2019 Issue
Table of Contents “What is Engineering?” An eye-opening introduction to the many paths that revolve around engineering
Alumni Spotlight Joe Selzle and Mary Uher share advice and experiences from their careers in engineering
Hot Spots of PKI Get it while it’s hot! A look into the most popular spaces in PKI, some of which you might not know about
Study Abroad Students share their experieces abroad and help paint a picture of what it’s like to be immersed in new cultures.
E-Week Recap A look back on the National Engineers Week, a week of celebration and activities for engineering on Scott Campus.
Student Org. Highlights The College of Eningineering has a lot to offer, including a large selection of successful student organizations. Check out the four organizations that we highlighted this year, followed by a comprehensive list of all organizations!
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A Note from the Editor Since the beginning of my involvement with NESCO, “Engineering at the O” has been a central project under the Communications Committee. Each academic year, this publication brings together a small group of inspired engineering students to create resource guide [of sorts] aimed towards our new student enrollment. As the VP of Communications, I was tasked with creating this year’s iteration of the work. While it was no small weekend project, this magazine brought to me challenges and opportunities that I greatly value as a part of my undergraduate engineering experience. Two years ago, “Engineering at the O” began with the first issue published in 2017. This inaugural, 43 page publication broke ground as a shared work of resources and information produced by the engineering student members of NESCO. From conferences and camps to resumes and research, this first issue covered it all and aimed to serve a purpose within the College. As time passed, the second and now third iterations have been created. Following the content conventions of the prior editions, this third iteration branches out a bit, aimed to draw more focus towards student involvement and feature stories within this student resource magazine. Looking forward, I share nothing but humility and admiration for the next editor of “Engineering at the O” knowing the path that has been paved in order to get the magazine this far. I believe that this student resources magazine is truly an impressive showcase of the skills and talents of the students within the College of Engineering, and I express gratitude towards the opportunity to have led the NESCO Communications Committee to the completion of this 2019 issue. It is my hope that this magazine will serve its purpose well and continue to serve the students of the College of Engineering for years to come. — Aaron Adams, 2019
And the Designer The design of this magazine was a combination of both the Complete Engineer initiative and PKI. Throughout the magazine, you will see the six Complete Engineer colors intertwined with the content signifying the significance of the initiative to the engineers at PKI. The layout of the pages was inspired by a minimalistic and flat design, with triangle based elements influenced by the triangles that can be found within PKI and its architecture, helping to add color and visual effects as well as tie the magazine together. Many of the base layouts were influenced by the individual that the section belonged to. This decision was made to showcase the creativity of the individuals who worked on the magazine and allowed the magazine staff to be involved in the design of the magazine. — Antony Habib , 2019
“What is Engineering?” by Jenna Irwin
Nebraska Undergraduates Becoming Engineers (NUBE) 2018
Freshmen engineering students were asked the question “What is Engineering?” and the key ideas from their responses were compiled into a Wordle™; the biggest words represent the most common responses.
No matter which engineering path you decide on, doing well in school is important. You have to create the foundation of knowledge that you will utilize when using logic and reasoning to solve problems in your career. Almost more important than the book smarts is developing the ability to work effectively in a team. Yes, engineers do independent work, but communication and collaboration are essential skills for a career in the engineering industry. If you believe you have weak interpersonal skills, let me reassure you that developing them is fairly easy – but it does take a conscious effort!
While the students are completely correct in what they think engineering is, there is a more empowering definition. Knowing and understanding what we learn in the classroom is important, yes, but this knowledge is mainly used for us to be able to gain a better understanding of the world around us. We use this understanding of our surroundings to solve complex problems and implement solutions that are practical and cost effective. What’s really special about engineering is the ability to face a problem and work through thoughts and abstract ideas to translate those ideas into reality.
The first step to getting better at these skills is becoming self-aware. Once you are aware of your weaknesses, that is how you focus on them and try to grow stronger in those areas. School is a safe place to grow and develop these interpersonal and communication skills, and that is why it is very important to take group assignments and team-building exercises seriously. Consider attending the 2019 NUBE Experience before classes start this year to jumpstart your involvement with engineering! Follow the link below to find out more. https://engineering.unl.edu/current-students/nube/
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What Engineering Means To You by Brianne Inselman
Credit: HIT Consultant Media
Take a look beyond the typical scope of classroom instruction for paths and anecdotes related to engineering. Here are a few fields to expand your horizons as engineering students.
Engineering in Medicine The medical field has a lot of opportunities for engineers to make a difference in people’s lives, as well as improve the overall efficiency of the medical system. One of the more common focuses among engineers is to design and develop systems that aid or replace a function. Engineers can go into biomechanics and can create products that assist the flow of blood and motor functions, like artificial heart valves or a joint replacement. Another field is orthopedic bioengineering. Here, engineers create implants that work in conjunction with the surrounding tissue or may even replace bones, muscles, joints or ligaments. This also includes prosthetics. The other side of the medical field that engineers typically get involved with is the design of new technologies. Engineers work alongside medical personnel to develop programs and tools to better help with diagnosing, treatment, communication, patient data and health records. They even perform research on current software and make improvements to increase efficiency.
Credit: 3Dnatives
Bioinstrumentation, Biomechanics, Clinical Engineers, Orthopedic Bioengineers, Software Engineers
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Renewable Energy Sources
As time goes on, engineers are required to implement environmentally friendly energy sources and to be ‘lean’ with resources to be friendly to our Earth. There are many advances being made, and there will be many more in the future. There is a lot of potential for engineers to develop and design new technologies or systems that leave a positive impact on the environment and this world. There are solar panels, wind farms, electric cars – these are some common developments that we have heard about and they are improving. For example, there are developments in creating a hydrogenelectric train. The hydrogen fuel cell converts hydrogen into electricity, which can power the electric motor. It also has a rapid recharge of only a couple of minutes. The emission from this process is pure drinkable water which reduces the normal CO2 emissions. Another new development is using graphene as an energy source. Graphene is a cost-effective and efficient way to convert carbon dioxide and water into a renewable fuel to help reduce CO2 emissions. This concept is still in the research stages and is working through some obstacles. The world has many renewable resources to offer that have the potential to be used for energy.
