People around me would describe me as dedicated, hard-working, and upbeat! Though I feel my internal world is speedy, dreamy, and technical. In some ways, I reflect who I am outwardly, though I am learning to see myself through new lenses, learning other people's perspectives, and being bold enough to experiment with a new appearance, attitude, or practicing new interests. I’m at a point in my journey where I’m seeking for my internal and external identities to align. In the abstract, I am a dynamic person looking to change and grow. My motivations have changed. When I began college, I studied to get an Associate of Art in Art. I had a back injury. My health issues spurred me to begin studying from home and stop working. A few years later, I was doing better physically, and I had achieved my degree. There is no understating how important art was for me integrating back into working and social roles. Now that I'm better, I have found new peace that has led me to experience and experiment more. I changed my job so I could improve my income. Finding good income was challenging, but I am officially out of debt and have reliable transportation. Strategizing and problem-solving is one of my motivations! I'm always looking for things to fix and people to help. An interest of mine that I find myself problem-solving for my community is repairing and maintaining vehicles. During the past few years I have been working on my own van more often, and I'm also helping people around me with maintenance and repairs on their vehicles. I love the puzzle of troubleshooting and replacing parts, and I get to learn more about mechanics in the process. What I want to do with my life is pursue knowledge to develop, fix, and innovate drone technology. I want to share information about drones with more people and encourage women to participate by becoming certified part 107 drone pilots because I always doubted my ability to. By being a woman in STEM and in engineering, I'm becoming a possible motivation for other women who share my interest. I'm also hoping to set myself up to have a stable home in the future. STEM is exciting because there are always new issues that need solutions. My drive to seek improvements and knowledge fits the bill for engineers and designers in STEM. In a broader scope than my career interest, there are always new scientific advancements to read about. As we learn more broadly about the world we live in, we inspire new learning in other scientists. I'm planning on making a positive impact by encouraging people to learn more, find access, and get hands-on with drones. I’m hoping that I can become involved with improving drone delivery services so that sensitive deliveries can be made to rural places more effectively when there may be muddy roads or barriers blocking the way. My biggest dream is that drones can become a life saving tool. I know that I can share skills with people around me to help them create more opportunities for themselves, and I believe it’s possible for me to find the right organization to develop drones ethically to fill a gap in transportation in our country to reach people who need help quickly. The greatest challenge I have had is my difficult childhood, which I feel led to my back injury. I grew up with alcoholic parents. I spent a lot of time alone. I read with the hopes that knowledge would be my salvation. When I didn’t have books, I would draw. Becoming a young adult, I made shifty friends because of the role models in my life. One of these friends hurt my back when I was twenty, against my will. Along with books, art had always been a coping mechanism. This was a transition period in my life where I began higher education. I attribute part of the solution to my struggle to the fact I started school. The change in my environment led to better friends, better opportunities, and exposure to the practice of my childhood coping mechanisms. Art was like the first language I learned that actually helped me connect with the world around me. I took a few communication classes to practice verbalizing more effectively. In one of these classes I had a speech I presented where I involved a piece of artwork, and I could tell I made a deep impact on my classmates. Learning more was equipping me with skills I needed to feel successful. The change in my environment was helpful to improving my situation, and after time my back healed. I had gone through therapy and treatment during this time as well. From before college to after college my perspective changed: I had previously felt like a victim that everything happened to, while now I feel like an active participant in the world, creating my own vision of my life through autonomy. I managed to get past this challenge by finding a healthy environment, learning to communicate better, and meditating with myself on how my internal and external world needed to adjust for me to feel truly alive. Finally, I find myself with a goal. Through my childhood/young adult years of insecurity, volatility, and helplessness I had no motivation. I found STEM fascinating, but I always doubted my ability to be involved. This chapter of my life moved through conflict to a resolution, and I found that at the end of that chapter a new one begins. I’m in a better chapter now with a true motivation to learn how to build, repair, and re-create what drones can be the way I did with myself. I have new conflicts to parse through. It’s thanks to my peace of mind that I can seek true success, and I hope through my process I can share this ability to change with people around me.

Growing up, books were my best friends. I craved a stimulated imagination, and often I would read during recess. I did play pretend and climb, though my mental world was the best place to explore. Fantasy and Sci-Fi were my favorite genre, and after becoming an adult, I discovered a love for reading about technology, psychology, and self-help. My passion for knowledge was sparked by novels, and when I felt empowered in my intelligence that strive to learn more encouraged me through personal struggles with my family and self-confidence. I am a non-traditional student as I'm pursuing my Bachelor's degree in my late twenties, which was the best decision for me. Graduating high school, I still existed in my mind. During my early twenties I started exploring outside of my internal world more, taking on increasingly hands-on projects and activities as well as socializing more in college, while pursuing an Associate degree. Waiting and getting started after the usual age was the right choice for me, and my development into an outgoing and pro-social young adult was perfectly timed with my increased involvement during freshly post-COVID, on-campus activities like Honor Societies, Student Government Association, and psychology & art club. Waiting for the intention and inspiration to take action has been the best for me, leading to an intrinsically fulfilling learning experience where I delve deep into the conversations and context surrounding the curriculum, assignments, and classmates/teachers. I discovered how important the humans around me are to my learning and retention at a deeper level and how humanity is the reason to pursue a higher development of something from my education. The betterment of society is something that I subconsciously have been pursuing since I started college. Patience has been necessary for my development into a functional adult seeking a successful life and to improve the world around me. During this germination period of my self-actualization, I became more mechanical. I have worked on my own vehicle since I was still in High School, but I came to enjoy the problem solving aspects of repairs. I also came to enjoy helping my friends solve their mechanical problems as well. My creative background from my Associate's degree helps me solve these issues with my visual-spatial mind and consideration of materials, though I also began learning more about mechanical engineering and electrical engineering because of an invention patent my dad had made for a Vertical Take Off and Landing device (VTOL). My family had a history of love for airplanes and flying machines, and I've always shown great interest in drones. My dad's passion woke up a new interest for me, being able to develop drones, repair them, or design new improvements with the goal of improving humanity. I began to wonder about drone delivery services because I currently work as a delivery courier and there are important medical and medication deliveries that might be able to be made by drone to save lives. I learned more about engineering concepts out of my interest in how drones work, how they could possibly be changed, and I realized that I should pursue a Bachelor's Degree if I'm spending free time learning so that I can actually get hands-on experience working on drones. Now I'm working overtime to save for school, applying to scholarships, and doing everything I can to set myself up for success. Taking my time to set my first year of school up financially means that Air Force ROTC will be able to cover the following years with scholarships for me and I will be able to avoid debt. Patience pays off.

