New Year's Talk

Hello everyone!

First off, I just want to thank you for visiting my blog today and I hope you had a wonderful new year's celebration. I know that the new year always brings invitations of joy, sadness, and new beginnings as we endeavor to better ourselves through goals and more positive outlooks on the world. This is why I think it should also be a day to look back and reminisce on the good things that have happened to us in 2014 and embrace what makes us happy in the years to come.

That being said, I would like to thank my mentor, Allen Barreno, for taking me under his wing this past July and being such a cool and respectable man. He has guided me through this project since the beginning and has helped me learn so much about not only power engineering, but working with people in the real-world. He made it clear to me how vital it is to do a topic that you're passionate about. Without that piece of advice, I probably wouldn't have the EQ I have today, so I am especially grateful for that.

Allen,

You are one awesomely intelligent fellow. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work at BERG and for all the help you have given me this year with my project. I know you can get quite busy with your work, which is why I am grateful that you have sacrificed some of your valuable time to help me out. I hope you have a very successful and splendid 2015.

Through you, I've gotten to meet and work with some very nice and knowledgeable people who I would like to thank as well.

Hero,

Thank you for being such a generous and hospitable person. When I first arrived at BERG, I usually just arrived, did my normal routine, and then walked home. You were the only person who offered to give me a ride home. I know your house happens to be pretty close to mine, but just reaching out to me was very kind of you and I am grateful for that. I enjoyed our small conversations in the car, as I slowly began learning more about you and your past life. We might have had our twists and turns, but in the end, it was quite a smashing experience.

Jason and Yagi,

Thank you for all the drafting help over these past few months. I have learned so many useful tips and tricks for Microstation and AutoCAD because of you guys, I know that I still have so much to learn, but I'm glad that I have you guys by my side. You two have made me feel really comfortable working at BERG, so for that I am very grateful.

Jason, I think you're a really hard-worker with the way you feel so relieved whenever more work comes your way. You're a really cool cat with a knack for Tekken. I also want to thank you for sharing your lunch with me that one day. I will make sure to return the favor once I find food that delicious again.

Yagi, thanks for sharing some of your architectural drafting expertise with me. It led me in the right direction with my First Floor Plan Project and left me with many questions that I hope to answer as I gain more experience drafting.

AJ,

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions and giving me valuable insight into how college life for an electrical engineering student is. I learned a lot from you about the challenges, work, and experiences I may face as I enter Cal Poly Pomona. I hope to learn more from you as I begin to answer my EQ.

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These are not all the reasons why I am thankful to work at my mentorship, but I hope this small post will suffice.

P.S. Thanks for the calendar, you guys! Happy New Year!

Bamax Helmet Complete!

Finally! After what seemed like forever, I am pleased to show you guys the final product of my Bamax Helmet project.

10 Hours of drafting later...

Of all the drafting projects I've done so far, this one was probably the most challenging. Not only did it incorporate the most curvatures, but it also was based on a digital image. This made it especially challenging as I tried to get the proportions just right to match the original image. This project forced me to try out some tools and commands I have never tried before, but that is what made this project an amazing learning experience.

Parabolas for Days

Hello everyone!

Over the past month, I've spent a number of hours at my mentorship trying to figure out the best way to draft the Bamax helmet.

Although I have not made very much visual progress, I have overcome one of my biggest issues concerning this project so far: the parabolas. Drawing parabolas in Microstation was problematic for me because it was not a straightforward task. There is not a parabola tool in Microstation, so I had to resort to alternative means (e.g. mirroring points on one side of the parabola on the picture to the other side); all of which were very inefficient or impractical depending on the situation. After a few hours, I decided to just google it, and sure enough, there was a YouTube video that showed how to construct a parabola in Microstation (given the base and height). The video I found is given below:

I really liked this video because the uploader, UjjwalRane, gives a clear explanation of his method and provides an easy-to-follow, on-screen procedure that applies to 99% of all the parabolas you would want to create in Microstation. This particular video deals with parabolas that have the mouth opening downwards. If you'd like to see the video dealing with parabolas that have the mouth opening upwards, click here.

I learned an important lesson that day: if you can't figure out a drafting problem at work within a few minutes, look it up online. The answer is probably there!

A Sneak Peek...

For all of you Big Hero 6 fans, I present to you my latest project! :D I'm no Hiro, but it doesn't mean I can't try to draft like him. ;)

Bamax Helmet 2.0

EQ

Content

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

• Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
• Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
•  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

• Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
• Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

The following EQ meets the rule of three.  It is not a yes/no question and calls for depth in research. It takes a stance by asking "what is the most important (blank)". The EQ's format makes sense and is specific in that it is asking about healthy weight loss.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

The  following EQ does not meet the rule of three. Despite the EQ's proficient wording and invitation to "take a stance", the question is not specific enough about the type of crime or the circumstances in order to provide a focused framework for studies.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

The  following EQ does not meet the rule of three. The EQ isn't specific enough. The wording of it opens invitation for the cliche "The customer is always right." 

