Author: smith.11849

Introduction and Timeline

Introduction

My capstone project focuses on data visualization regarding traffic flow, and the motion of individual cars. This project is easily scaled from one intersection to entire city. This will allow me to test my program throughout development and improve it before scaling up. Also if the time to create one intersection is great then the project can be capped easily there.

 

My project will have a product of a software that will show traffic on roads throughout a time frame. This traffic will be shown through actual cars if possible, not simple colorize of the road. A focus of the car’s motion will be on traffic lights/ stop signs, lane changes and congestion, as well as the movement of cars from location to location, as cars are used for actual transportation between physical places.

 

Timeline

  • contact professors to be advisers
  • research how to get started / ask questions
  • collect timed data from websites ( on one intersection at first)
  • load data into software ( most likely java)
  • model the physical roads and traffic signs
  • model a car object ( location (x,y), velocity (x,y), acceleration (x,y) )
  • use data and object to model cars motion based on time
  • deal with making car objects appear and disappear ( from cars arriving and debarking on journeys)
  • deal with interactions between cars ( congestion)

 

  • improve cars modeling
  • add more roads and intersections to cars motion

 

 

 

 

Artifact #2

Understanding My Passions and Making It Through College Classes

My transition into college has been difficult. I knew that I am feel disconnected to the campus life because I was commuting but I never thought that academics would be very hard. I was a great student in high school and most topics came naturally to me, other then writing and English. I thought my classes would be easy and enjoyable. The first weeks of schools were academically easy, the pace of the class was manage and I already knew some of the material. However, after the first few weeks of school I started to feel unconnected to some of the curriculum and felt as if I didn’t belong in the subjects I once enjoyed.

This feeling was strongest for my Physics class. The first few chapters of material was review from my high school Physics class and the class was very easy. However, the course quickly moved to topics I was unfamiliar was. I was unprepared for the complexity of the topics and started to lose interest in the material and my grade started to slip. I felt unmotivated to complete homework assignments to the best of my ability and even skipped a few lectures. I knew that I needed to try harder but need still needed that spark of interest and passion.

 

This spark came after a few amazing demonstrations by my Physics professor. In the video above my professor Jesse Martin is demonstrating how two identical balls can reach the end of a ramp at different times, given different paths. This is because the ball that has a dip in it’s path has more of it’s energy convents to kinetic during the dip and therefore has a greater overall velocity on the path. This was just one of many demonstrations that related the Physics I was learning to a real life event. This was the spark I needed. I was interested in physics again because I understood what I was solving and the concepts suddenly felt less foreign. Currently, I am working hard to rise my grade in Physics and understand all the material by asking questions and studying more. I now stay after class to clarify any confusing ideas and I review the textbook more often in order to improve my understanding of topics.

This experience  allowed me to realize that I do belong in Math and Physics, because I enjoy critical thinking and problem solving. I also realized that just because I enjoy something doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be confused by a topic or feel burned out sometimes. When I start to feel burned out or confused, I need to take extra steps to completely understand the concepts. Overall I am happy that I had this stressful experience because I now have the skills to overcome difficult class topics. Also I reconfirmed my passion for Math, Physics and Engineering. I can look to my future knowing that I still exploring my future career but I already know that my future will involve STEM, and focus particularly on my love of Math.

G.O.A.L.S. Reflection

G.O.A.L.S is an acronym for six concepts that further students’ success. The ‘G’ stands for Global Awareness. This is the understanding and openness of differences around the world. ‘O’ stands for Original Inquiry. Original Inquiry is the search and curiosity for knowledge. The ‘A’ is for Academic Enrichment. This is the hunt for different ways to learn, such as research.  ‘L’ stands for Leadership Development.  Leadership can be developed through many activities, including internships. Finally ‘S’ represents Service Engagement. This is being active in the community and helping others through volunteering.

The two facet of the G.O.A.L.S that I feel most connected to are Original Inquiry and Service Engagement. Original Inquiry connects with me because I feel a personal drive for knowledge. I know that I will be a life time learner, always seeking to understand the world around me. This is easily seen through my internet habits; I watch many educational YouTube channels in a diverse range of subjects from Physics and Math to Woodworking and Civil Engineering. It is exciting to learn new concepts and then see those concepts in my everyday life. I learned through YouTube that Civil Engineers have to account for the expansion of soil when designing buildings and other structures. This is something I didn’t know and allowed me to view the world from a different mindset.  Service Engagement is also very important to me. Currently I am volunteering through W.O.W. a program that allows OSU students to travel to local unprivileged elementary and middle schools and demonstration different Science concepts.  W.O.W. is an amazing program as I get to help spread an excitement for Science. Spreading this curiously and love for Science and other topics is important because the next generation is able to further are understanding of the world and bring improvements to society.

In the future G.O.A.L.S. will still be important to me. I will continue to learn and search for new ideas during college. Additionally, I am planning to volunteer for W.O.W. the rest of my college career. However, I will graduate college and will most likely move into an industry job. This change will allow me to apply the G.O.A.L.S in a different way. I will continue to learn to stay competitive in my job and may even go back to school to further my knowledge. In addition, I hope to inspire others in the future to discover STEAM. STEAM is the combination of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. I will complete this dream by servicing my community and volunteering with organizations such as Girls Who Code and Engineering for Kids. These organizations focus on spreading original inquiry in kids through service.

Image result for STEm and STEAM

 

 

Artifact #1

First Trip with WOW!

I was given the opportunity to volunteer as a part of STEM EE Scholars, with Wonders of Our World. WOW is a 14 year program that takes OSU students to teach at Columbus City elementary schools. So far I have gone on two trips to Salem Elementary. Both trips were exciting and inspiring. I traveled with 4 other students to the school to teach the students about the scientific method. The first lesson was creating a boat out of clay that could hold the most marbles. I thought I was prepared to lead my small group of 3 students but keeping the attention of the young students was difficult. One of the students didn’t want to participate in  the experiment, another wanted to play in the water instead of creating boats. Thankful I had the help of Jessica Caton the coordinator for WOW. She was able to help focus the students on the task at hand.

Through this trip I learned that teaching is more than just reciting information, it is a process that takes effort and time for both parties. I already subconsciously knew this from doing experiments like this in elementary and middle school. I remember those days when school was based purely on fun and curiously, not grades and expectations. I am so grateful to past the excitement and joy for learning and discover in STEM to another generation. I can’t wait to see where my discovery with WOW will take me.

About Me

I just finished my second year as a Computer Science and Engineering major at the Ohio State University. I am focusing on art and technology as while as computer science. I am further exploring my passions by taking classes at the Advance Computing Center for the Arts and Design, (ACCAD). I commute to OSU, this can make classes and extra activities a challenge at times but I have found a balance. I was even able to manage being a TA for a computer science class. I am also currently an active member for the ACM-W, a group for women in computing. Over the summer I am finishing my capstone project and going on vacation. Starting next semester my little sister will be coming to OSU as well for a computer and information systems.