In my future, I want to feel challenged. I'm interested in working on designing, repairing, or building drones in my career. I like solving mechanical puzzles because physical problem-solving is a strong skill of mine and I enjoy that the mental focus required keeps me engaged. Having an occupation that challenges me is important, and my interest in the physics of flight led me to pursue an aeronautical degree rather than mechanics. My family influences me because I was raised surrounded by the love of flying machines. My father had model planes that would fly, and my mom bought me something similar to a drone, though it was called a glider and was on the market before drones became commercially popular as toys. Because of the difference between the glider I had and standard drones that use propellers to create lift, I've been intrigued by various designs that create vertical flight rather than using wings to create lift gradually. My glider was a transforming design that spun vertically, launching itself into the sky, then spinning from the middle to become a glider that flew like an airplane. I haven't seen a toy like that since. Though my family shared a lot of passion with me, both of my parents were and still are financially insecure. My dad has reached Social Security age, so he's in a better situation, and my mother is on disability so she has her bills covered every month. Sometimes I still have to help my mom, she gets scammed occasionally. Financial literacy was something I had to start learning on my own. I no longer hold the belief that I am broke and can't afford to go to school; I am actively earning the opportunity. Because I'm interested in pursuing aeronautical engineering with a focus on drones, I did research to find a school that would support this specific niche. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ is a great school whose location specifically offers more hands-on experience working with drones, so I am working overtime to be able to save and cover the cost of my first year. Once I pay for the first year, I have been told that Air Force ROTC will cover the rest of the years if I get good grades. This scholarship helps me pay for my first year of school-the first step to help me reach the dream of creating, improving, and inspiring flying machines. I have to get good grades my first year, which will take a lot of focus because of engineering coursework. The benefit of having more funding for school means that I can work a bit less while studying and have more peace of mind to take care of my health and grades. Being able to get good sleep is important to learning, but when someone is going to classes, working, and studying it seems like self-care time decreases. Sleep is irreplaceable when it comes to learning, and because I'll be involved with ROTC I will likely have a bit less time outside of coursework and any physical training to maintain other parts of my life. Finally, more funding and thus a greater amount of free time also allows me to join student organizations that also provide funding for housing and scholarships. Getting assistance now puts me in a comfortable place to work hard and succeed in school, which is why I'm currently working overtime and applying to applications with little personal time leftover. Preparation means that I'll be able to live in the moment while learning, instead of fighting to survive while learning.

Being a first-generation student means that I can overcome generational challenges that my parents have been fighting during their lives. On top of healing this generational pain that I've been exposed to since I was young, being able to get through school without the burden of heavy debt means that I can create a clean foundation to build something meaningful for myself and my future family. When I was young, both of my parents were alcoholics and used marijuana. I saw my dad fight for sobriety from alcohol, which he has maintained for over ten years. My mother stopped smoking cigarettes. Seeing my parents win their battles with their demons modeled that I could do it too. What was also modeled by my parents was that weed is a "good" thing to use. I learned it had no disadvantages, it wasn't addictive, and it was helpful; The habit that I picked up as a teenager became a vice, and eventually I stopped smoking. I have not used weed for over a year and a half. I have learned about the dangers it poses, especially to young minds and people with a predisposition to mental health challenges. As an adult, I realized my parents have been trying to cope with their emotional histories by medicating, though using substances has added to their suffering. Because I didn't want to repeat that, I worked on my mental health, stopped using marijuana, and I started focusing on building a career for myself. Until I was truly mentally well and had stopped using weed, I didn't really have goals. My desire for a fulfilling job, not just a job that could pay my bills, came with the mental clarity that I worked hard for. That was the time that I began feeling like I had been behaving like my parents. I want to embrace certain aspects that my parents have: their determination and handiwork, their inventive problem-solving, but I needed financial savvy and networking connections to build success in my life. Something I inherited from my dad is his inventiveness and passion for flying machines. He managed to have a patent filed on a Vertical Take Off and Landing device that uses centripetal force as a propellant system, which I took inspiration from to start learning more about the different forces involved, the physics surrounding spinning bearings, how electromagnetic tools and spin can affect force and electrons, etc. I really want to work on this device to bring it to life. I also inherited my name from my dad. I am Jeri Josephine, the girl counterpart to his Jerrold Joseph. I learned to work on cars because my mom set me up to learn to fix my own vehicles. I became my own person through my parents' encouragement and through their troubles. I now ride a motorcycle, a decision of my own volition. Part of me is what I inherited from my parents, and it's my job to cultivate good habits from seeds I have.

My mom got me a glider toy in third grade that could take off vertically and transform in the sky to fly horizontally. That was in 2009, right before drones became commercially popular. The power of flying machines to take off vertically and move freely in all directions was being realized, though a huge setback in their design was the lightweight bodies and fragile propellers, limiting the utility of drones to scouting and visual operations. I see so much potential in drones because of my childhood interest in remote-controlled flying machines, and I am inspired by the innovation I saw in that early toy that transformed mid-flight, as I have never seen that kind of creative thinking since commercial drones became available. My journey through young adulthood into adulthood led me to build confidence in myself. My confidence has allowed me to become a great listener who thinks before responding, which I find my peers appreciate greatly. It's important for me to lead by being a team-leader through listening and observation, which might give me clues about how people are feeling without them explicitly saying things. When I went to community college, I took a few extra communication classes because I thought having a broad understanding of good communication would be important in my professional life. Communication includes a lot of non-verbal body language, so listening is an undervalued skill of leaders. My communication is important to the way I set a leadership example for my peers at work today. Though I am simply an employee who is lower in the hierarchy, I am depended on to help people by my leaders to smooth over gaps in performance and keep the team running smoothly. My rapport with my coworkers means that helping them is easier and I am trusted by my bosses. Back in high school, I was the president of art club and passionate about art. My peers would often ask me for advice on their pieces, and I would gently give my opinions to them by thinking about how my art teacher would see the piece. Going into college, we were taught how to give critiques in painting class. I realized that most of my life, I had bluntly given advice on parts of the picture that were wrong, when a more charismatic way of pointing out what could be improved involves complimenting things that went well from the beginning. After this I took interpersonal communication and professional communication classes, which gave me new insight into the psychology of communication and possible obstacles that equipped me with a strong leadership communication quality. Learning to be a leader, amongst my peers, required me to continue building my skills and learn more as well as to become humble in realizing I still have more to learn. I excelled academically and artistically in school, and I want to bring the creative teamwork capabilities I've developed into the Vertical Take Off and Landing industry. In my personal life, I began working on more mechanical projects, studied minor electrical topics, and I moved into working in transportation. I have work history as a photographer, which requires an understanding of the physics of light. I want to be able to combine the transportation and visual imaging background that I have and build my skillset for mechanical and electrical engineering the same way I developed my communication skills. My creative background gives me a design edge because of my imagination that I believe will be a great asset to developing drone technology as a part of a team of fellow great thinkers.

