Starting my first year in engineering, I've learned that I don't just love math for theoretical perfection—I love what it does. My background in building drones and taking AP Calculus and Physics showed me that calculus is the fundamental way we solve complex, real-world problems. It’s essential for understanding how things change and relate to each other, whether I'm figuring out how air flows over a wing or how forces impact a structure. I love math because it’s the practical tool that makes aerospace engineering possible. A good example is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). It’s a tool in CAD programs like Fusion 360 that allows us to predict how air interacts with an object, which is absolutely critical for applications like wing design. The entire process is built on calculus. The software takes a complex part, breaks it down into a tiny mesh, and then performs numerous integrals over those small sections to determine the fluid interaction. Then it adds all those tiny results together for a visual simulation of airflow. When I designed the wings for my autonomous drone, using CFD to optimize the lift for my motors' most efficient speed was the moment calculus stopped being abstract and started being a useful skill that solved a problem I couldn't do manually. I also really appreciate how math shows up in Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) control. Almost every mechanical system, from robots to planes, uses this calculus-based control system in its code. The three parts work together to keep things consistent and accurate. The P (Proportional) part controls how quickly something moves toward a target, like speeding up a motor to 1000 RPM. The D (Derivative) part acts fast to fix errors, like immediately cutting power if the motor overshoots to 1005 RPM. The I (Integral) part cleans up the long-term, small errors, slowly correcting the system over time so the motor settles precisely at 1000 RPM. Getting this system tuned on my drone to maintain level flight showed me that knowing calculus is the only way to effectively solve those critical stability and performance problems. Math is the engine behind every real-world solution in engineering, allowing us to move past problems a human can’t solve by hand. That's why I love math.

Calculus studies how quantities change and relate to each other when they vary and is a fundamental base in the STEM fields because it provides the tools necessary to understand and solve complex problems, like understanding how water flows in a pipe, or how forces will be transferred through a car in a crash. My experience in robotics, building drones, and taking classes such as AP Calculus AB and AP Physics C: Mechanics has given me a unique perspective on the way calculus is applied in many fields, most specifically how it is practically used in engineering to solve problems that are impossible for a person to complete. One such example of the applications of calculus in my major of aerospace engineering is through something called Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD for short. CFD is a tool within Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs such as Solidworks or Fusion 360 that can be used to understand how fluids will interact with an object. What occurs is that a part is broken into thousands of tiny pieces into what is called a mesh and then integrals are performed over these small areas to compute how a specified fluid would interact with the tiny area of the part. These tiny areas are then added back together to provide a comprehensive visual simulation of what fluid flow through or around an object would look like. This is critical in something like wing design because engineers have to ensure an airplane will be able to produce enough lift at various speeds to fly efficiently. I have firsthand experience in using CFD when I designed the wings for my long-range autonomous drone and I made adjustments to optimize my wing design for flying at the speed where my motors ran most efficiently to maximize my flight time. Another example of the practical applications of calculus within my field of aerospace engineering is through something called Proportional Integral Derivative control or PID control for short. PID control is a system which is written into the code of almost everything mechanical and it relies on calculus to function. The 3 parts of PID control all have different functions and combine to provide consistency in the performance of something like a drone or robot over long periods of time. The P or proportional part involves the rate at which a target value is approached. For example, if I want a motor to go from 0 to 1000 RPM, the P value will control how long it takes the motor to reach 1000 RPM. The D or derivative part involves the instantaneous change of the target value. For example, I may have told the motor to spin at 1000 RPM, but it overshot and is actually spinning at 1005 RPM. The D part of this system will bring the RPM back down to 1000. Finally, the I or Integral part of the system controls the error over time. For example, the D value might’ve also overshot and now the motor is spinning at 998 RPM, the I value will slowly dampen the D value over time and ensure the motor stays spinning at a perfect, constant 1000 RPM. I have experience using this control system in my autonomous drone to maintain level flight and constant airspeed. Understanding the math behind the control system helped me significantly in the process of implementing and tuning it. Those are just 2 ways that calculus is important in the STEM field, and there are millions more applications for calculus to be used within the entire field of STEM.

