The word engineering comes from “ingenium”, Latin for innate ingenuity or displaying innate mental talent. However, I disagree with the concept that engineering is solely innate, as it's often born out of need. Many enter the field pursuing prestige, chasing the next big innovation and fame, all while neglecting the urgent and unresolved challenges facing humanity and the environment. “Why” you do something can define you in a moment. I’m on this path because I cannot be a bystander to the human-created problems plaguing our earth. As a future engineer, I want to avoid band-aid fixes, using wit and clever creativity to create long-term solutions to the various problems that threaten the integrity of our environment and human life. To me, engineering is more than just a career; it is a passion for making improvements that reap the rewards of evolution, sustaining life. For this reason, it's essential that I use my current and future skills to create sustainable mechanisms to improve our world. For as long as I can remember, I've always held an interest in creating, building, and fixing. I was constantly cutting cardboard, popsicle sticks, and M&M tubes to make paper canons, models, dispensers, or anything I could dream up or find on YouTube. As I grew, I fortunately gained access to new tools, broadening my capabilities. In secondary school, I redesigned a harmonic balancer pulley and, in my freshman university year, learned to solder, build circuits, and design a collapsible dog bowl with locking lids. As a current sophomore, I aim to widen my skill set and understanding of mechanical processes. I became a member of FIU’s Aerospace club, and I'm a part of the team, working to design the propulsion system for a banner-towing bush plane that must complete three missions, with differing payloads, for the AIAA Design/Build/Fly competition. Currently, we have completed the design of the gearbox and have almost completed the design of the contra-rotating propellers. We've started CADing standard components within the gearbox, as well as female and male connecting systems that self-tighten, while attempting specialized parts, such as a bearing with external flanges, which may need to be machined externally, so gear-tracks can be attached to rotate the propellers. Additionally, as a member of the Eco-Engineering club, I am assisting in building an electric car for the future Shell Eco Marathon. As part of the club’s mechanical team, I've been tasked with part design and manufacturing aspects of the steering system, building and wiring an “on-and-off” button using a snap action switch, and various future designs. Furthermore, I have started working at FIU’s Applied Research Center as a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fellow. Currently, I'm supporting the H-Canyon Exhaust Tunnel task. H-Canyon, located at the Savannah River Site, is the only radiologically shielded chemical separations facility in the U.S. The HCAEX ventilation systems mitigate the release of radioactive contamination by pulling exhaust air through an underground concrete tunnel directed to a sand filter. Working in the Environmental and Technology lab, I have learned the importance of understanding the conditions of a given problem. I'm assisting in evaluating protective coatings that must be applied to the degraded walls using robotic assistance due to radioactive and aggressive conditions. I've become familiar with different lab equipment, including an impedance machine, a thickness gauge, adhesion testing machine, an electron scanning microscope, and X-ray diffraction. As the project advances, I hope to contribute and learn about as many aspects as I can. I am grateful to be a DOE fellow, though a small role, it places me one step closer to engineering a healthier environment.

I do not think of engineering as a career. For me, it is a passion, as well as a duty to improve lives and the future of the planet. As far as I can remember I have always had love for creation and design. Creating engulfed my imagination as a child. I made numerous attempts to build cannons from M&M candy tube packaging and rubber launchers from popsicle sticks. Then as a pre-teen, I would sketch designs and do technical drawings of my ideas to produce what I imagined. During my teenage years, I started noticing the real world. My desire for silly creations seemed so small next to the hardships and degradation of the planet. I slowly began to shift my ideas for building items that would solve problems, rather than create them. Thus far, Technical Drawing has certainly piqued my interest and held my attention. To pursue this subject for my Caribbean Secondary Education Exams (“CSEC”), in Trinidad, I had to seek classes outside of my school, as the subject was not offered. I enjoyed studying it so much, I even had the honor of placing 14th in Trinidad and Tobago for the 2023 Technical Drawing CSEC exam. This class allowed me to work with and gain experience in programs inculding, AutoCAD, Fusion360 and SolidWorks. I always enjoyed drafting machine Technical Drawings. Why? The concept of using