For this semester’s aesthetics of design project, I want to pick a project which challenges me in areas I haven’t had as much of a chance to develop during my time at CU.  I’m pretty confident in my coding abilities in Matlab, but outside of the Matlab suite, I start to feel lost.  I haven’t taken any coding classes beyond GEEN 1300, so, for my project, I’d like to develop a product which incorporates some level of coding.  Incorporating some sort of microcontroller in my design should force me to learn a new language, and hopefully, boost my confidence in taking on projects developed in unfamiliar languages.

I’d also like my project to incorporate some hardware – software relations.  Very little of the code I’ve written in my classes takes in dynamic hardware information (except for maybe the system dynamics labs).  Developing a project with hardware-software integration will really boost my confidence in taking on more complex projects which can be interacted with the public.  If I can bolster these two skill sets, I’ll feel like a much more rounded engineer when I graduate.

I’m still unsure of what sector I want to work in after graduation.  I’m attracted to jobs which involve a lot of field work, just because I love being outside but I don’t want this to be the focal point in my search.  Really, I want a job where I get to trouble-shoot.  It seems to me, the most rewarding moments as an engineer come after running into a wall.  Really understanding how to construct a solution to a complex problem is very difficult.  Trying to get the solution that you’ve been working on to actually work is another problem in and of itself.    I love trying to integrate the different systems within a solution, and hope to find a job where I get to do this.

I’m still not sure what my dream job is; there are a number of possibilities that I think I could end up falling in love with.  I’d like work for a company that develops musical instruments, be it pianos, synthesizes, MIDI controllers, etc.  I love technology that makes sound.  There are a number of options outside of engineering I’d also like to pursue.  I’d like to find a simple job at a cafe or gym, and spend a couple years developing and traveling as a climber.  I’d also like to work for a record label as a talent scout or manager.  After graduation, I’ll take some time to figure out which way to steer myself.

To me, life’s just about becoming the best person I can be.  I’ll just keep looking for environments that promote growth.