Calculus is a mathematical tool that helps us understand change. It is useful for explaining motion, predicting evolution in the natural world, and optimizing systems in various industries. Being able to predict future changes is different from recording past data. Calculus allows us to anticipate and proactively approach high-stakes technological developments, financial investments, or ecological impacts with greater confidence rather than relying on guesses or fixed intervals. This mathematical language gives us a realistic picture of potential futures. Calculus is fundamental because many real-world systems are constantly changing. A vehicle accelerates and decelerates, populations grow and decline, temperatures fluctuate throughout the day, and electrical currents vary over time. Derivatives measure how quickly these changes occur, while integrals determine quantities such as distance traveled, work performed, or the total amount of energy used. Before calculus, measuring continuously changing systems made measuring future changes impossible because the real world is not perfectly segmented--usually events happen in waves or exponential patterns. Precise analytics allow us to make better-informed decisions that have more predictable results! Total game changer. As a soon-to-be aerospace engineering student, calculus is especially significant because it forms the foundation of nearly every subject in my field. Aircraft and spacecraft operate in environments where forces and motion are constantly changing, making calculus indispensable for their analysis and design. I will be use derivatives to calculate velocity and acceleration from changing position data and integrals to determine distances traveled, fuel consumption, and the aerodynamic forces acting on an aircraft. Besides the basic physics of aviation, I'm also hoping I can study electromagnetic forces, centripetal forces, fluid dynamics, and material sciences-- all which require calculus to predict lift, flow, strain, etc. Even writing about calculus feels abstract, while seeing graphs of the numbers in something like a profit-maximizing equation immediately presents clear, easy-to-understand information. Calculus is an important language, because describing changes through conversation or in words is affected by our own perspectives. The mathematics provides a universal, empirical framework rather than a subjective one, making scientific communication clearer. The magic of calculus is that this language reaches across language barriers to demonstrate mathematical changes. Even when someone is not well-versed in solving a calculus equation, seeing the data graphed makes the information click more easily. This visualization of calculus and theoretical framework helps transform abstract equations into concepts that people from different backgrounds apply to real-world situations while collaborating and communicating across cultures on projects.

My interest in aviation revolves around vertical take off and landing devices, which I will be focusing on while studying aerospace engineering. Two separate issues pose dilemmas to my career of interest, the military-industrial complex using drones for purposes of war is the ethical dilemma and the second, which is a funding and development issue, developing new technologies is difficult without large funding and research approval. These issues both combine in my future because the military-industrial complex is my biggest chance of getting funding for school, getting funding for research and development, and it will be my biggest road block in being able to ethically follow my passions without creating something that will hurt people. I love drones. The potential for drones to help people is endless, and there are many ways they are used in the imaging side of the industry for benevolent purposes: surveying for natural disaster recovery, imaging for land-development, and more simple photography and videography services. One of the less-developed areas that I would like to focus on is drone deliveries. These programs have been piloted, and the city I live in was even one of the places Amazon began using the technology. In my city the delivery drones were not successful, they were booed out of the city by noise complaints, and I remember hearing a few reports from people in person telling me their drone delivery was not dropped in the correct place. Currently I am a delivery driver for FedEx Express, so I see the potential of delivery drones to be life-saving opportunities that can circumvent issues vehicles run into if they are developed to have a sustainable and powerful battery, accurate gps location and payload delivery predictions, and potentially reduce travel times to important rural deliveries that are extremely time-sensitive. At FedEx Express we deliver time-sensitive packages, which are often medication that is temperature sensitive or needed on short notice. There are customers who this medication is life-saving for. I take pride in my work because I am saving lives indirectly. When I finish my education, the ultimate reward would be to help FedEx Express develop drone technology for a delivery program. To tell them thank you for tuition reimbursement and thank you for supporting me with a livable wage. To bridge the gap of paying for my education and getting experience with improving drone technology, I'm planning to participate in Air Force ROTC and taking a contract after graduation. I will be facing the biggest problem that I see in the industry that I'm entering directly because I will have to take advantage of it in order to pay for all four years of school. Practicing awareness of this industry that will want to harness my knowledge to possibly develop drones for military purposes has led me to consider pushing to commission as an intelligence officer rather than developing drones for the Air Force or fishing for a contract outside of a military, war, or defense agency. These two options are my personal solutions to not participating in the issues so that I can outlast needing to "pay back" what is paid for my schooling so that I can get involved with the drone development industry in a more independent way like working with DARPA contracts or waiting to find a job after commissioning with a company like Amazon or working with NASA's drone delivery program. Sometimes the most an individual can do is recognize there is a problem and not participate in it. I will focus on the good that drones can do instead.