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

The following EQ meets the rule of three.  It is not a yes/no question and calls for depth in research. It takes a stance by asking which treatment is best for an anesthesiologist to use. The EQ's format makes sense and is specific in that it is asking about the type of pain.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

For my Lesson 1 Presentation, I am most proud of the fact that I was able to say everything that I wanted to say. Furthermore, I am also proud that I was able to speak fluently and passionately about my topic and convey those feelings to my audience.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P-         AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

I deserve a P- on this assignment. I believe that my justification and foundation were on the mark because I referenced my three sources throughout my presentation, had at least one published research source cited, and referenced my mentor and interview in my presentation; making me eligible for a P. However, my professionalism was a little off because I did look down at my notes a lot more than I should have, which greatly effected my eye contact with the audience, making me eligible for an AP. In the end, I think an average between the two is fair, landing me with a P-.


3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

A number of things went considerably well in my first lesson. For example, my voice was loud, clear and conveyed passion for my topic. I also cited all of the sources I needed to (along with my mentor's advice and expertise). 

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

In the long term, I would've started this Lesson plan a week before the due date so I would've had more time to familiarize myself with the content of my lesson, work out any awkward or illogical transitions, and ultimately rehearse my lesson as a whole to avoid the use of note cards. As far as the short term concerned, I would've prepared all of my materials the night before so I wouldn't have had to leave anything out of my presentation.

Arc Reactor and new projects!

I have finally completed drafting the Arc reactor from Iron Man 2 on Microstation! After many hours of mouse-clicking and calculating, I realized that there must be a more efficient way to draft scale models such as the arc reactor. With the assistance of the drafting team at my mentorship, I am currently thinking of new approaches to subsequent C.A.D.D. projects to increase my efficiency and continue practicing my drafting skills.

For example, on my most recent project, I completed a model of a biohazard symbol on Microstation. For this project, I took a different approach by writing down each step as I went. This helped me to increase my efficiency by thinking about each step very carefully, making sure no mouse-clicks were wasted.

Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ

Title:  Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ 

Label:  Research

Due Date: Thursday October 16 by 8AM

1.  What is your working EQ?

My working EQ is "What is power engineering and how does it relate to Caltrans?"

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format. 

What is power engineering and how does it relate to Caltrans?

•  The conversion of power into energy, where the main goal is to understand and manipulate currents (e.g. AC or DC) to make them more efficient.

•  The main goal of a power engineer is to deliver reliable, stable sources of power to their customers.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

The most important source I've used that has helped me answer my working EQ is an article by Mary McMahon called What Does a Power Engineer Do? It has helped me identify the main duties, areas of interest, and working environments power engineers encounter on a daily basis. This source has lead me to other questions, such as "What are the applications of power engineering in Caltrans?" and "What kind of work would a power engineer be doing in Caltrans, if any?".

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My mentor is Allen Barreno, a professional project electrical engineer. I do my mentorship at his company, BERG Power Engineers, where I practice drafting work independently. My drafting work relates to my working EQ because the ability to competently do C.A.D.D. (Computer-Aided Drafting and Design) work is imperative in the engineering world, especially in the sub-field of electrical  engineering, where you are constantly using the computer either to design, draft, or communicate with coworkers or fellow engineers.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

Due Date:  Thursday, 10/2 by 8AM

What is it?  Independent Component 1 is an opportunity for you to add a dimension of creativity and/or an additional outlet for research. The goal of the component is for you to explore your topic in more depth with this component.  On February 6, 2015, you will be turning in the following to your blog to prove completion of this component:

• Log of time taken to complete assignment Senior Project Hours spreadsheet.
• Evidence of the 30 hours of work (e.g. transcript, essays, tests, art work, photographs) as digital artifacts.
• LIA explanation of what you did.

To get your idea approved now, please answer the following questions:

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my independent component, I plan to practice drafting work at my mentorship (using Auto CAD and Microstation) and document what I accomplish in a composition notebook when I leave.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I will ask my mentor for permission to do drafting work from previous projects he's done. If he says yes, then I will receive a print from him and will begin working on it ASAP. Assuming each print takes approximately 3 hours to complete, I will have to draft a minimum of ten prints for my independent component. In terms of mentorship time, I predict this component will take me about twenty days to complete since I spend an average of 1.5 hours a week at my mentorship (once every Friday). I will also spend an additional five days (besides Friday) at my mentorship to ensure that my thirty hours are complete. As far as documenting goes, I will take before and after pictures of my drafting work to showcase my progress. In addition, I will also write a small description of what I did and update my Senior Project Hours Log as needed.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

Drafting is an important part of the engineering process because the accuracy of a project's designs depend on how accurately they were drafted. The practice of drafting will not only help me develop the skill and competency to work proficiently in an engineering environment, but it will also help me learn about the different drafting standards set forth by various companies (such as LA DWP and Edison) and techniques utilized by drafting professionals to improve efficiency.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Your answers to the questions should be supported with details and examples for the senior team to understand what you plan to do.  