ideas to consider what on the inside makes an a model function fascinates me. Being able to mentally assess whether a design will work based purely on conceptualization and critical thinking drives me. As such, I was able to re-design a Harmonic Balancer pulley, given less than ideal constraints. I hope to pursue Technical Drawing further and to eventually gain my CAD license. As a university student, I continue to create. Some projects completed in my first semester, as a freshman, include designing a parametric heat sink and re-designing a collapsable dog bowl with locking lids that double as a stand, both designs part of my engineering program. However, the collapsable dog bowl was done with the intent to make a functional and 3D printable design. The idea came from what I would find beneficial, as a pet owner, myself. Other projects I am currently working on, as part of my engineering program, include coding a Truss design to take specific inputted constraints and simulate the bridge load multiplied by its design limit. I have been engrossed in these projects because I have made connections within every course I have taken thus far. Concepts and laws learnt in physics have been applied in engineering calculus problems and developed in CAD. Making these connections between what I am learning and how it appears and is implemented in real life is intriguing. I even recently attended a school workshop and learned how to solder. Making mistakes and adding too much solder was part of the process of learning to fix errors using hot tools and copper fabric. Experiences like this helped me understand that I should not expect perfection. My intent as an engineer major is to use the skills I am learning and learn to look for solutions. Some of which might be acquired from the analysis of current knowledge or those that require a little more research. The ability to welcome mistakes and problem solving by applying concepts is an invaluable skill. If I wish to seek answers and engineer solutions to the progression and sustainability of society and the planet, I must be willing to compromise and understand issues in their entirety before jumping in with a half solution.

Questions are followed by answers. A simple yes or no. What happens when neither is the case? As a child, I quizzed my parents on every question imaginable. Some were answered with grace, but the mind-boggling ones faced the dreaded phrase, “I Don't Know.” Being a stickler for answers, I decided that was insufficient. So, this followed another challenge for my parents, the big “WHY?” Once again, I confronted the opponent, “I don't know.” As birthdays passed, more questions arose and more people were questioned, but they all led me back to the same foe, “I don't know.” To not know, means to be unaware of something, and to be unaware of something means to be blissfully ignorant of the world of wondrous possibility we live in. How could I possibly live a full life without trying to grasp everything the unknown has to offer? It is difficult to stick to the script given for living life. “If you could choose one thing when you grow up, what would you want to be?” This question often stumped me as the answers are ever changing in my young mind. I’ve considered fields that range from the land and sea to the stars; architect, engineer, marine biologist, cinematographer, aerospace engineer, astrophysicist. The list goes on. All these wondrous options presented to me yet I felt limited to one. Hence, I decided to engineer my own path. There is one thing all these careers have in common; It is the act of discovering the untapped troves of information of the unknown. I do not wish to waste the one life I am granted focused on one aspect of the marvelous world we live in. I endeavor to see and explore everything this planet has to offer using sustainable practices, in so giving back to Mother Nature. My passion for designand improvement revealed itself through my scribbles and drawings, later becoming cardboard models of houses, cartoon characters, structures, and a water dispenser, created out of cardboard and a syringe. To date, my most recent accomplishment is one I am most proud of. Recognized nationally, I received a ranking of 14th on the, ‘Territorial Merit List of Trinidad and Tobago,’ for the subject Technical Drawing(Mechanical). This recognition is not only a privilege but demonstrates my connection to a subject dedicated to design and improvement, which has been a large motivation for my future goals and the paths I wish to take in life. Today our planet and way of life is rapidly deteriorating. How can we mend such damage without leaving every stone unturned? It is our job as mankind to look after the animals and ecosystems that we share this land with. Therefore, I look forward to pursuing mechanical engineering and broadening my experiences by learning different subjects so that I may pursue the path of research. I wish to tap into our potential to better our planet and one day be a voice of change who can bring together society, as we work towards a goal of knowledge and sustainability.