Credit: TheNewEconomy
Non-Profit Focus
“It’s okay to take more than the recommended time to finish your degree. Your employer never asks or thinks differently of you.. It’s not the end of the world.” -Joe Selzle
Civil duties come with being an engineer and some engineers choose to take this one step further. There are many non-profit organizations with missions to provide a better way of living for those in need. There are many advances being made in this field, one being water towers and water pumps. Currently there are devices that capture water from rain, fog, and dew which is then filtered to produce clean, drinkable water. These water towers/pumps work off of gravity, condensation, and evaporation with no need for a power source. They also have a solar panel attached to add calcium and magnesium to stabilize the pH. A popular non-profit is Engineers Without Borders; they provide help in structures and civil works, agriculture, disaster response, energy, and water and sanitation. A local organization, Habitat for Humanity, focuses more on structures and providing homes. Both are great opportunities to get involved with the non-profit side of engineering.
Lifewater International, GISCorps, Engineers for a Sustainable World, Engineering Ministries International, Design Impact, BBOXX Ltd
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Alumni Spotlights by Brianne Inselman
Joe Selzle started his career working as a forensics engineer at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. for two and a half years. There is so much problem solving that comes with investigating structures and systems to understand why they failed. Finding solutions to these problems brings a lot of satisfaction to Joe and provides meaning to what he does in life. Ultimately, school taught him how to teach himself. “You have to be creative to find interesting and unique solutions. There isn’t always going to be clear cut answers when in the field.”
Joe Selzle P.E. MAE - Structural
Joe On-Site at a Church Steeple in 2010
Joe then moved to Zachary Group for seven years. Working with structural design, he dealt with almost every kind of “plant.” He often worked from the office but also had the opportunity to go out in the field. Over his last four years at Zachary Group, he worked in execution planning, which is the bridge between engineering and contracting. Here, he determined the logistics between the schedule and field execution. Joe did this, along with many other miscellaneous things, to aid in the construction process. He felt it was very beneficial to have the experience and the degree that he received from the Durham School. He was able to understand and even help in some of the design process which saved a lot of time on the construction side of things. Now, Joe works as a forensic engineer at Rimkus Consulting since starting in November of 2018. This is the position Joe started his engineering career doing, but at Rimkus he works a lot with insurance clients. His focus is to bring justice and assess situations that have a high possibility to be taken to the legal system. Here, he can be
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called to present his data and analysis in a legal case. When giving advice, Joe emphasized how everything that happened for him was an “accident.” He just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This starts with a willingness to be open to new opportunities and to network. Joe says “It’s the experience that leads you to your path.” By being open and honest with what your passions are and expressing them with other people, as well as any concerns you may have, will all benefit you. Get involved in student groups to network with older students, not only for help through school, but also because they can be a big help when in the workforce. He also suggests getting involved with programs that do outreach for younger students. This forces you to learn more about your program, gain experience with speaking in front of an audience, and it allows you the opportunity to travel. While in school, Joe also spoke with his professors to get advice. He spoke his mind over things he thought he wanted to do and he was able to get a lot of insight from that. Overall, put yourself out there. Yes, there is a chance you might not get it, but if you never try, you will never know. When Joe first started school he was sure that he wanted to go into lighting or acoustics, but when taking his first structural class he realized how much he enjoyed it. Always be open to everything - no blinders. Listen to your experiences and how things are happening for you.
Mary Uher B.S. Civil Engineering Mary Uher received her degree in Civil Engineering from UNO. She is currently working with APA - The Engineered Wood Association, a non-profit organization, as their Field Services Division Regional Manager in Baltimore, Maryland. Mary is married to Jason Uher, an Electrical Engineering alum, who is Chief Scientist at The John Hopkins University in their Applied Physics Laboratory. She shares her experiences with us below.
What was your journey to the career path you ended up taking? “After graduating, my husband and I moved to Atlanta. There, I worked for a consulting firm where I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects ranging from strip malls to large wood podium projects. When my husband finished his graduate program in Atlanta and wanted to pursue further education, we made the decision to move back to Nebraska. Upon our return, I worked for a company that specialized in the design of railroad bridges before going back to a more traditional consulting firm where I again had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects and with a variety of materials including a lot of wood framing. In 2012, we found ourselves again completing a graduate program and looking to relocate. At this point, it had become clear to me that working a traditional consulting job was not a good fit for me and I applied for any job that interested me, both in and out of the engineering world. In fact, if APA had waited two more weeks to make me an offer, I would be teaching engineering concepts to elementary students with Legos. Teaching had always been something that interested me so I saw an opportunity with APA to use my technical knowledge in a different way and get to do some teaching.”
What is the most interesting part of your job? Or the most satisfactory to you? “In my current role, every day is completely different and brings a unique challenge with it. I enjoy finding new and creative ways to address those challenges whether they are assisting a builder with a system conversion, working with our technical division to create a new design tool, presenting at conferences, or working on articles and interviews with our marketing department. Working as a consulting engineer I often found myself craving change and this role satisfies that craving.”
Describe what you do in your job? “I am the Eastern Region Manager for the Field Services Division of APA - The Engineered Wood Association. The Field Services Division leverages APA’s technical expertise to assist builders, designers, and code officials in the use of engineered wood products. The eastern region has staff with a variety of different technical backgrounds working all along the eastern seaboard and in Canada. I work with this team to provide education and assistance to users of engineered wood products around the country. In addition to this core role, I also work with our other divisions and members to plan and develop new tools that can be used by our field staff in coming years.”
What advice would you give students who don’t know which career path to take? “Give it time and don’t be afraid of change. I never would have guessed 10 years ago that this is where I would end up but now I can’t imagine anything different.”
Conclusion From the advice of our alumni, to all the opportunities that an engineer can have, your possibilities are endless. Take a deep breath and trust that everything will turn out great! Work hard and find things that you enjoy and make you happy, and the rest will follow. Like Joe Slezel, everything happened on “accident.” He focused on what was important and what made him happy, and opportunities followed. School will teach you valuable lessons of hard work and it will equip you to be a Complete Engineer. But, it will also open so many doors for you. It is up to you to decide which ones you want to pass through on your journey!
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HOT SPOTS of
PKI
by Jenna Irwin
2nd Floor Study Lounge
Similar to the study lounges on the first floor, there is a small area on the second floor, opposite of PKI’s atrium, that is dedicated to studying. This is a good spot that students retreat to in order to get some studying done in between classes, or a spot to meet up with a study group since it is typically less occupied than the main floor’s study spaces. Its features include amazing floor to ceiling windows, comfy couch-like seats and foot rests, fourperson tables, and available computers.
“The Fishbowl” (Room 158) The Fishbowl is a hot spot in PKI because it is always ‘swimming’ with activity. When it isn’t being used for events, meetings, and/ or lectures, it is almost always filled with students. This is a favored spot to study with friends (volume isn’t a huge concern for the area) and grab a bite to eat, since PKI’s café is conveniently connected to this room. There is an abundance of seating, and if you can’t find a chair, you can always find one to assemble for yourself in the back of the room!
