#wustlengineers

“As I was nearing graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from my previous school, I was nervous about which steps to take next. I didn’t have a job lined up, and I also couldn’t see myself starting grad school without a clear purpose or future direction in mind. Although I had always thought about going into “Engineering,” I still wasn’t quite sure what that meant. It seemed like one of those words that people use all the time, even though no one really knows what it means except for the actual engineers.

While making my decision, I spoke with a previous Dual Degree student who highly recommended the program, and I also consulted with my professors and a few professionals in the field about some other options I was considering. After realizing that everything else seemed uninteresting in comparison, I decided to transfer to Washington University in St. Louis to pursue my second degree in Chemical Engineering.

Although it was a challenging transition at first, it is definitely one of the best decisions that I have ever made. The classes are engaging, the staff is always there to help, and every student in the program genuinely wants to succeed and go on to do great things. The schedule has been extremely demanding, but definitely worth it for the knowledge and experience I have gained that will help me in my future career as an engineer. In addition, because of connections I made through Wash. U. and also with the help of the Career Center, I was able to line up an internship with one of the major oil companies, and recently received an amazing offer for a full-time position after graduation.”

Sara Chinnaswamy (Photo by E. Brook Haley)

Sara Chinnaswamy’s visit to some orphanages in southern India has led to an effort by four Washington University School of Engineering & Applied Science students to provide a solar power system at a girls’ orphanage.

“Having a community or home that makes you feel comfortable is so important, and I want these girls to grow up in a place that makes them feel this way,” Chinnaswamy says. “When I discovered they needed electricity for their building, I felt compelled to help out.”

Chinnaswamy, a rising senior majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in writing, is spearheading the effort with a goal to raise about $12,000 by the end of July to purchase and install the solar power system at the Thalir orphanage in Coimbatore, India. Joining her are fellow Engineering students Alexandra Rodriguez-Beuerman, a senior majoring in chemical engineering; Amy Brummer, a senior majoring in chemical engineering with minors in energy engineering and nanoscale science and engineering; and Jakob Leonard, a senior majoring in chemical engineering. Chinnaswamy’s brother, Jay, a student at Northeastern University, is also on the team.

The group estimated a need for 8-10 kW of instantaneous power from the solar array. They compared three types of solar panels and different types of batteries based on efficiency and cost. Their calculations led them to conclude the orphanage will need 34-50 solar panels, along with the installation hardware and the inverter that converts the direct current energy from the sun into electricity that appliances can use. Total costs, along with travel for the team, are estimated at about $12,000.

Experiential learning in Engineering

By Daniel Sun

The first half of MEMS 5611 (Principles and Methods of Micro and Nanofabrication) is learning about multiple lab techniques. In the second half of the semester, lectures stop and we begin our final project. We learn like researchers. We read scientific literature, planned research with our ideas, and experimented with guidance, not instructions, from the professor. Everything we did built on each other, and the course was incredibly cohesive in content and in work.

Meet Engineering freshman Michael Lagieski. He’s a mechanical engineering student-athlete who set a meet and school record on his way to winning the national championship in the men’s 100 breaststroke at the 2014 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships late last month. Michael talks about balancing varsity athletics with academics.