Drafting the Arc Reactor

Over the past few weeks, I have been practicing my drafting skills at my mentorship through mini drafting projects using Auto CAD and Microstation. Some of the things I have created include floorplans of bedrooms, two-dimensional models of inanimate objects, as well as complex shapes and designs. In my latest visits to BPE, I have taken on my most challenging project yet: creating a 2-D model of Tony Stark's arc reactor from Iron Man 2. Having spent a considerable number of hours working on it, I am pleased to announce that I am approaching completion of my most memorable project thus far. 

Blog 6 - Second Interview Preparation

The purpose of the second interview is to justify your mentor as an expert in the field.  Thus, you will be asking them at least 5 questions about their background and/or the background of the organization or company where they work.

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor's name is Allen Barreno and he is a professional project electrical engineer. He works at BERG Power Engineers in West Covina, CA. 

2.  What five* questions will you ask them about their background?

• Tell me about the most challenging engineering project you've been involved with over the past year.
• Tell me about a time when you became aware of a hazardous workplace condition. How did you handle it?
• Give me an example of when you had to teach a skill to another engineer.
• Tell me about your experience in dealing with routine engineering work. How do you keep from getting bored?
• For what advice or assistance do fellow engineers turn to you?
• Give me two examples of technical decisions you had to make on your last job?
• In the field of engineering, priorities often change quickly. Give me an example of a time when that happened. How did you handle it?

The interview is due 10/25 by 8AM in Q&A format to turnitin.com.

*(an arbitrary number)

Blog 5 - Mentorship Reflection

Due Date:  Thursday September 11 by 8AM

Based on what you have done for your senior project so far, answer the following questions (be specific and use examples).

1. Mentorship question: Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?  If you haven't found one yet, describe your experience so far in the search of a mentor.

About mid-June, I began my grueling quest for an electrical engineer that would take me under their wing. I spent about 5 days researching and calling different companies (such as Edison, LA DWP, and Cal trans) for a mentorship, but to no avail. On the seventh day (like an act of Providence), my mom gave me a list of phone numbers of engineering firms around my area. I called about ten firms from three different cities before I stumbled upon a company called BERG Power Engineers (BPE). When I contacted the company, I was greeted by the secretary who told me about an electrical engineer named: Allen Barreno and how he could possibly assist me with my dilemma.  After consulting with the secretary, I visited their website to check the resumes of the different engineers that worked there. When I looked over his resume, I couldn't help but grin at how legitimate and well-rounded he was and I decided to make a trip over to BPE to ask him to be my mentor. The next day, I went to BPE, where I met up with Allen to discuss my Senior project and the opportunity to pursue a mentorship there. After a few minutes of discussion, he pleasantly agreed to make me his apprentice. He told me I could start observing and helping him the subsequent Monday. The following week, I began my mentorship at BERG for 14 days before the beginning of the school year. Since then, I have been mentoring there every Friday. 

2. Research question: What has been your most important article you have read so far and why?

The most important article I've read so far is called What are the Different Types of Jobs for Power Engineers? because it has helped me to focus my research on problems encountered primarily by power systems engineers. This article also offers a concise description of many other jobs [as wells as their educational requirements] related to the power engineering field, such as a power plant control engineer, software engineer, and a service & repair engineer.

Free Online Textbook for Electrical engineering!

The other day I was researching some articles for my senior topic when I stumbled upon a diamond in the ruff: a website that offers unlimited access to a series of textbooks on electricity and electronics (AC current, DC, semiconductors, etc.). Aptly named named All About Circuits, this website offers a plethora of other services as well, such as: video lectures, blogs, worksheets, and forums (on a variety of electrical engineering topics for students, hobbyists, and professionals). If you plan to become an electrical engineer, are a professional engineer, or even just a fan of electronics and would like to expand your knowledge, I recommend that you check out this website now!

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

I plan to interview my mentor: Allen Barreno, because he is a certified project electrical engineer who has specialized in my topic: power engineering. Accompanied by his decades of experience in the field of power engineering and drafting, he has also been running his father's business: BERG Power Engineers, since 1988, making him an excellent candidate for my interview. 

