My name is Michael Earley and I am a full-time undergraduate student, who is pursuing a career in robotics. At the University of Delaware, I am currently working towards my bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering. Alongside my interest in robotics, I am passionate about learning within the STEM field. I feel the most engaged in learning a topic when I get to experience it myself firsthand. In high school, I learned that I would like to look further into my education in the engineering field. I came to the conclusion after realizing I had an enduring passion for both science and math. Additionally, I enjoy hands-on experiences and I am curious about most things. Attending college will allow me to further my education and It’ll put me a step closer to working in the engineering field. Currently, I plan to work with robotics in the future, so to get started, I am working towards a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. In 9th-grade, I tried a robotics engineering class. During this class, I experienced the procedural thought process of an engineer. One of my first projects was to construct and program a robot using k'nex. It was a challenging process that required a repeating cycle of designing, experimenting, and redesigning again. However, it was a thrilling experience that urged me to think creatively. Every attempt put us closer to our goal as we singled out each error. Like a puzzle, I started without a clue where I would begin, but every additional improvement placed me a step closer to completing it. Since I enjoy computer programming, I am also minoring in Computer Science. I was first introduced to computer programming in 5th-grade when I first came across a block coding language on a website called "Scratch". I really enjoyed it during the duration I used it that year. More recently last year, I gained an interest in it again, and I began to program a little of what I had learned from my 12th-grade physics class. It was a difficult challenge, but it was a very intriguing process. Before then, I had always felt unease about learning how to program. because written code was intimidating at first glance. However, I decided to face my fears and I attempted to learn a programming language. Over the following summer, I was able to learn the fundamentals of Python. Now, I look forward to taking more computer science classes, hence I decided to minor in computer science this year. I plan to use my education to strengthen my understanding of computer science and computer engineering. In turn, I will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to supply my engineering team within the workforce.

Growing up, I wasn’t always engaged in school; evidently, most young kids are not. It seemed wasteful to me at the time: grades, homework, and exams. However, my opinion abruptly changed during my 8th-grade year; I started receiving A’s in classes. At first, it only provided slight satisfaction, but gradually over time, I began to show more appreciation for my rewarded efforts. Anything below an A, or even a 90 at times, became mentally jarring at times. I had the consistent urge to do better and improve upon myself. By the end of that 8th-grade year, I had achieved A’s in nearly each of my classes. Of course, this is not much when compared to the higher-level classes of high school and beyond, but it set me on a path to reach my goals. After moving away from my hometown and transferring schools in 10th grade, I was left in a demotivated state. I had lived in my previous town for 7 years before I had moved. Throughout my years there, I had made connections with a variety of my peers. I had been told countless times before that I would have had to leave by the time of graduation regardless. Although I was fully aware of it, it didn't help me revaluate the ordeal. I reasoned that if I had stayed, I would have had 3 years before we all graduated together. Leaving so soon, I negatively dwelt on the issue as I transitioned into my new school. The familiar presence of my classmates at school kept me motivated and reassured throughout the school day. Being around my classmates gave me a sense of enthusiasm similar to that of family. Although it was not nearly as grand, It kept me feeling firm and content as I worked through the vigorous school year. I was told that I should make new friends at my new school but that was difficult for me at the time. Not only did I feel discouraged to attempt this, but most of the students in my grade had already seemed to be assimilated within their own cliques. From this experience, I learned how it feels to be out of my comfort zone and how to endure and adapt to it. In high school, I learned that I would like to look further into my education in the engineering field. I came to the conclusion after realizing I had a long-lasting passion for both science and math. Additionally, I enjoy hands-on experiences and I am curious about most things. Attending college will allow me to further my education and It’ll put me a step closer to working in the engineering field. Currently, I plan to work with robotics in the future, so to get started, I am working towards a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. In 9th-grade, I had tried a robotics engineering class. During this class, I experienced the procedural thought process of an engineer. One of my first projects was to construct and program a robot using k'nex. It was a challenging process that required a repeating cycle of designing, experimenting, and redesigning again. However, it was a thrilling experience that urged me to think creatively. Every attempt put us a step closer to our goal as we singled out each error. Like a puzzle, I started without a clue where I would begin, but every additional improvement placed me a step closer to completing it.

My favorite scientific discovery is the vast depths of space, but more specifically, black holes. Black holes are still a mystery today, and scientists still know little about them. A black hole is the result of the death of a star, and it has a gravitational pull that not even light can escape. As an object is pulled into this ominous entity, it undergoes a process called spaghettification. What happens afterward is undetermined and only in theory. The reason why I have such an interest in black holes is that the unknown can be an intriguing topic. It is the type of topic that will let your imagination lead to endless possibilities: I don’t know what I don’t know, but that only makes me want to know more. Scientists have already learned portions about black holes and their capabilities, but there is always more to be discovered. On a broader approach, space itself fills me with curiosity. There is so much out in space, yet we know so little of it. It makes me wonder what else could be out there. Surely, Earth is not the only planet consisting of life. It makes me ponder about the North Sentinel Island Tribe, a tribe isolated on an island without any awareness of today’s modern technology. They are unfamiliar with what lies past the vast ocean as we wonder what lies in the far regions of space. It makes me think, what if we are the North Sentinel Tribe of space. There are endless speculations we could make, but there is always a possibility.

Charles Darwin is heavily recognized for his theory on natural selection and evolution. His theory argues that animals are shaped and evolve due to the demand of their environments. Additionally, a collection of animals may be biologically connected to the same descendants or families: lions and tigers are felidae. Darwin’s theory of natural selection fascinates me because of this.