving financial aid by their governments since it is obvious that it poses motive for malpractice for some. On a personal level I feel that we should enliven the original Olympic spirit and let the rewards be symbolic and not materialistic.

The Industrial Revolution Essay - 635 Words

The Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution, the shift, at different times in different countries, from a traditional agriculturally based economy to one based on the mechanized production of manufactured goods in large-scale enterprises. The British Experience: The first Industrial Revolution occurred in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century; it profoundly altered Britains economy and society. The most immediate changes were in the nature of production: what was produced, as well as where and how. Labor was transferred from the production of primary products to the production of manufactured goods and services. Far more manufactured goods were produced than ever before, and technical efficiency rose dramatically. In part,†¦show more content†¦New social and vocational classes emerged that were distinguished from workers by virtue of their ownership or control of the physical means of production. The members of these new classes came to be known as capitalists. Because the first Industrial Revolution occurred in Great Britain, that country became for a time the workshop of the world. For much of the 18th century, London had been at the center of a complex world trade network that became the basis for the growing export trade associated with industrialization. The export market provided an indispensable outlet for the products of the textile and other industries, where the introduction of new techniques led to a rapid expansion of output. The available data suggest that the growth rate of British exports accelerated remarkably after 1780. The export orientation of the expanding trades conferred additional benefits on the growing economy: Export revenues provided British producers purchasing power to import raw materials used in industrial production, and merchants engaged in the export trade acquired skills that proved to be of great value in promoting domestic commerce. 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