Like many families, my home is burdened with financial hardship constantly. Whether it is to keep our family business afloat, pay immigration lawyers their fees, medical bills, school fees, utilities or any miscellaneous expense. There is always something to pay or someone that needs money. I am fully aware of how overwhelming the cost of university can be. After all, I have an elder sister who graduated college several years ago. The brunt of its cost was faced by my parents and international fees were overbearing as well as the cost of living which often impacted my sister’s meals. My mother worked two jobs and my father engaged in overtime often. My sister even got a job to cover some costs. The financial hardship mostly led to constant arguments, slammed doors, and late-night drinking. Our household never seemed relaxed. Every cent made went towards a bill. We often had to prioritize what was more important; Either grocery bills or extracurriculars. To this day, my parents are still in debt although my mother works two jobs and my father does overtime. My sister still has her student loans to pay off. Being awarded any funds will surely allow me to pursue my studies guilt-free by alleviating the strain off of my parents. Instead of worrying about where we will be getting the money for the next school payment, I would be able to focus on my academics and become the exceptional student which Florida International University envisions to mold. Additionally, I firmly believe being granted any award will ease the tension in my household and allow my family to live life comfortably while I attend school. Neither one should be put on pause when gaining an education. Learning is a part of living a full life. Today our planet and way of life is rapidly deteriorating. How can we mend such damage without leaving every stone unturned? It is our job as mankind to look after the animals and ecosystems that we share this land with. Therefore, I look forward to pursuing mechanical engineering and broadening my experiences by learning different subjects so that I may pursue the path of research. I wish to tap into our potential to better our planet and one day be a voice of change who can bring together society, as we work towards a goal of knowledge and sustainability. To accomplish such fulfilling and important goals at Florida International University, financial aid will play a large role in allowing me to bring this vision to fruition.

I DON’T KNOW Questions are followed by answers. A simple yes or no. What happens when neither is the case? As a child, I quizzed my parents on every question imaginable. Some were answered with grace, but the mind-boggling ones faced the dreaded phrase, “I Don't Know.” Being a stickler for answers, I decided that was insufficient. So, this followed another challenge for my parents, the big “WHY?” Once again, I confronted the opponent, “I don't know.” As birthdays passed, more questions arose and more people were questioned, but they all led me back to the same foe, “I don't know.” To not know, means to be unaware of something, and to be unaware of something means to be blissfully ignorant of the world of wondrous possibility we live in. How could I possibly live a full life without trying to grasp everything the unknown has to offer? Born of thirst for answers to the uncharted, combined with curiosity coursing through my veins, was creativity and wild theories. My passion for design revealed itself through my scribbles and drawings, later becoming cardboard models of houses, cartoon characters, structures, and a water dispenser, created out of cardboard and a syringe. Although my hands explored what I could create, my mind drifted away to the realities I read about. Often, I yearned to be whisked away within the pages of stories to escape. To escape what? What does a child with no responsibilities need to escape? Some think we know nothing but, in truth, we see everything. I saw looks of despair, never merriment. I heard shrewd comments made to each other. I heard arguments. Sometimes yanked from the sidelines and forced into the scapegoat. I saw drinking. I heard the slammed doors. I felt an empty home. My question was, “Where is my fairytale?” I wanted to be whisked away, to where my mind and hands were. How I wished for it to be my reality. Lands where friendship and adventure conquered battles. To witness cities of gold lined with love. Millions of alternate universes, rampant in libraries but it was the underwater kingdom, Atlantis, that caught my eye. Endless possibilities in a single city being filled with merfolk singing, treasures and troves, a technologically advanced society, with flora and fauna blossoming alongside. For some time, I dreamed of traveling to Atlantis, living a fantasy. But I realized there was no need to travel miles below sea, as we too live in an Atlantis of our own. Our universe utterly exceeds the boundaries of novels, offering vast richness in treasures and life, but also collaborative efforts to shape our world. Nevertheless, reality does not mirror the fantasies of storybooks; our potential remains largely untapped, hindered by lack of motivation for progress. The fabled city of Atlantis bears a reminder; it is possible to thrive in ecological harmony. Our Earthly realm beseeches assistance from humanity. Unsustainable practices imperil existence, compelling us to confront the abyss where solutions await, yet we falter. I pledge to embrace the myriad of gifts bestowed by this planet—life, knowledge, affection, nature, restoration, evolution. Why pursue escapism when fulfillment beckons? It is imperative we seek, discover and mend relationships while resisting the urge to flee when opposed by challenges. Though tempting to retreat into fantasy, why sacrifice reality when we have power to shape it? Let us strive to become our best selves, for the planet we and nature call home. Rather than being consumed by trivial disputes and material possessions, we must focus on rectifying mistakes. The unknown is not our adversary; it holds the solutions we seek, if only we dare inquire and comprehend. Earth entrusts us with life, it is our duty to nurture and understand it. Given the opportunity, why not attempt to create a better existence? We never know when we will have more yesterdays than tomorrows.