The laws we follow in robotics remind me of the laws that doctors follow, sworn to an oath to protect people. Machines are usually created with an ethical responsibility to protect and support people, self-preserve, and follow orders as long as it doesn't involve hurting people- these are laws implied in the writing of Isaac Asimov. Of course there are ethical issues with the practical applications of robotics in relationship to the military and weapons systems, which don't follow these guidelines. Murderbot is a video series that reminds me of this ethical shift in scientific responsibility surrounding weapons systems and the adaptation of these previous "laws of robotics." This show is based of a series of books called "The MurderBot Diaries" by Martha Wells, which follows a team of researchers who I would describe as hippie scientists. From what I have seem from the video series, the team intentionally picks an outdated model of Security Unit required for their research mission because of price and team values regarding the oversight and regulations the Security Units enforce. These machines are designed by a corporation that puts mission completion according to guidelines at a high value next to protecting the scientists who are researching--the machine is created for corporate success and profit. Things seem wrong when the research project starts. Without spoiling too much, I do recommend this series, it seems like there are outside hands interfering with the research mission. A separate issue is the Security Unit they have has managed to hack the governor module that controls its actions, it becomes able to make decisions of its own accord and begins downloading tv shows to watch, choosing to spend time alone when it isn't protecting the scientists. I haven't watched all of this hilarious and cinematic action drama, though I have seen enough for me to understand the ethical conflicts that arise. When a robot begins to become sentient, will it become violent towards the researchers? Will it focus on protecting the researchers to the detriment of whatever is interfering with the research mission? Will it make the right decisions to protect the people it was purchased to protect, or is it simply able to defend the team against alien entities of the planet? Besides the Security Unit's work imperative, how does the way the researchers disdain the robot affect the mission? The hippie researchers understand needing protection, though they do not agree with the amount of oversight and limitation placed on them by the Security Unit's safety protocols. How will the robot's newfound sentience, that is dismissed as bugs from the outdated model, create a different perspective of if these machines are closer to human experience than believed? The last and most important question, why is the series named Murderbot? Though I haven't seen the series completely, I find the storyline compelling and relevant to the current state of affairs for technological progress. Military contracts are supporting research in the healthcare industry, weapons industry, drone industry, etc. AI has also become the forerunner in this ethical question as a military branch, Space Force, has merged with X AI to integrate Elon Musks' AI with military intelligence. Are the ethics of the scientists developing these technologies strong enough to protect civilians? Because the creator influences the purpose of these machines heavily. Global political shifts are becoming more militant. Wars are continuing. This will pose an important moral question in my personal career path I'm pursuing, which is developing drones. I have had many conversations with peers, coworkers, and mentors regarding my career goals and going through Air Force ROTC to pay for school. I'm not interested in developing weapons, and I'm not interested in improving drones to be used as war machines. There are a few solutions for me. The best option is I earn scholarships to pay for all four years of school, though I believe this is unrealistic. I can pursue a contract with a non-defense or war related government agency to sign with before graduating from my school while doing Air Force ROTC. I can also use my current employment with FedEx to secure a position with FedEx and not accept a contract, though this will still create some issues with relying on Air Force ROTC to pay for my school with scholarships because I will be expected to "pay back" the scholarships by contracting as an officer for the Air Force or accepting a contract with a separate agency. Ethics are important to me, and I want to be a driving force for philanthropic development of technology. Scientists are responsible for shaping the path that research can benefit or damage society. Protecting people should be the utmost priority, which is why Isaac Asimov's writing had a strong influence on robotics. Having a guiding, moral story helps us make the right decisions, and rewriting the current state of affairs to create a strong moral guide is necessary.

I like to think I am already making a positive impact on the world. My attitude revolves around community building and support. Without hesitation, I support my friends with rides, helping when they're struggling financially, and by lending them an ear. When I visit my Grandpa I go on Sundays, and we help host church at a nursing home where he lives. I've participated in a free community portrait day for my community locally where I took photos for families at no cost. I find that it is important to be involved because there's a value to my soul and I have an opportunity to uplift people around me, even by bringing a positive attitude with me to stressful days at work or by supporting my mom when she needs extra help. How do I plan to make a positive impact on the world in the future with my schooling? I have had to consider how I can maintain my ethics and values because what I want to pursue is building, fixing, and designing drones. Drones have been increasingly used for war and surveillance, which is concerning. I am interested in the drone delivery industry because I currently deliver for FedEx--there is potential for remote drone deliveries of light-weight critical packages that have important medication to more remote places in times of drought or disaster. We sometimes face roads being blocked because of flooding, but people in rural areas are in just as much need as other customers. One story that I heard was of a little boy with cancer having to wait for his medication because the snow was so heavy the delivery trucks weren't able to bring his package to him. I think my work background in this area would give me insight on what solutions are possible to drone deliveries. The work I do is important to my community. Yes, often people are ordering non-necessity items, but often the FedEx Express packages I deliver have more importance and require a higher level of security and care. I think my thoughtful and creative way of thinking would help improve drone deliveries to carry heavier cargo, be more durable, and have longer batteries that can fly to farther distances. Drones can make so much positive impact. They are used most often for imagine because the weight of cameras is predictable. They are used to look for survivors or floods, to image landscapes with different wavelengths of light, and for more commercial videography and photography services. One impact I have is to remain positive, look on the bright side, and find solutions to problems.

In my professional and personal life I deal with not being given credit differently, and the context is important to my response. At one of my jobs I'm a Gallery Intern. We needed a name for a weekly free studio for artists to come and paint. We were throwing around ideas for awhile, and finally I suggested Canvas Club. I heard the conversation pause in appreciation for a moment then it continued with more ideas. I assumed my idea was passed over, but a few days later I come in to my bosses talking about Canvas Club. I didn't receive a thank you, though I feel recognition for my idea being used. At the Arts Center I love how hard I work because I am contributing to a non-profit. I am investing this energy into the local artistic community and that is a more glorious reward to me than a compliment. The intrinsic value within the work is the reason I work so hard. On occasion, the absence of gratitude makes me feel taken for granted. In situations like this I am more passive because I have unique qualities that allow me to reproduce fantastic results. I will carry these gifts with me and share them throughout my life. These qualities cannot be taken away, and once I'm gone the charm that I cast will be as well. People who don't recognize these qualities can only realize what they're missing out on when these good people move on. My life has taught me to express the appreciation I have for people around me. To thank them, recognize what they have done that is great. The positive reinforcement is motivating. At my second job I am a FedEx delivery driver, and I receive a lot of appreciation from my bosses. It baffles me somewhat because I am just doing my job, though they tell me not everyone is willing to go outside of the default requirements of the job to help each other the way I am. His appreciation is meaningful, and I feel fulfilled because I know I am a necessary part of their team that is helpful, important, and motivating. A larger betrayal happened a year ago. I dealt with it differently. For my motorcycle club's third anniversary meet, I decided to surprise everyone with baklava. I baked a homemade sweet treat, making one traditional style and one with coconut oil. We were meeting at a restaurant for lunch, and I came with balloons and baklava! My friend who invited me to join is the president of the club, and he is of Turkish descent, which is why I decided to make a desert from his culture. I had practiced over the past few months because of my appreciation of him, my love for the desert, and a desire to recognize a part of his ancestry that was involved with the founding of the motorcycle club. When I set the desert down, he became frantic. He explained that I couldn't just bring food to a restaurant, though he had brought donuts. He started berating me, then he decided to take the traditional pan and to bring it to the kitchen. I told him no. I told him no. I told him no. As he waved off my boundary, I told him he needed to share part of it and bring the rest back. A compromise he refused through action after verbally telling me he would. He returned without the dish, and I told him he needed to go get the rest. I was livid. He did not recognize that I put in that work for him and our bike club. I fumed as I ate my food. The chef came out. He expressed his appreciation for the desert. I was quieter than usual and listened to the man talk. I complimented his food I was eating. I asked for the pan back, and he went inside to fetch it. The man brought an empty pan back. At least he appreciated what was shared with him. My boundary had been completely overstepped. So I confronted Malik, the club president. Everyone could hear, and his mom was there as well. I was crying. I told him that he was a bad friend. He offered to pay me for the baklava. He told me it wasn't a big deal. He wasn't understanding. I confronted him again at a different time and explained that I made it to appreciate his ancestry, and I saw his posture change. His shoulders dropped and his eyes widened as he realized- the love I was giving to him... he had decided to give away. For my peace of mind, I blocked him shortly after that second conversation. I am not a part of that motorcycle group anymore. If my love and energy is not respected, it is wasted. If a situation is more severe, a stronger response is necessary. I work for a non-profit that is understaffed and has limited funds, so there's not always time and attention for appreciation to go around. In a professional setting it is best not to take things personally. It is possible to leave a job if the situation becomes dire, but to an extent I am a part of a small business and assume a small piece of the identity of that business. I also work for a large company that still manages to recognize the meaningful work that I do. Personal situations carry different emotional weight than professional. They're harder to walk away from than a job. I've learned through practice how to set boundaries and to leave if I'm not respected. I'm glad to live in a community where I am respected for the work that I do. It takes cultivation to create an environment where someone can thrive rather than survive. I may give small pieces of myself to the work that I do, but I was always the one who created the magic.