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STEAL Lab Chairs Unless you are a Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, IT, or Bioinformatics student, there may not be much reason for you to know about this hot spot. On PKI’s third floor, in front of a room called the STEAL Lab, there are quite a few comfy chairs that are scattered in the hallway. They sit by a large window, and students love sitting here to escape and take advantage of this uber low key quiet space.
Lighting Lab (Room 130)
This room is a very cool spot for Architectural Engineering students, or people who have a special appreciation for lighting design; there is not another room like it in the country. This room has almost every type of light fixture there is: including a stadium light and a fixture that is not sold commercially, coined “zombie lights.” In this room students can stimulate different lighting designs and fully understand and appreciate the different moods that light creates in a space.
“Study Rooms” (in 158)
Like most buildings on campus, if you are in need of a private study or meeting space, PKI does have several rooms you are able to use and reserve! There is an entrance to the hallway of study rooms from the back of the Fishbowl and an entrance on the right-hand side of PKI’s café. These rooms are equipped with TVs that can be used as a monitor and whiteboards on the walls. You will often find these rooms occupied with collaborating students, so if you’re interested in reserving one, look into booking in advance!
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Interview Tips and the Stories Behind Them by Jenna Irwin
Common Interview Questions* ARE YOU A FIT FOR US?
ARE WE A FIT FOR YOU?
CAN YOU DO THE JOB?
“Tell me about yourself”
“Why are you interested in this position?”
“What is a challenge/conflict you’ve had to deal with lately? How did you address it?”
“Why did you choose your field of study/major?” “What do you know about our organization?” “What are your long-term and shortterm career goals?” “Describe a time when you had a conflict with a classmate or a coworker. How did you handle it?”
“Where do you want to be in five or 10 years?” “Are you willing to travel or relocate?” “Why do you want to work for us?” “How do you like to be managed?”
“How do you manage stress in your daily work?” “What is a weakness or area of growth for you?” “What are your greatest strengths?” “Tell me about a time you worked well on a team.”
Expect the Unexpected We may know the common or typical questions that are asked in interviews, but not even the most experienced students could have predicted some of the questions or scenarios they have encountered in an interview. Blake Casper, a Civil Engineering student, was simply trying to manage an early-morning interview in the middle of ‘dead week.’ An 8 a.m. interview mixed in with a week of heavy studying for finals wasn’t ideal, yet Blake showed up early to try to make a good impression. Blake retells the experience,”As I get called into the interview, I get positioned on the opposite side of the table and [two engineers I’d be working with and the Human Resource representative] start walking in. The last to enter was fully dressed as an Elf on the Shelf. No matter how much I had prepared for the interview, I was not ready for that.” The interview may have been in December
and around the holidays, but an elf walking into your interview would still be plenty off-putting.” Another student in Civil Engineering, Samuel Manning, was interviewing with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He knew his job as an intern would entail all of the basic engineering tasks: creating figures for reports, filling out Excel spreadsheets, and occasionally helping out with field work. Samuel remembers the interview, “The questions were ‘standard’ interview questions for the most part… One of the questions
was whether I would be okay with being hit by a fish, since Asian Carp are present in the Missouri
River, and they are known to jump when boats come by.” Samuel tried to present himself well and answered all the questions to the best of his ability; it paid off! He was hired to join the company and become their newest intern.
Brief introduction and some biographical info
“The ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Magic Formula”*
Your major field of study and any contributions/specializations Experiences that have reinforced your strengths and interest in your field Why you’re interested in the position or organization Your strengths as they relate to the position A clear, positive summary statement
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*From the UNL Ultimate Job Search Guide
Some brave upperclassmen share their most memorable experiences with career fairs and interviews Those who attend the College of Engineering know that there is a lot of hype surrounding career fairs. The engineering industry is huge in Omaha, so there are plentiful opportunities for internships and employment. If you have ever attended a career fair, you know that the atmosphere is filled with a lot of energy: excitement, nerves, and anticipation are just a few examples. Due to all the preparation for a career fair, there is a certain amount of pressure you feel to do your best and really sell yourself. Because of this pressure, some people have either great experiences or maybe some embarrassing ones they’d rather forget. Architectural Engineering student Nathan German’s experience at an interview was one that would surely ‘stick’ with him. Nathan remembers, “The morning of the interview, I had nothing to wear, so I borrowed a shirt from my dad. Unfortunately, he had worn it the day before as the Pancake Man at his work. Through the interview, the only thing I could smell was
maple syrup.
When I began my internship five months later with the same company, I was approached by one of the interviewers asking ‘where did the syrup smell go?’” Thankfully, Nathan is now able to look back on his experience and laugh about it with his coworkers. Gage Gibney, another Architectural Engineering student, shares both a good and not-so-good experience from career fairs. He had quite the amazing experience, “I went [to the Durham School Career Fair] my junior year, and the employers and recruiters already knew who I was. Building those relationships [at the career fair] when I was younger has really paid off in a big way.” His great experience shows the importance of making connections and getting your name out there, even if you are too young to be hired by some companies. Not all of his career fair experiences have been so smooth, however. His second year attending the career fair, he digs into a repressed memory to retell; “I was walking up to a booth to shake [an employer’s] hand, and I missed his hand. So I walked up to the guy and started shaking his wrist. I didn’t know what to do so I just kind of stopped and tried to start a conversation, but it didn’t go very well.” All in all, these students have had great experiences at the career fairs over the years. Take some time to prepare and go experience what it’s all about!
Advice (From The Students) “Every student, no matter the age, should attend a career fair. It may not lead into an internship right away, but the relationships you build could really benefit you down the road.” – Gage Gibney, AE “If you are interviewing for an internship, emphasize how you would like to learn as much as you can at the company. Companies like to hear candidates who admit they don’t know everything, and are open to new experiences.” – Nathan German, AE “’Be yourself’ in interviews. Fitting in and being in a work environment that is best for you is important, and if your general personality prevents you from working at a certain company, it might not be the right company for you.” – Luke Dolezal, AE
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STUDY ABROAD by Isabelle Brown
E
Biberach an der Riss, Baden-WĂźrttemberg, Germany
ngineering students recently participated in an opportunity to study abroad in Germany. The students were able to see the country while also knocking out a class over the summer. Students on the trip had great experiences and countless stories after studying abroad. I contacted Riley Johnson, who took advantage of one opportunity to study abroad in Germany last summer.
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Riley, along with his classmates and two professors, went to Germany for two weeks. The first week was spent at Hochschule Biberach University of Applied Sciences in Biberach, Germany. Biberach is located in the south of Germany. The students were able to take either Statistics, or Photovoltaic Energy.