2.  You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?  

• I remember you told me that when you were a little boy, your dad used to take you to work with him here at BPE and you used to just hang around his office. So how has that experience influenced you to follow in his footsteps?
• In your view, what is the most challenging aspect of being an electrical engineer? Why?
• I noticed that on your resume it states that you've had Green Building professional training. Can you tell me more about it and how this training has helped you in your line of work?
• You've also had advanced schematics training, correct? What did you learn from that?
• Do you keep up to date with new trends, advances and technology in the field of electrical engineering? If so, how has this new knowledge helped you develop as an engineer? As a company?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1.  List your topic here: 

Power Engineering

2.  Write a question that helps to focus your research this month.

What is power engineering and how does it relate to Caltrans?

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:  

1. (Know) Using google doc (drive) link a log of specific hours and a description of your duties (click here for an example) to your blog post. 

My Mentorship Log 

2. What is the contact name & number of where you volunteered?  

BERG Power Engineers  (Mentor name: Allen Barreno)

Contact Number: (626) 917-6665  

3. (Need to know) What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?  List them.

• What does an electrical engineer do here on a day-to-day basis?
• What is CADD and how is it integrated here at BPE?
• How many different types of electrical engineers are there?
• What is the difference between a designer and a drafter?
• What is the difference between a senior engineer and a design engineer?
• If a bachelor's degree means that the engineer has completed all the classes required for all engineers to take, then what is taught in the master's program?
• What is the 4-year pledge?
• How long did it take you to earn your bachelor's degree?
• Describe your general task list for most of the projects you encounter?
• What is a utility?
• What is the most valuable skill you gained from college as an engineering student?

Interpretive

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I gained from this experience is practice with drafting using AutoCAD and Microstation as well as invaluable insight and advice from the drafting team and staff at BPE. The knowledge I gained from this experience will help prepare myself for what to expect in college and on the field as an electrical engineer. It will also open doors for me in other engineering firms with the skills I've learned in drafting.

Applied

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

My senior topic is going to be Power engineering. My experience at BPE helped me affirm my choice because it helped me realize how much I enjoy problem solving and drafting. This experienced also helped me choose my topic because it opened my eyes to the versatility this field offers, spanning into many varying categories from which to choose from. This allows me to be general enough with the title to attract attention, yet pick a  specific subtopic different from presentations in the past.

Blog 1: 2 hour presentations

1.  What presentations did you see?

Date/Block	Presenter	Topic	Location
21-05-14 - Block 1	Garcia, Alicia	Archaeology	Eng-11
21-05-14 - Block 2	Rizo, Regina	Teaching Elementary	Eng-11
21-05-14 - Block 3	Serrano, Diana	Special Education	Sci-11
22-05-14 - Block 1	Gonzalez, Francisco	Film Production	SS-12
22-05-14 - Block 2	QP, Nitjasin	Dentistry	SS-11
22-05-14 - Block 3	Mira, Nathan	Graphic Design	SS-12
23-05-14 - Block 1	Gallardo, Kimberly	Personality Disorders	Math-12
23-05-14 - Block 3	Schott, Bradley	Computer Science	SS-11
27-05-14 - Block 1	Diaz, Victor	Auto Mechanic	SS-12
27-05-14 - Block 2	Salas, Isaac	Engineering	SS-11
28-05-14 - Block 1	Gamboa, Daniel	Electrical Engineering	SS-12
28-05-14 - Block 2	McConnaughey, Lara	Linguistics	Sci-12
28-05-14 - Block 3	Patena, Mark	Hip Hop Dance Choreography	Math-12
29-05-14 - Block 1	Olivares, Adrian	Strength Training	Math-12
29-05-14 - Block 2	Rico, Junior	Automotive Repair	Math-12
29-05-14 - Block 3	Wu, Wesley	Structural Engineering	SS-12

 2.   What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.

• How do I apply for service learning hours at an engineering firm in southern California?
• How do I apply for an engineering mentorship at Cal-Trans?
• Is there specific criteria for our bibliography? (e.g., MLA format? minimum number of sources? Videos? Newspapers/print sources? etc.)

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

Based on what I have seen in the 2-hour presentations, the most important aspect of the senior project is the three answers to the essential question.


4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

I am consider considering doing electrical engineering as my topic because it is the major I want to obtain in college and the career I want to pursue later in life. Choosing electrical engineering as my senior presentation topic provides me with the opportunity to familiarize myself with what an electrical engineer does and to prepare myself for what my major has in store for me when I go to Cal Poly Pomona. By doing electrical engineering as my topic, I hope to:
a) learn the basics of what an engineer does
b) understand how the mind of an engineer works
c) gain valuable work experience to put me a step ahead in my studies
d) attain insight and advice from engineering professionals


5. What are you doing for your summer mentorship?

For my summer mentorship, I am planning to work at Cal-Trans as an office associate. I will also look into finding a mentor through the ACE Mentor Program, like some of the seniors at I-poly have done in the past.