The stares I received when I had a pink colored pixie cut were often friendly but occasionally malicious. There is a demographic of people who disagree with certain alterations from traditional fashions, but for a long time I did not care. Though like many people who dye their hair, I faced hair damage and stopped dying it. I would describe myself as quietly emo. I still have an eyebrow piercing, though currently my hair is natural. I work two jobs. The first, FedEx, requires a uniform where I don't have much room to be fashionable, and I don't wear makeup on a day to day basis. But occasionally people will notice my eyebrow piercing underneath my bangs with shock. My bangs are long and cover the piercing, but I find it humorous when people are blown away by a single piercing. At my second job I work in an art non-profit as a gallery intern. Because I'm surrounded by people who appreciate art, I get a lot of appreciation for my outfits. I usually still dress pretty tame, with occasional ripped pants. My unusual sense of style is more on the side of retro, avant guard, or non-binary rather than explicitly goth or emo. I used to dress a lot more alt and goth or lolita, though I've found more comfort now in semi-standard clothing that breaks molds with unusual pockets, flares, ruffles, and fun sleeves. Though my choices have changed mostly out of physical comfort and well-being, I have noticed that I am treated differently in public than I was when I dressed more outlandish. Back in the day, I would be skateboarding with my neon pink hair and get honked at by cars passing by. It is a little more comfortable psychologically to receive less attention. There are some changes I want to make to my appearance, though I am worried about the long-term consequences to my career. I'm interested in double eye-brow piercings called "clown piercings" as well as dying my bangs blue. But I'm anticipating joining Air Force ROTC to get my schooling paid for after the first year of transferring to my four year degree. There are certain requirements that would lead me having to remove all my piercings if I join the Air Force and to have natural hair. For now, FedEx may require a uniform, but piercings, tattoos, and different hair colors are allowed. I am definitely going to dye my bangs, though I'm still thinking hard about the double eyebrow piercings if I will have to remove them and have scars from them. Spending money on something to have it for maybe a year seems like a waste. I'm lucky to be in workplaces currently that accept me for who I am. Unfortunately, I am interested working in a career than I think would be less keen to have someone who is alternative in the Aerospace industry, especially someone who is a woman. I do plan to find ways to express who I am through my style, though I do have to consider the way people will perceive me. To be taken seriously, I need to have a professional experience. These considerations are conflicted though, because I see people with body modifications as professional. It feels like a double standard as well, because women in traditionally male fields may have to work harder to be taken seriously. So I will continue quietly expressing myself in order to succeed while slowly changing opinions of powerful players by working hard, being professional, and sharing my optimism with my peers and employers.

Art was a language that helped me understand myself, how to relate to people, and how to communicate with words and behaviors. Now that I have a grasp on who I am and how I relate to my community, I've realized that my visual skills are more useful to me in a separate career path. My childhood interest in drones has been re-awakened now with me working on my own vehicles, building mechanical objects, designing digital systems, and researching electrical engineering and mechanical engineering topics. Why did I begin building things? I had to fix my own problems. I got jobs where I needed to problem solve in marketing; to communicate with people what the goals of the business I worked for are, and to build a website to communicate and outreach to people we can help. I currently work for an art non-profit, and we have an issue of needing to reduce spending and increase outreach to create publicity for our community and affiliates to meet our goals. We needed a new website, which I built. We needed tours coming into the gallery to experience the exhibits, so I organized guided tours from outreach to marketing and training volunteers to lead the tours. I'm a problem solver in communication and in system & community building. In my personal life I had to fix problems with my car. I've repaired radiators, air conditioning systems, wheel bearings, etc. I share my skills of basic maintenance with my friends by doing their oil changes and educating them on why these are important. I have spent my own money to get my friends cars running again. I find myself again building community while I continue learning mechanical skills, and I've found that I really enjoy making repairs. I grew up poor with two alcoholic parents, but they always told me I was smart. Neither went to college, but I saw them survive through hardships and overcome them. I was put into difficult situations where I had to expand my knowledge on my own to solve problems. Art was a solution to a problem I had in my early life, though I didn't realize what it would give me. After earning an Associates of Art in Art and proving my dedication to learning, I feel like I'm ready to pursue a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Art taught me about myself and my emotions. Now I find myself mentally well, achieving my goals, and building strong professional and personal relationships. I am finally prepared to handle the challenges of an engineering degree and the financial demands of moving to a different state and paying for school. I knew I wouldn't make much money working in the arts, though rising inflation has made this clear. I have gotten a second job delivering for FedEx to afford expenses, but there was something else fueling the shift in my interests. Yes, I need a different career path to be able to support myself and continue to uplift my community. More so I need to fulfill my desire to create in a hands-on way now by designing and analyzing machines. My visual skills give me a different perspective and intellectual edge to understanding mechanics, though I think what creating art used to provide me has fulfilled its purpose. My personal growth has been immense, and I am proud of myself. I am still reaching financial stability, though I am happy and secure now. After an early life of insecurity and self-doubt, my recent stability enlightened a different dream of mine. I've loved flying machines and remote control airplanes since I was a kid. But I am a woman who is more creative, and that led me to feel insecure about my interests for a long time. I struggled to feel like I could be a woman in STEM. Recently I realized I was feeling pleasantly challenged by making repairs, like it was a puzzle I could solve. I'm letting go of my self-doubt and choosing a future that will make me happy and support my interests and creativity. My dad filed a patent a few years ago on a vertical take off flying machine. Once it was finalized I became very interested in the ways I could bring it to life. Small scale prototypes of the design had been proven to work, and I realized there are other technologies that could make the design so much more powerful. I began researching for fun, learning more about electromagnets, centripetal force, fluid dynamics, frictionless bearing, etc. In order to build this machine, I need to learn more in a setting with resources for me to actually build flying machines. After speaking with my friends about my interests changing, they encouraged me to look for a school that specializes in drones. I was accepted into Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona where I can learn about drones in a hands on settings. My financial situation is my only barrier left, so I am working as much as possible and applying consistently to scholarships to make it a reality. I am joining Air Force ROTC which should cover my degree after the first year, and with all of my aid, scholarships, and loans I need to get about $10,000 of scholarships to attend this fall. Plan B is to begin next fall so I have more time to raise funds. I am inspired by my dad's patent- he is a farm boy who took one community college class to learn professional writing. He networked to get this patent written for no cost except filing fees, and I feel like I have an opportunity to take everything good he's modeled for me and bring this invention to life. I have overcome my insecurities emotionally and financially, and I have a game plan to reach my goals.