My name is Owen Kirpes, and I just graduated from Northwest Career and Technical Academy in their engineering program in Las Vegas, Nevada. I have a 4.9 weighted GPA. Throughout my high school career, I have consistently challenged myself academically, taking on a rigorous course load that includes Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment college-level classes. This commitment to academic excellence has not only allowed me to develop a strong foundation in critical thinking and problem-solving but has also instilled in me a deep passion for the fields of both mathematics and engineering. After spending four years in a career and technical high school, I have refined my engineering goal, specifically in aerospace. I am going to major in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Unmanned Autonomous Systems (UAS) at the University of Nevada, Reno, where I have already enrolled for the fall of 2025. After college, I plan to work for a defense contracting company to help develop tomorrow's aircraft and work with cutting-edge technology in the aviation field. I am taking steps to achieve this goal. One of these steps was my heavy involvement in the robotics program at my school. I was the captain of the VEX robotics team 67002F and the lead builder and designer on my team. My robots won 4 regional competitions and were finalists in 2 others. And, this past March, my team became the Nevada State VEX Robotics Champions. Our team competed in the World Vex Championships in Texas in May. I was involved in VEX all 4 years of high school and was a prominent member in the program throughout my years. I started to mentor younger teams as I became a senior member in the program, and now have helped 3 teams build their robots, strategize, and troubleshoot issues. Before I graduated, I designed an information video for my robotics coach, demonstrating how to build a solid drive train. I was honored to mentor current robotics teams and my school, and I am excited to help those who will come after me. Last summer, I was offered an internship at a local hardware and software integration company in Las Vegas. At this internship, I perform mechanical and electrical engineering tasks like custom part fabrication, avionics integration, and testing using both software programs and fabricated parts. This internship has given me a taste of what it is like to work as an engineer and has made me double down on my drive to become one. All seniors at my school create something called a capstone project, which lasts throughout their senior year, and they present their project at the end of the year. For my project, I designed a custom, fully autonomous quadcopter drone to test innovative acoustic signature reduction propellers. These propellers are designed by me and entirely custom-made to effectively reduce the noise created by propellers and increase the range of drones. This project won the Engineering Capstone Award. The results of this win were based on votes from not just members of our school but also the community members who attended the capstone presentations. Overall, I have my sights set high on becoming a lead innovator in the aviation industry but am setting myself up for success and being able to achieve these goals through participation and leadership in robotics, interning under and learning from industry professionals, and creating my engineering projects to better understand what goes into the design process.

Aeronautics has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. My interest began in childhood, whether I was flying on airplanes or listening to my grandpa's stories about his time in the Navy. This passion persisted throughout my life, but it truly blossomed during the summer before my senior year of high school. A pivotal moment was landing an internship at a company called REC, a hardware and software integration firm. This opportunity allowed me to engage in mechanical and electrical engineering work and integrate avionics systems. The internship also provided invaluable experience and insight into what it is truly like to work in this exciting field, and I have loved every moment of it. I was even offered a part-time job while finishing school only after a month of interning. This reinforced my passion for aeronautics but also motivated me to embark on personal aviation projects. At my school, every senior creates a capstone project that reflects their learning throughout high school. For my project, I chose to create an autonomous quadcopter drone with a range of over 4000 meters and a payload capacity of 1.1 pounds. This project significantly enhanced my knowledge of flight and drones, and inspired me to continue creating innovative designs like this in my professional career. Working on my drone was immensely fulfilling, and I look forward to going to work every day, driven by the desire to push the boundaries of what is possible in aeronautics. Throughout high school, I have balanced honors, advanced placement, and dual enrollment classes while working a part-time job since my sophomore year. In my senior year, I took on a second job to save for college expenses. Despite these commitments, I remained actively involved in my school's robotics team for four years, competing in numerous competitions and honing my engineering and design skills. Additionally, I have been a dedicated member of a local mountain bike racing team called the Las Vegas Vipers for over five years, all while maintaining A's throughout high school. These experiences have taught me essential time management skills and the importance of making sound financial decisions to minimize future debt. The AP and dual enrollment classes I took allowed me to earn college credit, further reducing my overall college costs. However, while I have been diligently saving for college, the rising costs of higher education present a financial challenge for my family. My parents, both public school teachers, have worked tirelessly but the financial strain has only intensified as college expenses continue to escalate. Compounding this challenge, my dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) over 20 years ago. This progressive disease poses not only health challenges but also financial burdens on our family. I also have a 15-year-old sister who will be heading to college in just a few years, which will further strain my parents' finances. I recognize that my parents have tried to plan for the increasing costs associated with the unpredictability of MS and for my sister's future education. However, it is likely that their efforts may fall short, and I am committed to doing all I can to alleviate their financial burden and graduate without huge amounts of debt. In conclusion, my journey through high school has been marked by a deepening passion for aeronautics, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to overcoming challenges. I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead in college, where I hope to expand my knowledge and skills in this fascinating field while supporting my family as best as I can.