ABET outcome (i): “Engineering programs must demonstrate that their students attain a recognition of the need for, and the ability to engage in life-long learning.” (www.abet.org)
In today’s society, it seems that we have unlimited information right at our fingertips. In the past, I have found that the Internet is a great primary tool when I begin any type of research. A web search is extremely helpful because it can bring you directly to numerous resources. It is important to ensure that the sources you find online are legitimate though, so if I am doing serious research, I limit my use to websites published by universities or respected agencies. After visiting multiple websites, I also look into any of the books or academic journals that were mentioned and continue my research from there. Public libraries are also a fantastic resource, as well as professionals currently employed in your profession of interest.
An example of utilizing different resources in my professional life is my time in a soil science lab. This lab gave us hands-on experience with different soil tests and other field techniques. We utilized our textbook, as well as the EPA website on the national soil survey to establish the appropriate placement of a housing development in an area of interest based in Southern Ohio. The following summer, I worked for the Lorain County Metro Parks, and was able to use the knowledge I gained from soil science to aid in the design and placement of a new bio-swale in a recently acquired plot of land.
Overall, I would like to be part of a profession based in remediation. I am passionate about re-establishing degraded ecosystems, especially wetlands or rivers. Lifelong learning will be essential to my career because new ecological discoveries are made every day. Staying up to date on new biological or chemical breakthroughs will allow me to consider as many different factors as possible in the planning, design, and reconstruction of a habitat.
After graduating from Ohio State, I hope to enter the working world as soon as possible. I would like to pass my FE exam, work for a few years, and then begin pursuing my PE. If I go to graduate school, I believe that I will pursue a master’s degree in either business or environmental engineering. Ideally, I will be employed at an agency that encourages higher education and will be willing to help pay for graduate school, but if not, I will complete my field-work and test for my PE without graduate level schooling.
I am passionate about the material I am studying, so lifelong learning does not feel like a chore to me. I will continue to read technical journals and reference textbooks, as well as do my best to stay up to date on breakthroughs in scientific research through other resources like National Geographic and NPR. I plan to attend conferences and workshops as part of my continuing education requirements as well so that I can expose myself to different viewpoints and strategies that other companies employ.