As a kid who always wanted a drone but never recieved one, I have the opportunity to be involved with the drone industry in a more transformative way than just playing with them. For a long time, I struggled to have passion for a future in anything. I got an Associates of Art in Art, enjoying my school but not having the drive to pursue a career in art; my motivation for starting college was because I had an injury, and I had to quit my job. I was dedicated to my studies, and once I was well enough to go back to work I moved to in person classes; Art has always been healing for me, though I felt like the key to a successful future was still hidden from me. My inspiration was sparked by my father, who passed on his passion of model planes with me. He networked to have a patent written for a vertical take off flying machine. He had seen a working prototype on small scale in a YouTube video, and when he learned the young man whose video he was fascinated by, my dad decided to find someone to write a patent for the design. And he managed to network with a local lawyer who worked it up for free, all my dad had to do was pay for filing. I felt excited for my dad, and after he filed the patent I found myself researching electromagnets, frictionless bearings, cavity magnetrons, and alternative power systems. I was named after my father, though I got the girl version of his name. I take after him. I began to wonder if I could bring this vertical life-off machine that uses centripetal force to life for him; he continued networking to try to find people to help 3D print the propellor, but he hasn't connected with the right people and he doesn't have enormous funds to create designs and send them off to manufacturers and development facilities. My interest in pursuing aviation has been with me for as long as I can remember, quietly and patiently taking the back seat to what I had available to me in my environment, and now I think about the opportunity I have every day. I was accepted into Embry-Riddle Aeronautical School in Prescott, Arizona where I can have hands on classes studying and building drones, though the school is a private school, and I have to pay for everything on my own. More than half of tuition is covered by my scholarships and financial aid, though I still have a ways to go before I can manage the financial load by myself. I'm going to join Air Force ROTC which should pay for school after the first year, so I'm planning, saving, and applying to scholarships. I've seen my dad do amazing things with limited income, so I'm buckling down like he did to reach my goals. Though I am not a pilot of airplanes, I want to fly and develop drones. I hope you will extend the honor of applying to a young lady who wants to innovate flight.

I'm a daughter, named after her dad. My father loves flying machines, and he actually got his pilots license. He decided never to fly- he was an alcoholic and I think the responsibility of carrying life and earning more flight hours intimidated him. He's almost 7 years sober, and I'm so proud of him. I take after him in many ways. The social anxiety and self-doubt he had in his youth I shared, though I've grown into a social butterfly who has self-confidence. His love for remote control model planes is something he shared with me. We would use those little rubber band propelled wooden toy planes, and I would see his model plane in the closet- he never used it for fear of breaking it. As a kid I used the flight simulator on his computer. A five year old has a pretty hard time with plane controls, I'll tell ya. My favorite part of the time we had together was launching a model rocket. He visited me in Texas from Iowa. I didn't get many toys from him, but this is a cherished memory. I was more interested in remote control cars and I had an RC glider. Drones became commercially available, but we were low income so I never received one as a gift. I mostly drew & read books, though I grew into working on vehicles as I got older. I have a mechanic inclination as well as visual creativity, but I have a lot to learn about engineering to achieve my dreams. I'm more interested in drones than in planes. I want to build them, repair them, and innovate them. I think the secrets of improving drone flight could aid in improving airplane and rocket technology too. I did research to find a school where I could work hands-on with building drones. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ is the only school I could find that provides a program working hands on to build drones. I also talked to local Texas A&M students in the Aerospace Engineering degree, and they let me know drones fall more under Aeronautical Engineering than Aerospace. I took the guidance of my peers & researched to find the best school for my interest, and I've also been talking with different military recruiters and AFROTC advisors at Embry-Riddle to make school more affordable. The advice given to me was focus on getting the first year covered & AFROTC should cover the rest if my grades are good. I applied and was accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. This is a private university, so I knew it would be expensive. I have half of tuition covered by transfer scholarships, though I've continued to apply for more. I plan on joining AFROTC, which should cover all my expenses after the first year. I also work at FedEx Express, so if I transfer to a location near the University into a part-time position I qualify for tuition reimbursement. I have a good game plan, and I'm willing to take on a manageable amount of debt. I still need financial support for housing & fees, even if I can use loans to pay remaining tuition. I've been blessed to have wonderful childhood experiences that encouraged my curiosity, and I am blessed to have overcome a lot of financial set backs. I earned an Associates of Art in Art from Blinn College with a good GPA, which showed me I am dedicated to my academics & extracurricular activities, I can balance work with school, and I am capable of more than I used to believe.

