Finals! Its almost over?

As finals week quickly approaches I am shocked my how fast this quarter and year has gone. I know the experiences I had in these classes will stay with me for the rest of my life. Whether it was the late nights in the lab finishing up something due the next day or getting up at 6am for an early morning class, I feel confident I not only learned how to manage my time better but also received a broad scope of education.

This quarter my favorite class was the Learn By Doing Lab. The learn by doing lab has four sections: Engineering, Earth Science, Physical Science and Life Science. I was involved with the Engineering and Earth Science which were both very hands on and fun.

In the Earth Science lab the students looked at was to build a better wind turbine by testing various pitches and types of blades. Not only did I learn more about wind energy but we had the opportunity to put into practice our Engineering skills.

The Engineering Design Process we used in our lab.

The earth science lab was more involved and due to the small amount of time each student had at the various experiments, it was very hectic at times! My favorite experiment of all was the pressure and volume test where a marshmallow was placed inside a vacuum and seemed to double in size! The cheers and cry's of delight from the students was the highlight of my week.

Over all, in order to better develop a stronger education program and improve students attitudes towards learning, I feel is is important to spend time preparing material and activities for the students. Not only will this increase the over all effectiveness of the program but it will also help to develop in the Cal Poly students a method of initiation and preparedness.

This program will continue to make a positive impact on the Engineers and scientist of tomorrow.

Motivation through trials

Returning from memorial day weekend out at Camp Emerald Bay I was feeling pretty content. The good community, fellowship and fun times really made the island a place I want to go back to. However, since I have two more weeks of school I grudgingly had to return to the mainland. After catching the ferry and then driving to the Fullerton train station I was worried about my transportation home. If all went as planned I would arrive in SLO after 11:45pm. The thought of walking back from the train station at midnight didn't scare me as much as missing my bus connection in Santa Barbara.
After buying one of the last tickets to SLO, I meandered outside to enjoy the 2 hour wait before the train came. Occasionally a huge freight train would roar past, rattling the windows and doors around me. Other then myself there were few passengers waiting on the station's patio. Peace and tranquil, I slowly let go of the stress I was feeling over finals and the train and began to doze off in the warm afternoon sunlight. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a woman's cry of pain shook me awake. A shoot of adrenaline coursed through me as I look around for the reason of the cry. Right in front of me, bent over and leaning on crutches was a short, overweight women who appeared to be in her 30's. Dressed in baggy but colorful short and shorts, the women wore a cast on her leg. Her companion was a African American male who was trying to help. What struck me as strange wasn't the situation but that a huge grin was painted across his face. I was shocked! How could he be so inconsiderate to this women who was obviously in extreme pain?
The women looked up and looked directly at me. Even at the distance I could see pain and fatigue in her eyes. But then, expectantly she spoke to me. "I'm pregnant with my fathers child because he raped me. I have cancer and my knee needs surgery. Praise God! God is Good!"

I didn't move. My heart beat in a slow thump, thump, thump rhythm. God is Good, I asked myself? Where can such a person, who has endured such pain and suffering, find God? I came back to reality as the women cried out in pain again, this time loud enough for everyone to look up. I could tell she was having difficultly in even walking but I couldn't think of anything to do. I felt helpless, frustrated and drained.

Thinking on this experience more I began to contemplate the life I live. So much of the wealth I have is taken for granted. Health, Family, Finance, Food, Security as well as Freedom. How easy is it for us to worry about whether well miss the bus or not and forget about the more important things in life. If there is one thing I never want to forget it is that simply living is a blessing from God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYWPLxVJca0&feature=player_embedded

Sabbath in Community

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another".
1 John 1:7

Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with a loving group of people who welcomed and supported me in my spiritual walk with God and offered a break from the busyness of school. Not only did we have delicious food, warm campfires, and beautiful scenery but the time spent in reflection of who Jesus is gave me a better sense of what these people represented.

So often I forget in the hectic life at school that Jesus loves each and everyone of us, more then any of us can ever understand. This perspective helps me respond to others in love and not out of raw emotion. Dealing with people on a real level isn't easy but Its a lot easier than what Jesus went through.

I hope your time spent with people can be filled with open sharing and venerability because the closer we grow in relationship with Jesus and start walking in the light, the more this love for each other becomes a reality.

VANDENBERG

A Tour of the Air Force Base and its Civil Engineering Projects

By Jordan Gamble

May 17, 2011

As the mishmash of students from Cal Poly stumble out from the bus, all eyes are turned upward in awe as they finally come face to face with the reality of the launch tower. It’s big! I mean really big! Image looking up at a tower over 230 feet and weighing more than 8.5 million pounds; now imagine standing at the top, leaning over a rusted railing, looking down hundreds of feet into the flame ducts of the launch pad. Most of the students were probably thinking, “No way! This is so cool!”.

Vandenberg Air Force Base was originally built to handle the space shuttle program but after the challenger disaster in 1986 the program fell apart and was lost in history. However, after many renovations and lots of reconstruction, the first Delta IV launch took place in 2006, marking the beginning of the most successful space and missile program on the west coast which continues today.

As a student in IME 223, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the work of the government on a project whose scale and magnitude dwarfed my wildest imagination. Although I must give credit to the management and logistical planning that has gone into this program I could not avoid noticing the inefficiency in many of the projects aspects. Our tour guide told us of the bureaucracy and complicated paperwork involved for any Air Force project due to safety precautions and regulations. In some cases this has tripled the cost of the project from what it would cost normally. Other inefficiencies were caused by inventory delay and excess storage of old parts and inventory. It may be a perfect opportunity for industrial engineers to cut costs and improve productivity for the government projects.

This tour was fun, inspiring and educational as to all the aspects of engineering that is involved in the space program at Vandenberg Air Force Base.