“There really was a lack of sleep on the trip. One day I overslept class and the professor wouldn’t start without me. When I walked in I got a round of applause.” - Riley Johnson This trip was Johnson’s first trip to Europe. He really enjoyed being completely immersed by staying at the homes of the German students. He said that it was like having a personal tour guide at all times. This helped them never feel out of place or like tourists. In addition, it and allowed them to see and do things they would have not known about without the German students.
“One day, one of the German students brought us to her home a little bit outside of the city. She had us walk on a trail to a certain overlook on her family’s land. From there we saw a great sunset; it was something we never would have seen or knew about if we just went on the trip alone.” The second week of the trip was spent traveling to different areas of Germany. They stayed in hostels on this portion of the trip. Every day they were in a new place! The students were also able to tour engineering companies and do some sightseeing along the way. Johnson said that there were some things he did not expect. While in Germany he did not see large cars, and most people walked or rode a bike to get from place to place. He was also surprised to find that most people spoke English, though he does recommend learning a bit of the native language to show respect, as the people really appreciate it. This trip was an experience like no other, and the pictures say it all.
Left to Right: Rahil Al Jabri, Aisha Al Hashmi, Jeff Thompson, Monica Houck, Hatice Oeselemis (HBC), Riley Johnson, Christiane Schneider (HBC), Sarah Drummey
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How To Study Abroad by Isabelle Brown
You may be wondering what other opportunities there are to study abroad in engineering. Or, perhaps, how can it be affordable? There are countless opportunities to study abroad while studying to be an engineer. These opportunities include studying abroad for a whole semester, faculty-led trips over breaks and in the summer, as well as research and internship opportunities abroad. The UNL and UNO Education Abroad offers programs for study, internships, research, and service learning. Many students take advantage of these wonderful opportunities to see the world and all it has to offer. Some countries you can travel abroad to include
*Photos by UNL Education Abroad and UNO Education Abroad
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Italy, Spain, Iceland, China, New Zealand, Columbia, and Australia, just to name a few. The second question is how to make studying abroad affordable. There are various scholarships and funding available for students who want to study or do research abroad. Some may come from the school or department and others are national scholarships and grants. For more information about options and funding visit the UNL Education Abroad website, the UNO Education Abroad website, or talk to your academic advisor.
The Elevator Speech
An elevator speech is a quick and useful way to express your background and experience to a possible employer. Preparing an elevator speech is necessary for success at job/career fairs, networking events, and mixers.
11 Tips for Successful Preparation by Brendan Gunter
1
Keep it brief – The duration of an elevator speech is only 30 – 60 seconds. Make sure that your points are persuasive, concise, and get your selling points across.
3
Focus on persuasion – Heavily emphasize the persuasive element of your elevator speech, as the purpose is to persuade the employer that you are the best candidate for a job.
5
Share your skills and experience– Present your prior job experience, coursework knowledge, and what sets you apart from the competition.
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Make a business card – Having a business card available will allow for the employer to have the necessary information to contact you. Make sure to include your name, phone number, email, and the name of the program that you are studying.
2
Practice – You want to know your elevator speech like the back of your hand. Focus on making the speech fluid, avoid sounding like a robot, and make sure to hit your main points.
4
Have your resume on hand – Elevator speeches are short, and you want to supply a potential employer with all your qualifications and your achievements in the time you have. Make sure to bring a few resumes to career fairs and hand them out generously.
6
Mention projects – Personal projects catch the interest of employers. Discuss a project that you have completed that relates to the position that you want.
8
Steer clear of sounding desperate – Practice giving your speech in a confident tone. Appearing confident about your qualifications and experience will give you an upper hand over the competition, and it shows the employer that you mean business.
Understand your audience – It’s important to know what an employer wants. Make sure to do some prior research about the companies participating at career fairs. Learn what they specialize in, pay attention to the positions that they need employees for, and make sure to compile reasons why you are the right person for the job. Avoid speaking too fast – Although the speech will be quick, you do not want to fly through it. If you speak too fast, the person listening may not understand what you are telling them. Practice speaking at a normal pace, and time your speech. Remember that your speech should last only 30 – 60 seconds.
Give the employer time to ask questions – You want to make sure that the employer you are speaking with has time at the end of your speech to ask questions. It is good to hear what they think of your pitch, as well as answering questions that they may have.
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Rethink Your Resume Atributes Employers Look For On A Resume
A resume is an applicant’s most powerful tool when it comes to getting hired by a company. An applicant has one page to convey the most important and effective information about themself. This makes it very important to make the most powerful and effective resume! 80%
Leadership
79%
Teamwork Written Communication
70%
Problem-Solving Skills
70% 69%
Verbal Communication
66%
Initiative
Sell It, Don’t Tell It
WHAT
Situation/Task What did you do in the role? Think about every task you completed or are currently doing in that experience, no matter how big or small. Start your bullet statement with an action verb relating to the specific skill you want to demonstrate.
HOW
WHY
Action/Skills How did you do the task? How many times, or how often? Identify how you accomplished the task and what transferable skills you developed or utilized as you completed it. Quantify your experience, timeframe, and/or results whenever possible. Results/Purpose Why did you do the task? This element adds context and results to the tasks. *From the UNL Ultimate Job Search Guide
Tips and Tricks
1
When writing your (optional!) objective, ask yourself the following questions. To what end am I using this resume? What do I hope to gain? What can I contribute to the organization? Blend these answers into an effective statement—your objective should be personal and actionable.
2
Under education, ensure you write out the entire institution and the degree you seek to obtain. As an engineering or construction student, your degree-granting institution is the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
3
Employers want to know when you’ll complete your degree rather than when you began. Keep it simple here with an “expected graduation” or “anticipated graduation” date.
4
List your experience in reverse chronological order. Resumes follow this rule because employers want to know what you’re doing right now, rather than what you did years ago. Consider this: we read left to right and top to bottom, thus what we put at the top of our resume should be the newest and most important information!
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Spend time crafting your bulleted statements that describe your experience. Start with action verbs in the appropriate verb tense, and ask yourself the following questions. What did I do? How did I do it well? Was it measurable—can I quantify or add specifics so employers better understand my work?
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*Provided by Engineering Career Services
1 3 2 4
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*Provided by Engineering Career Services
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Consider This - Career Fairs by Bryce Bierman
Within the College of Engineering, career fairs happen multiple times throughout the academic year. While these occurances hold amazing potential for career development during your undergraduate (and graduate) degree, they are not the only option for industry and professional interaction! Read more in this section to gain insight into the world outside of the classroom.