When I was young, I occasionally got remote control cars, gliders, and on a special visit my dad brought a small rocket to shoot off with me when he visited. These were my favorite toys, though I spent most of my time drawing and reading. I was a creative and intelligent kid that spent most time alone. I've become older. I earned an Associates of Art in Art from Blinn College, and I took a break from school to re-evaluate my goals and get my finances in order. During my time in community college, I became involved with clubs, SGA, and PTK. I was not making very much money, but investing in my network and skill sets was more important. I progressed a lot with learning about maintaining and repairing my van, and I financed a motorcycle so I have two vehicles when something breaks down on the other. I have two wonderful jobs at the Arts Center of College Station & FedEx Express, where I work 50-60 hour weeks lately. My mechanical interest has developed more as I got older. Art served an interpersonal communication purpose to me, as an anti-social teenager who struggled to understand themselves and the world around them. I found good jobs in the artistic field, though my knowledge seemed to expand further than marketing, community building, and operating a DSLR. I've been developing the new website for the Arts Center, completely self taught on Wordpress, with no history of web design in school. Learning on my own is something I enjoy, I excell at it. Though I learn best with guidance, and I want to go to the best Aeronautical Engineering school in the country to have the best hands on experience possible. I'm a problem-solver who has become socially adept, improved my communication skills, and supports the community around me. My interests have compounded, and I find that my skills repairing vehicles surprise people around me. I want to invest more into my mechanical practice, specifically learning to maintain and build drones. I am still an artist; my tendency to be a visualizer aids me in understanding and engine's inner systems. When I was younger I wanted to be an artist, a scientist, and a clown. I am a natural comedian, and I got an art degree. I achieved most of my childhood dreams, but in my young adulthood I doubted I could become a scientist. I thought I wouldn't be able to afford college, then I thought that I wouldn't be able to keep up academically. The past few years have shown me that I'm competent, high-achieving, and with planning I can do anything I set my mind to. So I did research to bring my dream of building drones to life. My only barrier left is the cost of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I did research to find the right place to get hands on experience building drones. There's really no other college where I could get the experience ERAU Prescott provides, so I applied. I was accepted. And I saw the estimated remaining cost. Though intimidated, I have focused on applying to scholarships. I already have half of tuition covered, but I am continuing with applications so that I can reduce my debt & still work while going to school. I will also be joining AFROTC, which should cover my tuition after the first year. Thankfully, I should be able to transfer to FedEx in Prescott, and if I accept a part-time job offer, tuition reimbursement is offered. It's manageable, though I still need scholarships.

I take after my father- I was named after him. As a girl named after her dad, I have complicated feelings about it. What isn't complicated is I love him, I'm like him in many ways, and we are both inventive entrepreneurs. He's different than me though- he was a boy born to a farmer, he didn't get a college degree, and he struggled most of his life with being an alcoholic. He's done many amazing things though, one of which is network to have a patent made in dedication to an invention he saw on YouTube. The young man who created this machine used a different kind of propellor technology, though he has passed away. My father's dedication to this interest inspired me. Using centripetal force from a centrifuge style "propellor" could innovate drones, and I found myself scouring the internet for more information on frictionless technology by using electromagnets, superconductors, and perhaps even magnetrons- imagining how I could make his invention come to life on a larger scale than the hobby plane the man in the video had used. My dad does not always have a complete plan on developing and following through on his big plans, but that's one way I feel like I'm unique from him. I want to develop these new ideas with a passion, so I am planning to achieve this goal. I researched schools where I could study building drones. I was accepted into Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. This is the first step, and the next step is to secure funding for my first year, join Air Force ROTC to pay tuition after my first year. Embry-Riddle is expensive, and I come from a low-income family. I don't have any other viable options for universities that I can actually learn to design, fabricate, and repair drones. Though I do have options to study aerospace engineering locally, it doesn't fulfill the career path I'm interested in. I received about $30,000 of transfer scholarship, pell grant, Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship, though I still have an estimated cost of $25,000 for housing, tuition, food, and indirect costs. I have spoken in depth with Air Force recruiters and Embry-Riddle staff that have experience in the military and work with ERAU AFROTC- If my grades are good the first year, the following years I should see my tuition covered by AFROTC. My current game plan to lower this $25,000 cost during the first year is: apply to scholarships and network with a lavender farm in the area that lets visitors stay for no cost in exchange for work while I visit the school through the summer and the local FedEx location that I can transfer from my local FedEx that I work at. I'm hoping that I may be able to pay rent or trade my experience working with websites and social media to stay longer-term at the lavender farm to reduce the cost of housing during my first year, and the FedEx location there will take me on as a transfer employee. If I succeed in getting a part-time job at FedEx I qualify for tuition reimbursement as well. I want to innovate drones specifically because I have inherited so much from my father, including his love for flying machines. A huge obstacle in my path is the cost of the most viable university for me to reach my goals, though it seems my biggest out of pocket cost will be living expenses. To overcome this financial challenge I am communicating and planning ahead to receive funding and keep my job after moving.

I grew up in a household burdened by mental illness and addiction. Both my parents struggled with alcoholism, and my mother’s bipolar disorder became particularly severe during menopause. While my father achieved sobriety seven years ago, I didn't live with him-my parents had separated because of the toxic dynamic between them, and I only visited my dad during the summer. Living with my mother’s mood swings and addiction often left me carrying the weight of our household alone. She lost her job, and when my sister moved out, my mom's stress and anger were directed at me. I found myself juggling bills and school while struggling with my own depression. The pressure and isolation took a toll on me. In high school, I started smoking weed to cope. Soon after, I became entangled in an unhealthy relationship, which I eventually escaped (with PTSD). I moved in with my sister where we lived in a moldy duplex which triggered further mental health challenges, while I fell further into an eating disorder I developed from my stressful relationship. For a time, it felt like I was constantly reacting to life, rather than living it. Once I got into a better environment, my best friend injured my spine. I had started doing remarkably well, I was eating and making more money that year than I ever had before. I found myself having to quit my job after crying every day from the immense pain I was in. I began investing in my own health, using credit cards to afford treatment and physical therapy. Over the past five years, I have worked on recovery from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I got sober, established flexible work and school routines, and gradually regained control of my life. Today, I hold a job in the industry of my Associates of Art in Art, maintained three jobs during the holidays, and am helping both friends and family. I have been off mental health medication for over a year and a half, and while I continue to work on my physical health, most days I live without pain. My experiences with mental illness and recovery have shaped not only my resilience but also my aspirations. Having endured significant challenges, I worked hard to find health and happiness. I found inspiration to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Unmanned Aircraft Systems because of influences in my childhood from my dad and grandpa. I hope to innovate drone technology that is more efficient, sustainable, and capable of meaningful impact. In order to do that I have been working endlessly to achieve financial freedom from the debt that my injury led me to take on. The perseverance, discipline, and empathy I have developed through my journey will guide me toward this goal. Mental illness has affected my family deeply and shaped my own path in profound ways. Through recovery, I have learned the importance of balance, support, and self-investment. Today, I approach life with determination and hope, ready to pursue my dreams and give back to others who face similar struggles.

