The I’s in Engineering

Ignite. Interact. Innovate. Inspire. These are four core principles that align closely with why I am passionate about engineering. As a young girl, I was always interested in building or working with my hands—I played the violin, made jewelry and cards, and eagerly looked forward to when my dad and I would put new furniture together. My mom first put the idea of engineering in my head, and from there, I really grew to love the idea of becoming an engineer, to be someone who creates. Then, I came across biomedical engineering in high school, and I knew that was what I wanted to do. It was fascinating how medicine and engineering intertwined and how the relationship can be applied in a myriad of ways. I am now a bioengineering student at Oakland University practicing my principles as well as encouraging other students to do the same.

Ignite. This is the first step for a young person to see if engineering is a field that really sparks their interest. Do they want to design products for a job? Would they like working with cars, boats, bridges, or rockets? Do they like working with computer-aided design (CAD) or programming? The list of questions is endless, but I would encourage young students to explore their options and find out what captivates them. There are so many different types of engineering available today that if a student had a slight interest in engineering, they would be able to find their niche.

Interact. This step is one of the most important and plays a large role in your learning. As a high school student, it is extremely hard to think about having to choose a path for a career that you might work in for 40 years. To learn more about a field, you must put yourself out there and reach out to people. This could mean talking to current students, college professors, or people working in the industry, all of whom are more than happy to share their experiences and knowledge. As someone who tends to be the quieter person in the room, I still struggle with this, but with practice, it gets easier and from my experience, the people that I have talked to are welcoming and instantly make me more comfortable. Additionally, as president of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, I have had the opportunity to learn more about different paths in bioengineering as well as connect other engineering students to people in academia and industry, so I would highly recommend getting involved in clubs. They are an excellent way of meeting students with similar interests and a great way to make new connections. Interacting with others is an integral part of engineering, and it is necessary to have the skills to work with peers and build off each other’s ideas. You form a camaraderie with fellow students and engineers and being able to hear their thoughts and passions is very inspirational.

Innovate. Engineers are thinkers, creators, builders, inventors. They come up with solutions for problems and improve existing situations. As an engineer, you get to be a problem solver, and along with the many types of engineering degrees, there are a variety of working environments that can accommodate someone who likes to physically work with their hands, someone who prefers designing from a computer, and someone who might want to do both. For me, I loved the idea of having a job where I could create things that help others. Delving into the unknown is exciting; it is like exploring new land that no one knew existed and not even knowing how far it goes. Engineers push boundaries and the horizon never gets closer to you as you keep walking—there is always more to explore.

Inspire. As an engineer now, you have responsibility for the next generation of potential engineers. It is important to be open to passing down your learned wisdom so that even when you are no longer working, all the people that you made an impact on are carrying forth your ideas and then building them even greater. I am fortunate to have been able to represent the Bioengineering department at events and I am always so excited to have future students come to my table wanting to learn more about the field. Achieving your goals and demonstrating your passion is an inspiration for the younger generation.

Engineering is not about one person. The only I’s in engineering are ignite, interact, innovate, and inspire.

Esd Writing Contest Runner Up

MADISON HINMAN is studying product design and manufacturing and biomedical engineering at Grand Valley State University. Her anticipated graduation date is May 2025. Madison also wrote an advice column and answered the question “What advice would you give either your mentors or upcoming students/young engineers in relation to the world of engineering?”

We have all heard of the head versus heart dichotomy. Those who think with their head tend to be driven by reason and logic. Meanwhile, those led by their heart are driven by emotion. Engineers tend to be the former. We thrive on reason and logic. As an engineer, it is certainly beneficial to solve problems analytically and with indisputable calculations. However, we cannot forget why we are solving these problems; we cannot lose the heart of engineering.

In May of 2022, I started my first cooperative experiential learning rotation at Autocam Medical, a contract medical device manufacturer. For this entire rotation, I worked as a machinist which allowed me to acquire a more in-depth understanding of the machine I worked on, including its constraints. I also gained immense respect and appreciation for machinists and the challenges they face each day. On my first day of work, I was informed that I would be working in the Alcon department. This department specializes in manufacturing phacoemulsification handpieces, devices utilized in cataract surgeries.

Throughout the summer, I aided in the production of the bolts and shafts that are a part of the aspiration line— the line that draws the cataract out of the eye during the procedure—in the final assembled handpiece. Each part is turned on a CNC Swiss lathe, then undergoes various methods to measure dimensions. Consequently, my job primarily consisted of ensuring every bolt and shaft was within specification. If a part was not within specification, I had to determine the error with the machine and correct the problem. The repetitive nature of checking each part could easily lead to mindlessness and mistakes. I learned that not filtering out-of-specification parts could lead to greater issues in operations later on and negatively affect my co-workers in other departments, such as laser welding. Additionally, I quickly became aware of the strong connection between my job and a loved one. The quality of the product I produced was not only necessary but was very personal.