Importance of Professional Interactions Networking and relationship building require some of the most strategic approaches to reap the greatest benefits. The main purpose of networking events and career fairs, alike, is to get your name out in the professional world. While this can be achieved through different outlets (i.e. professional networking sites like LinkedIn or Handshake), the most effective way is through personal communication and interaction. In most instances, first impressions are formed from the first in-person interaction you have with someone. While both networking events and career fairs achieve a very similar goal, they each have their own unique characteristics from each other.
Career Fairs Career fairs have several aspects that make them different from networking events. Career fairs tend to be more formal and usually require business formal attire. These events generally consist of different employers setting up booths, employers giving out information about their respective businesses, and representatives discussing what traits or skills they are looking for among the applicants. Specific examples of career fairs would be the Durham School Career Fair at UNO or the STEM Career Fair at UNL.
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Networking Events Networking events, in most instances, take a more laidback approach to communication between possible applicants and employers. Because networking events tend to be more informal than career fairs, business casual dress is the most common attire. Networking events are often more of a social event than a formal exchange of information. A common example in Omaha is the Engineers Night Out event that takes place monthly at Dudley’s in Aksarben.
Steps to Success After the Career Fair Business Card Pile-Up Follow-Up Email?
Don’t worry, it does not have to be elaborate. Just send a quick thank you for talking to you and sharing information and tell them about your interest in the company. (see the UNL Ultimate Job Search Guide for an example, available from Engineering Career Services)
LinkedIn Connections
Add the people you talked with on LinkedIn. Make sure to add a personal note with your request, possibly including that you met them at the specific career fair you attended.
Set a Reminder
At the fair, a company representative may have told you to follow up a few months later. If this is the case, still send your original thank you and then set a reminder on your calendar or in your planner to check in with that company.
Post-Interview
Sweet! You had an interview! Send an email or handwritten thank you 24-48 hours after the interview. This is almost always necessary and a great thing to do to top off a good interview. It may even help secure a spot in the running for an internship or job.
See Engineering Career Services
Well, I missed the career fair, what now?
After the career fair, you probably have acquired quite the collection of business cards. First, pile them up and pick out the people you would like to follow up with. If you talked to a certain company for a while or gave them a resume, you should think about sending a quick follow-up email the next day.
As always, the folks at Engineering Career Services are the best resources for anything career or internship related. Stop by PKI 107 if you have any questions or need any help. And always check Handshake for new opportunities! https://unl.joinhandshake.com
They are so many chances to talk with industry. Take advantage of the mixers put on by ASCE, AESLAC, and other student organizations. There are also many career fairs throughout the year. Some are in Lincoln, some are in Omaha, and you can go to both! Be sure to keep on the lookout for any opportunity to attend a career fair or networking event.
*Adapted from Engineering Career Services
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Meet the Magazine Staff Meet the students behind the magazine! Each contributor is a member of the Communications Committee in NESCO and has worked hard all year on their respective sections of the magazine. Get to know them below.
1. What does the Complete Engineer mean to you? 2. What other clubs/organizations are you involved in? 3. What is one thing you wish you knew going into your engineering program? 4. Short biography - tell us about yourself.
Aaron Adams - Junior - Architectural Engineering
1. To me, the Complete Engineer Initiative at UNL focuses on the importance of being able to communicate your ideas as a practicing engineer. No matter your discipline, the ability to share your knowledge and understanding of a problem is critical to being an effective engineer. 2. NESCO, AESLAC, IES Student Chapter 3. Find ways to express your creativity and be yourself! We’re all solving the same problems, but everyone will go through the process in a slightly different way. Those differences are a product of how we define ourselves. 4. I like long walks on the beach and reading stories about life, although neither happen all that often. Recently I’ve learned to appreciate traveling and exploring the world, and music has always been something I’ve enjoyed!
Antony Habib - Junior - Computer Engineering 1. I believe that the Complete Engineer emphasizes broadening your horizons and knowledge as well as growing your non-technical skills so that you can become a better leader and a better engineer. 2. NESCO, IEEE, UN Robotics 3. Form a strong network of friends in your major and you will have a much easier time than you would if you were alone. I am fortunate enough to have that network and wouldn’t know what to do without it. 4. I came from Egypt when I was 5 and a half years old. I picked computer engineering because of my passions for technology and improving the world. In my free time, I hangout with my friends or try to learn something new. This magazine was my first print design creation!
Brianne Inselman - Junior - Architectural Engineering 1. The Complete Engineer is all about making us well rounded, and to better our communities/the world 2. NESCO, IES Student Chapter, Mechanical Contractors Association 3. To get involved and make friends with everyone in your class - we have all of our classes together and it makes it enjoyable and easier to study with classmates. 4. I come from a large family and enjoy spending time with them. When I’m not studying and going to school, I enjoy being active, painting, reading, and trying new things. I got into engineering because I feel I can make a large positive impact on other people and this world. 22
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Brendan Gunter - Sophomore - Computer Engineering 1. The Complete Engineer to me represents the skills and views that you must have to become a successful engineer. 2. NESCO, UN Robotics, IEEE, Engineering Living Learning Community 3. I wish that I would have known about the importance of study groups before going into computer engineering. Having fellow classmates who are willing to meet before tests to discuss previous homework assignments and quizzes before an exam is vital for succeeding in engineering classes. 4. I have lived in Omaha my entire life, and I attended Millard West High School. I have many interests; two of my main interests include computers (obviously) and cars. My dream car is a 2009 Corvette ZR1.
Bryce Bierman - Sophomore - Architectural Engineering 1. The Complete Engineer is the soft skills that you use inside and outside of the classroom that can’t really be taught. You gain these skills through practice and experience. 2. NESCO, Resident Assistant 3. What I can do with my degree 4. I’m from Pierce, Nebraska. When I’m not studying or doing homework, I enjoy listening to music, watching movies, playing video games, and playing sports of pretty much any kind.
Izzy Brown - Sophomore- Architectural Engineering 1. The Complete Engineer Initiative helps students become more well rounded. To me it means that there is more to engineering than just technical skills. 2. NESCO, AESLAC, Resident Assistant 3. I wish I knew that the professors are there to help us and like it when we come in to ask questions. 4. My name is Izzy Brown, I am a sophomore in the Architectural Engineering program. I am from Omaha and went to high school at Mercy High School. In my free time I like to hang out with friends, watch movies, and relax.