I grew up surrounded by stories of flight. My grandfather studied aerospace engineering at Texas A&M and worked with NASA after he was told he wouldn't be able to be in the Air Force. "If I can't fly 'em, I'll build 'em." My father earned his pilot’s license but never flew professionally, I inherited my father's name as well as his inventive spirit. My mother and father never graduated from college, though they sought some form of higher education or certifications. From an early age, flight represented both possibility and restraint. As a first-generation college student, I am to fly beyond my circumstances. Being first-generation has meant navigating higher education without a map. My parents always emphasized that education mattered, but I had to jump into higher education without a guide. I had to learn how to apply, plan financially, and advocate for myself largely on my own. Growing up poor and with alcoholic parents meant I had to teach myself anyways. As an adult, I find myself increasingly financial responsibility for my mother's care, which has made it difficult to move out independently or to embark on a bachelors degree. While finishing my associates degree, the roads to my house were flooding; continuing my education locally became a dangerous idea. Balancing work, family obligations, and disaster has been my greatest challenge, but it has also shaped my resilience and independence. Despite these obstacles, I remain focused on my goals. I currently have approximately $30,000 in tuition left to cover after a $20,000 transfer scholarship provided by Embry-Riddle. I plan to join AFROTC or enlist in the Air Force to help afford my education, housing, and flight training. I am employed with FedEx and intend to transfer locations, using their tuition reimbursement program to refund part of what I spend out of pocket on tuition. My goal is to create financial stability so I can succeed academically, while gaining the freedom of distance from my stressful roots. What drives me forward is innovation. My father holds a patent for a flying machine, and I hope to help further develop this concept into drone technology that is more energy-efficient and capable of carrying heavier cargo with sustainable energy. I want to contribute to the future of aerospace by creating aeronautical systems that make flight more accessible, efficient, and responsible. In many ways, my dream is both metaphorical and literal: I want to fly free of limitations, and I want to build things that fly better. This scholarship would give me something invaluable—peace. Reducing my financial burden would allow me to focus on studying, working, and to work on a bachelor's degree from a place of stability rather than survival. As a first-generation student, this support would not only move me closer to my career goals but reward my perseverance, responsibility, and determination. I am ready to build a future that honors where I come from while finally allowing me to fly away from the nest.

There's a war in the sky. Bubble dome flying machines over urban utopias keep the frontlines at a distance, though I've seen it- the horror, the tragedy of kamikaze machines built with no pilots and no hesitation. Walking through civilian cities on advocacy missions is like walking through a dream. This is what I became a warrior for: upholding the glory of my country, protecting my family and children, and ensuring domestic tranquility. When I signed myself over to become an agent of the military, all I knew is the paradise I find myself persisting through now. Somehow I crossed the veil into limbo. The pearlescent machines traveling where the radio waves fly convince us that we are well. We are progress. Now I am constricted to the haunted space in my mind, isolated like in a bubble. The reality of war keeps my mind focused as I step into the tube after sliding my payment card for access to public transportation. I keep my eyes down on my combat boots, unable to see the glory in the technology around me. I am the other side of the coin now. When I was a child I was protected and sheltered, led to believe I was safe. I was insulated. In the present, I am inverted. I am the protector. The mag-lev activates and the tunnel outside turns into a blur, coming into focus as we pass into an aerial rail that provides a landscape view of the distance. We move faster with frictionless energy, but the distance remains clear. I still find myself separated from common sights of skyscrapers and mundane operations by glass and mental armor, though I allow myself to reminisce. We've already halted, the gentle electro-magnetic brakes bringing us still. I pass through the exit and move silently, marching through the crowd to leave the upper platform and locate a self-driving taxi at the automated kiosk. As I order my transportation, I realize I've not had human conversation at a single point in my journey. My eyes drift away from my hardened mind. I observe propeller lifted glass-cleaners wiping windows just below the clouds. My ears notice the gentle hum and whizzing of society. The sound is that of a well-oiled machine. As I wait, still as stone, a baby cries. I turn slightly to observe. A mother with a young child and baby is juggling luggage and diaper bags when her daughter gently takes the wheeled luggage to free her mothers hands. The mother smiles. The only sunshine that can reach past the castles of glass towering around us. My car arrives, and I slide into the posh seats, crisp uniform holding my posture high. My hands rest on my knees. I see the family loading into a car in front of me as the car merges out into traffic. I have no bags, just myself. Here humans are treated with dignity by machines. They are in service to us. At one point dignity is all I knew. On the front lines, machines are usually piloted by military members. We sign away our personal ethics when we enlist. The ethics of our government are what we follow. That's why so many of them end up discharged for mental illness. When they aren't remotely piloted, the automation is still designed with ill-intentions. The downside to unmanned aircraft and robots is that our service member's lives aren't at stake. Why is that a downside? The actions of the machines become more ruthless, more anonymous, and the targets of attack increasingly become civilian. Drones with nuclear cores smash into buildings, hospitals, universities. This is a tactic that was started by the Russians, though drones didn't use nuclear cores at the time. February 2025 they ran multiple drones into the reaction site where the Chernobyl meltdown had happened during their conflict with Ukraine.It's ironic because the project was originally a USSR project, so the Russians continued to make their disaster worse once the territory had become Ukraine. A new building had been erected around the original building to contain any radiation and fallout. Destroying that barrier meant more poison would spread to the territory they had lost and wanted to reclaim. Machines are tools. We are the ones making decisions. In college I was required to take ethics classes. When I enlisted, I wanted to be an agent for good. Now I understand that I became a member of the most powerful military in the world, and it is my job to keep the upper hand. I thought more power meant I could do more good. The result of working my way up to an officer position was to separate myself from the pain of the frontlines, and instead of a soldier I am an unwitting conductor in the symphony of war.