When my sister was six years old, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disease.

Moreover, in recent years, she has been diagnosed with Coats disease. Coats disease is associated with abnormal development of the blood vessels in the retina. My sister is now twenty-three years old and legally blind. She receives eye injections regularly to aid in reducing the fluid buildup in her eyes. A side effect of the eye injections is cataracts, which she developed in both eyes. Therefore, at the end of the summer of 2022, my sister had cataract surgery in her right eye. In November of 2022, she had cataract surgery in her left eye as well. We found out from the surgeon that the handpiece used in my sister’s procedures was the same brand as the handpieces I assisted in manufacturing while at Autocam Medical.

During the summer, I knew of my sister’s upcoming cataract surgeries. Therefore, I looked at each bolt and shaft as one that could be in the handpiece used in my sister’s procedures. Not only did I learn the effect my job had on subsequent operations, but that the quality of my work could directly impact the health of my own sister. Since then, I have developed a big-picture mindset and passion behind the work I do as an engineer. I cannot solve a problem simply for the sake of solving the problem. The solution I develop must be at a caliber in which I feel comfortable and confident in the impact it would have on a loved one. Engineering with loved ones in mind creates a fire of passion within you, paving the way to higher quality work.

It is easy to get caught up in the design, the numbers, the components of a device, the complicated code, and all other aspects of engineering. Nevertheless, we cannot lose sight of the impact our job has on people. Whether you are a professor, in industry, a mentor, a student, or a young engineer, my advice to you is this: imagine your loved one behind every problem you solve. In the classroom, we are taught the theory behind various engineering principles. When we apply the theory outside the classroom, we must also consider who we are impacting and how we are impacting them. Thus, throughout your life as an engineer, it is imperative that you do not lose the heart of engineering.

Esd Writing Contest Runner Up

MARIANNA OSENTOKSI is a Michigan State University Mechanical Engineering student with an anticipated graduation date of December 2023. She chose the topic “What’s your favorite SciFi or Fantasy story, why, and how is engineering involved in the storyline?”

The world of science fiction has always been surrounded with an aura of fantastic imagination, fabulous innovations, and impossible accomplishments. This genre has dreamed the future and challenged creative minds with the questions “What if this was truly possible, and how can it be achieved?”

Of all science fiction, some of the best examples that illustrate this are the Star Trek series. Since its inception in 1966, this cult classic has introduced various designs, concepts, and inventions into the common vocabulary. Devices such as phasers, tricorders, replicators, transporters, warp drives, communicators, comm badges and more have piqued our curiosity, and challenged our inventiveness and creativity. What if all these ideas are truly possible and just waiting to be engineered? The challenge was made and accepted.

Today, in the 21st century, there are many innovations in use that bear a striking resemblance to the fantastic concepts of the Star Trek creators and writers. Taser devices can stun and immobilize much like a phaser set to stun. Voice activated computers and devices such as Alexa and Siri can provide information, turn on lights, play music, make reservations and more simply in response to a voice request. Three dimensional printers can create usable objects calling to mind the starship’s many replicators. Auto-pilot controls now exist to pilot our planes and cars. Mobile phones, smart watches, trackers, and similar devices can locate individuals, track them, communicate with them, and even monitor their breathing, heart rate, and cardiac status much like the futuristic comm badges of the Enterprise crews.

Captain Kirk’s “on screen” conferences with other ships, worlds, and command centers exist today as our facetime, chat rooms, video calls, and zoom meetings. Virtual reality entertainment is an entry level holo-suite program. Medical devices such as needle-less hypo sprays, wireless monitoring devices, and non-invasive procedures resemble much of the medical equipment found in Dr. McCoy’s sick bay. Present day space labs, space stations, and satellite systems are basic forms of the elaborate ones seen in the series. Today, almost every individual carries a personal computer device in the form of a mobile phone or a tablet. In The Next Generation , they were referred to as PADD’s (Personal Access Display Devices).

The world of artificial intelligence, although still in its infancy, holds promise to one day develop androids as sophisticated as Data. In the world of star travel, the universal translator enabled the crew to communicate with any race encountered. Today, we have a variety of translation apps for both the spoken and written word that works almost as rapidly as Uhura’s.

“To boldly go where no one has gone before!”