Jenna Irwin - Sophomore- Architectural Engineering 1. The Complete Engineer is what every engineer should strive to be. It means to be completely well-rounded when it comes to interpersonal skills and technical skills. A “Complete Engineer” is what I want to be, and the vision keeps me working hard for my future. 2. NESCO, Dance Floor UNO, Teaching Assistant 3. I wish I would have known that everything we learn (even in gen ed’s) builds on top of itself. It is important to learn things the first time around, and not go back and reteach yourself old material. Also, it is important to build a good rapport with peers and classmates, because you might need each other’s help down the road! 4. I’m known for laughing way too much at things that “aren’t that funny,” and I’m not afraid to laugh at myself (a very common occurrence)! My first year of college I would drive once a month to Missouri just for Waffle House. I’m the mom friend with a grandma taste in fashion.
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E-Week 2019
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Sustainability Focused, Environmentally Aware
Once again, E-Week was a huge success for the College of Engineering in 2019. A multitude of events and activities, tons of free food, and great opportunities for development and networking all lead to a supportive and engaging week of engineering fun! If you missed out, be sure to come back next year and see what it’s all about! And as always, such events would not be possible without the help from the ESS staff and the NESCO E-Week team, so a big thank you to them as well. Let’s take a look at a few of the notable events!
National E-Week Many students may not know that E-Week is a national event. It was started in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. From educational institutions to government agencies, E-Week is celebrated by various groups in our area and nationwide. Our counterpart in Lincoln, eSAB, also hosts E-Week events for their engineering students and faculty. While each campus has their own unique traditions, in Lincoln they feature some of the same popular events such as the Pancake Man and Career Development Lunches. Lincoln’s final event each year is a Carnival theme, complete with cotton candy, games, food, and prizes. Similarly, Camp NESCO was a hit on Scott Campus and brought together many engineering students and staff for a fun end to the week.
Golden Eggs This year we did something brand new as part of the E-Week competitions! As opposed to the usual Golden Calculator, the E-Week team decided on the switch to hiding golden eggs! This way students were able to win a bunch of prizes. Before the E-Week festivities began, golden eggs were hidden around PKI inside and outside. Clues for the golden eggs were spread over social media each day. One lucky winner would find and egg with a certificate for a Garmin watch. Others had certificates for Roast Coffee, Aksarben Cinema, and Dudley’s. Our big winner was Devin Brewer; he won the Garmin Watch, a movie gift card and two Roast certificates. Our other big winner was Sarah Kwapnioski who found at least four eggs as well! Congrats to all of the Golden Egg winners, and thanks to everyone who followed the daily clues. We can’t wait to see what next year brings.
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Jukibot Laser Tag (IEEE)
What used to be a common area connecting students from class to class was transformed into a battlefield for wielding electronic blasters and bots. Here, not only did you have to face four other people in laser tag, there were also Jukibots rolling around attacking anyone in site. These Jukibots were created by our own ECE grad from 2013, Steven Dodds. He worked for an amazing company in California where he evaluated SpaceX rockets, but decided to break away to follow his desire to create his own product. He moved to China in order to get a better understanding and work with people to help develop the Jukibot, quickly leading to a successful product. Overall 10/10 would recommend playing laser tag with fellow engineers while throwing Jukibots into the mix. It makes for a great time!
Paint and Sip (SWE)
In the efforts to embrace our inner Bob Ross, SWE hosted a Paint and Sip event. With appetizers and lemonade, we sat down and did our best to follow the amazing Bob Ross with his high quality paints and supplies - not to mention his outstanding talents. While we had sponge brushes, cardboard like canvas, and tempera paint, but we still gave it our best shot! Overall it was a ton of fun and there were lots of laughs. Many remarkable paintings that came from this event, many of which are still posted on our fridges to this day!
Keynote Speaker
This year, Scott Campus hosted a keynote speaker for the first time during E-Week! Lincoln has had a guest speaker in past years and so it was only time that we follow their lead. This year, we welcomed Jamie Carson, CEO and Founder of Carson+Co Global, to our campus for a presentation on Mainstreaming Sustainability. With a presentation directly correlated to the theme of E-Week 2019, Jamie enriched our lunch session with a great event that brought food and a valuable perspective on ways to create an impact with our engineering aspirations. We look forward to continuing this keynote session for years to come. Innovation and unique perspectives are always a nice touch during a week of Engineering celebration.
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Snow Day
In anticipation for the blizzard of the century, the University closed in preparation… Turns out the snow didn’t start until late afternoon, but boy are we grateful for two reasons 1. We are students and always appreciate a day off 2. Once it started snowing, it sure did snow As a result, three events were rescheduled - Engineers Night Out and the UNASA Movie Night were both put on a week later. Also, Mindful Bagel was postponed a day, but impressive attendance on Thursday showed it seemed to not be an issue.
Trebuchet Building Competition (ASCE)
Thanks to ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), as Thursday morning classes concluded, engineering students raced down the stairs to PKI’s Atrium to claim their slices of Godfather’s pizza and start constructing their trebuchets. Trebu…what? Not only did a lot of students learn what a trebuchet was and how to build one, but many students spent their time repeating the word and figuring out its pronounciation. A trebuchet is a catapult of sorts, but it uses a sling to launch a projectile. The goal for everyone was to successfully launch a ping pong ball the farthest. Students used predictable supplies like popsicle sticks, balsa wood, toothpicks, and rubber bands, but also more innovative materials such as batteries (used as a counterweight), losing tickets (from raffle), and the little plastic “tables” that come on top of pizzas. After working together, three trebuchets were completed and fully operational. From study areas across PKI, cries of success and failure and sounds of ping pong balls hitting the floor could be heard from the Atrium. This event was one of the highest attended events, among the likes of the Pancake Man and Camp NESCO!
Camp NESCO Camp NESCO concluded the E-Week festivities for 2019. This event was a huge success. The E-Week team really tried to embrace the theme of Sustainability in this final event. For example, rather than using disposable table cloths they borrowed cloth table cloths for the event. Additionally, biodegradable utensils and plates were added to the mix and attendees were provided mason jar mugs and metal College of Engineering straws to promote sustainability. At Camp NESCO, the inflatable jousting and trikes were brought back from last year. These activities were a lot of fun and let engineers express their competitive spirit. Various door prizes wrapped up the event and promoted high hopes of winning with a positive look back on the week. Even prizes were outdoor themed to promote outdoor adventure and sustainability awareness. For more information on all of the events that took place, or for a look into next year’s E-Week celebration, check out https://engineering.unl.edu/e-week/omaha-e-week-schedule/
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ASCE Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen? We currently have 35 members registered for the 2018-2019 academic year and students can become a member at any of our ASCE meetings throughout the year. We allow students in any grade and major to become members of ASCE. We currently have four freshmen, but we would love to have more in the future!
