Engineering For A Better Future

By: Sadab Bahar

            Engineering is a very important field in society. Solutions to many problems, regarding all sorts of different topics, that affects the world and us are devised by engineers. Engineers make life easier for people and translate theoretical research into practical solutions ("Our Vision..."). My field, mechanical engineering, is a very broad field. Mechanical engineers have done all sorts of amazing things for the world. Many of these accomplishments regard areas that people do not think mechanical engineers participate in. This includes treating and researching diseases such as cancer.

            Currently, Yusheng Feng, a mechanical engineer and mathematician, is using his skills in order to search for a better treatment method to give cancer patients (Hunger). Feng created laser with computer simulations and mathematical models. This laser surgically removes tissue through a process called ablation. This is one strong example of why engineering is such an amazing field. Engineers are not limited to staying within the engineering field, they are able to overlap into fields such as medicine. I remember when I first started school at Michigan State University, all mechanical engineers were required to attend a lecture informing students of what mechanical engineering is. It was at this meeting I learned about the boundlessness of engineering. The professor lecturing spoke about how mechanical engineers had just reduced the number of a specific disease in West Africa with a simple fix. I was astonished at how a mechanical engineer could accomplish something as great as helping and saving the lives of thousands of people.

            One of the biggest reason I chose to major in mechanical engineering is because I want to create new ways and solve current problems in order to help everyone living on this planet. Although my time as an engineering student has been brief, I have learned so much about engineering that makes me happy to have chosen to become one.

Hunger, Kate. “Engineering a Cure.” UTSA Discovery. The University of Texas at San Antonio, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

“Our Vision: Improving the World through Engineering.” Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Institution of Mechanical Engineers, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

Delivery and Style

By: Sadab Bahar

Prompt #4

            In this technological age, information can be accessed with a few taps in a few seconds. Most of the information people read come from news websites, or sources that many people find reliable and dependable. Many people find sources such as TIMES, The New York Times, and Wall Street Journal very reliable sources. Citing information from these sources will lead most people to believe your claim or argument. However, at times even these sources can be untrustworthy and people do not even realize this. There are many differences when comparing a news article about engineering to an article written by an actual engineer.

            One of the first comparisons I made when looking at both articles was the length. The article written by the engineer was much longer and much more detailed than the news article. The problem with this detailed article is the loss of attention it causes. People would rather read a one-page article rather than an eighteen-page article. Another difference between both articles was the language used. The news article used simple language that is easy to understand, while the article written by an engineer used many vocabulary terms that is commonly spoken among engineers. Finally, another difference after further analyzing both articles was the intended audience. The news article was intended for all of the public while the engineers article is more directed to an audience of engineers. The style of the writing is much more sophisticated, professional, and included better reliable information the news article.

            More people tend to prefer news articles written by a journalist rather than an actual engineer, in this case, about engineering. The reason people prefer news articles from journalists is because the writers create an article that is easier to read and understand. However, the information that is given from an actual engineer is more reliable. From a journalist, we can receive easier to understand information that is quick to read but at the risk of inaccurate information. From the engineer, we get long lengthy article that is not very favorable to read, but the information will be more trustworthy.

Dym, Clive L. “Engineering Design Thinking, Teaching, and Learning.” Wiley Online Library. American Society for Engineering Education, 1 Ja. 2005. Web. 17 Nov. 2016

Grose, Thomas K. “Mechanical Engineering Is on the Rise.” U.S News. U.S News, 26 Mar. 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

Ghana Project

by: Noemi Melo

A couple weeks I had the honor of meeting a retired petroleum engineer in one of my engineering classes. He was a man with a lot of knowledge in engineering since he started off as a mechanical engineering and later become the head petroleum engineer in many projects.

            There was a project he specifically talked about, his last big project before retiring, which was the “Ghana Project.” This is the first oil drilling project that has ever occurred in Ghana. It flowed from Tweneboa, Enyenra, Ntomme (TEN) field offshore of Ghana. This milestone was reached on time and on a budget of three years after the Plan of Development was approved by the Government of Ghana in May 2013.

            In March 2009, they first drilled in Ghana. This drilling discovery lead to what followed the further series of appraisal and exploration wells which later resulted in the discovery of the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) field.

            In May 2013, The Ghana Minister of Energy approved the Plan of Development for the field and this then lead the second major operation of the deep-water development project in Ghana.

            This engineer went into depth and talked about his experience. It took them three years before they started drilling, they had to construct everything from scratch and make sure that it was the right size and that It would go smoothly. He mentioned that this wasn’t his first project but it was his last project.

            This project is expected to deliver 80,000 barrels of oil per day and Ghana expects at least $20 billion of investment in its booming oil industry over the next five years, mainly from foreign companies.

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