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? We used most of our funding to support our concrete canoe team. The funding paid for supplies and registration for our regional conference. Last year the team competed in Carbondale, Illinois and San Diego, California.
How often does your student organization meet? We currently have one formal chapter meeting per month and our concrete canoe team meets once a week. We also have several volunteer opportunities throughout the semester that our members help at.
Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? Last year we had 12 members compete at the regional concrete canoe competition and we sent five members to nationals in California. We placed seventh at regionals and qualified to go to national through a wildcard drawing. At nationals we competed against 20+ of the best teams in the world and we learned a lot about how to improve our mix design and presentation 28
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in order to increase our chances of success in the future. ASCE also offers a GeoWall and sustainability competition that we would like to compete in the future, but we need more members to help lead and be on the team. In past years we have also competed in a steel bridge competition and we would love to get more involved in that again as well!
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do? Each year we host a Truss Bustin’ Competition where high school students come to PKI from all over the Omaha area. The students design trusses at their high schools and then come test them to see who had the strongest and best design. We also have partnered with our state ASCE chapter to do outreach at the Omaha Children’s Museum. We helped children build structures out of toothpicks and dots candy. After the kids built the structures, we related it to civil engineering, and gave the kids some Legos so they can continue designing in the future.
What is your overall goal as an organization? Our goal is to improve the overall experience of studying Civil Engineering through guest speakers presenting about specific projects, their companies and the endless possibilities a Civil degree holds. We also help to provide the students with a network of peers, faculty, and industry professionals. We also provide our members the opportunity to learn technical skills with hands on experience through our competition teams. These teams also help students to improve their leadership and teamwork skills and provide them with the opportunity to learn from and network with ASCE students from all over the United States.
EERI Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen? There are currently 14 members in EERI ranging from freshmen to seniors (and occasionally even graduate students!) EERI is always excited to have more members and welcome new faces regularly. We are open to any major but find that most of our members are Civil Engineering or Architectural Engineering because we focus on structural engineering. This year we have three freshmen members, who help in all aspects of our club. We encourage freshmen to learn from our upperclassmen. Earthquake Engineering isn’t a focus in classes given that we live in Nebraska (a very low seismic risk area), so we think that EERI offers students something they cannot find in the classroom.
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? We used our funding to register the members of the club traveling to compete in the Seismic Design Competition. This year the competition is in Vancouver, Canada and we have 7 members attending. The Seismic Design competition is an international, invite only competition where teams make scale models of skyscrapers and analyze them using a computer software. We are also scored on our overall presentation. Our goal for this year was to compete and place higher than last year (10th place). We are still awaiting our results but we are very happy to have been invited to compete. NESCO helps make it possible for our members to attend the conference.
How often does your student organization meet? Our meeting schedule changes based on the time of year. On average we meet once a week for one to two hours. Closer to competition we tend to meet more often. Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? Yes, we compete in the Annual Seismic Design Competition internationally. Last year in 2018 we got 10th place out of 40 schools that were accepted. As mentioned, we are happy to have been invited back and look forward to our results this year.
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do? In the past we have hosted a high school seismic design competition, but with low interest, we did not this year. We are looking to reinstate or find new ways of outreach in the upcoming year.
What is your overall goal as an organization? Our goal is to educate students about seismic effects on structures and to improve our technical skills. This goal is achieved mostly through a cycle of information gathering and passing on from upperclassmen to underclassmen. We are working to improve our technical education with lunch and learns from industry professionals in the upcoming year.
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PKI-IEEE Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen?
and providing build projects that students can create/ program themselves. This allows engineering students to practice skills that they will use throughout their coursework.
We have 8 executive officers performing various roles including Treasurer, Project Engineer, and Relations Officer, and a fluid member base of more than 40 students. We encourage everyone, freshmen especially, to join. The experience that our upperclassmen members and executive officers can pass down to them is very valuable and members have a much higher graduation rate than non-members.
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do?
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? We primarily use our NESCO funding towards projects for our members. Without the NESCO funding, our members would have had to pay out of pocket for our Raspberry Pi Assistant project and we may not have been able to provide as many people with the experience. However, we were able to offer this project at no cost, essentially giving out free Raspberry Pi’s to people who signed up.
How often does your student organization meet? We usually meet at least once a month, but we have been able to increase that this semester. We also do at least one member project per semester.
Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? We do not compete in any competitions. Instead, we focus our effort and funding on designing, engineering,
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We run the concession stand at the Nebraska Robotics Expo, which is an annual robotics competition for Nebraska middle and high schools. We are able to interact with students from all over Nebraska while also getting volunteer service hours. We also facilitate volunteering in partnership with UNMC for Go Baby Go, a volunteering opportunity in which engineering students re-wire toy cars for children with disabilities. This is an extremely valuable experience for the children and can offer them life-changing mobility.
What is your overall goal as an organization? Our goal is to give ECE students the resources they need to succeed in the major. We have a studentrun store that allows students to purchase electrical components, meet with interesting speakers and industry professionals, work with professors to provide courses with the parts they need, and provide networking opportunities with both employers and upperclassmen. Our organization is open not just to ECE students, but all engineering students and anyone who has an interest in Electrical and Computer Engineering. We love what we do and want other people to have the chance to enjoy it, too.
SWE Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen? SWE membership is available to college students pursuing a degree in engineering, engineering technology, or a field related to engineering and not employed full time in an engineering position. While we only have one or two freshmen right now, we love having students of any age and encourage all to join!
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? Last semester, we took a group of 13 members to Minneapolis to attend the National SWE Conference and Career Fair. We all learned and grew from the experience and we even had a member who got a full time job out of the event! We aim to broaden our horizons and NESCO’s funding helped achieve that. Additionally, NESCO helped fund a Paint and Sip event we put on during E-Week. This semester, we will be using our NESCO funding to put on an end-of-semester weekend retreat where we can relax, study, and hear from industry speakers.
How often does your student organization meet? We meet once every two weeks as a group and have additional events and volunteer opportunities interspersed throughout.
Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? The focus of our SWE chapter is community service and professional development, so we don’t have a competition that we host or compete in each year. However, there are certainly opportunities for members to compete at a national level, such as with the “Wow! Innovation Challenge” that SWE puts on each year and various other opportunities through SWE Global. Additionally, national scholarships and leadership positions are available to active members with interest.
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do? We aim to be connected with the community and seek out volunteer opportunities to perform as a group. For example, we participated in Habitat for Humanity this school year and next school year we are helping host an outreach event to introduce young girls to engineering. Additionally, SWE global has a mentoring program that all members are able to take part in.
What is your overall goal as an organization? Our overall goal as an organization is to empower women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering and technology professions as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity and inclusion. We also encourage creative and intelligent girls at an early age to explore the field of engineering.
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AESLAC Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen? We have 32 total members. Each year, we select 6-8 new Architectural Engineering freshmen students to join. We do recruiting in November and admit new freshmen to the group in December. We are always excited to see what each new class of freshmen brings to the group!
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? We use NESCO funding to put on Lunch and Learns and to help fund conference registration. NESCO funding is integral to what we do as an organization. Attending the Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) conference every year helps our members stay on the forefront of our industry. It also presents an opportunity to network with other AE students, faculty, and industry from across the nation. Our goal for Lunch and Learn events is to help broaden the knowledge base of students beyond the classroom. We host on a variety of topics and try to include at least one lunch that every engineering student can attend.
How often does your student organization meet? We hold monthly general board meetings, with an additional committee meeting that’s also held monthly. These meetings are great because they fit in our schedules but are very effective at sharing updates and ideas.
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Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? We compete in things like AEI Canstruction and research poster contests. These competitions revolve around the AEI Conference which is great for professional development and involvement.
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do? We strive to use our engineering knowledge to make our communities a better place. This can include projects like design work for outdoor classrooms, acoustical analysis of performance spaces, and set crafting, among many other things. We also perform outreach at high schools and the Durham School Explorers’ Posts events. This is done to broaden the knowledge that high school students have about Architectural Engineering.
What is your overall goal as an organization? The Architectural Engineering Student Leadership and Advisory Committee (AESLAC)’s purposes are to oversee the Architectural Engineering Program, student activities, and other concerns of its students. In addition, AESLAC represents architectural engineering students to the faculty, to the director of the AE Program, and to the citizens of Nebraska. AESLAC also serves as the student AEI chapter, making it one of the few in the country.
UN Robotics Student Org. Highlight How many members are in your student organization? Do you allow freshmen to gain membership? If so, how many of your members are freshmen? The club currently has 10 members but is looking to grow as we take on larger projects and competitions. The current members in the club are sophomores and juniors, but the club is open to all grade levels and would be excited to have freshmen who are actively involved in the club. Freshmen members would gain both hardware and software skills that they cannot gain inside the classroom. We are looking for any freshmen with the desire to join to bring new skills and experience to the team.
What did you use your funding from NESCO for? How did it help you achieve your goals? We used NESCO funding to help buy the component that we use to build our projects. We typically need many controllers, sensors, motors, actuators, and various tools to complete our projects and NESCO funding is essential to acquiring these items. In addition, NESCO funding is used to help members cover the cost of attending competitions that the club members attend.
How often does your student organization meet? The club meets once a week to discuss the progress that members have made on their own time and to continue working on the project collectively. We meet on Fridays, for about one hour but are flexible and see which time works best to meet for the members each semester. Most of the work on the project occurs outside the meeting times.
Does your student organization compete in any sort of competitions? If so, how well did you perform? We compete in the Applied Collegiate Exoskeleton (ACE) competition that is hosted by Michigan University. The competition was held for the first time last year and five schools in total attended. Different schools were able to meet, discuss concepts, and learn from each other’s designs. The competition is focused around rescue and involves a challenging obstacle course meant to test various aspects of the suit. We are looking forward to attending the conference again this year with a new and improved suit.
Does your organization have any sort of outreach program? What do you do? We had an outreach program in the past, but due to focus on the project we were not able to have it this year. With new members we would bring back the outreach program to help encourage younger students to have an interest in the robotics field.
What is your overall goal as an organization? The overall goal of the organization is to allow students to increase their knowledge when it comes to designing, building, and programming robots. There are not many classes at the college that can provide this experience, and this is a very good way to get some hands-on experience. We also want to provide an opportunity for students interested in robotics to get together, collaborate with each other, and share their knowledge and experiences.
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Check Out Our Recognized Student Organizations by Bryce Bierman
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AESLAC - Architectural Engineering Student Leadership and Advisory Committee
PKI IEEE - Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers
AGC - Associated General Contractors of America
IES - Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
ASA - Acoustical Society of America
MAES/SHPE - Latinos in Science and Engineering
ASCE - American Society of Civil Engineers
MESC - Mechanical Electrical Specialty Contractors
ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and AirConditioning Engineers
NESCO - Nebraska Engineering Student Council at Omaha
Chi Epsilon - Civil Engineering National Honor Society
NSBE - National Society of Black Engineers
EERI - Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
UN Robotics - University of Nebraska Robotics
Engineering Ambassador Network
SAME - Society of American Military Engineers
EWB - Engineers Without Borders
SWE - Society of Women Engineers
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What is NESCO? NESCO is the student council for the College of Engineering on the Omaha campus. ‘NESCO’ stands for Nebraska Engineering Student Council at Omaha. Its members take on many responsibilities for the college and the engineering student body, from putting on events and managing finances to running social media and even writing the magazine. You can think of it as the bridge between the college and the students. One of the main priorities of NESCO is to serve engineering clubs and student organizations. Every year, the college allocates funds to student organizations for projects, trips, and other needs. It is NESCO’s job to distribute these funds to the engineering organizations and clubs. Many organizations send representatives to NESCO for this reason. This helps clubs and organizations receive funding in an easy and productive fashion. NESCO makes it easy for students to communicate any needs or requests. Members work to quickly address
anything students may need. You can contact NESCO at nesco.uno@gmail.com or talk to any of the members and your request, need, or problem will be addressed in the next meeting. Students can also sit in on or speak at any monthly meetings if they wish. One of NESCO’s other priorities is hosting several events for the College of Engineering throughout the year. Its members run monthly events such as games, community service, industry meet-ups, and other events that can be fun and valuable to engineering students. Each year NESCO also sets up a week of engineering-related events during National Engineers Week, which you can read more about in the E-Week section (Page 24). Year round, NESCO works to serve the engineering community. Its members are committed to keeping the college running smoothly and making sure that complicated problems are efficiently resolved.
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Find NESCO on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/NESCOmaha Find NESCO on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/NESCOmaha Find NESCO on Twitter! https://twitter.com/NESCOmaha
All photos supplied by the members of NESCO or those who were interviewed, including student orgs, unless otherwise noted. Images Used: https://hitconsultant.net/2017/05/16/biomedical-engineering-trends/#.XLVQ4i-ZNZ0 https://www.theneweconomy.com/energy/renewable-energy-empowers-consumers-to-take-charge-of-theirenergy-usage https://www.3dnatives.com/en/3d-prostheses-100420184/ The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX, Disability or Discrimination Inquiries: Institutional Equity and Compliance 128 Canfield Administration Building Lincoln, NE 68588-0437 (402) 472-3417 equity2@unl.edu