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Submission Number: 379
Submission ID: 1315
Submission UUID: d298509d-65e1-4078-b3bd-c1ef9a1acf72
Created: Fri, 03/15/2024 - 08:32
Completed: Fri, 03/15/2024 - 08:32
Changed: Tue, 04/08/2025 - 03:22
Remote IP address: 2603:8080:4c00:5fcc:2144:4ab6:cb70:5903
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
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Megan
McIntosh
She/Her
Austin
TX
United States
78731
Mechanical Engineering
English (5)
Joining the Greater Austin Area Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) without a single engineering course under my belt, I was afraid my contribution to projects couldn't compare with professional engineers with years of expertise; however, I was still determined to make a difference in my community. Even though I'm the youngest member, I've been able to take a leadership role on the Executive Board as the Student Director of Projects and become one of the most active members, representing the Austin Chapter at the EWB-USA National Conference.
As Director of Projects, I have kept all of our local and international projects on track and have taken on the role of team lead of a local project in collaboration with a University of Texas Senior Design Course. As the project lead for a community garden, I have worked with civil engineers to survey infrastructure and improve resources available to senior citizens and other underrepresented groups. Through this project, I discovered not only how to use topographical survey equipment but also how to harvest local herbs from the community garden's oldest member, who doesn't speak a word of English but grows the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen in Texas. I'm just beginning EWB's story with them as we have already started planning an improved irrigation system, drainage study, and a universally designed community kitchen. By gaining an appreciation for all that the garden stands for, I was able to fully understand the scope and beauty of the project I am leading.
I also created a mentorship program for high school students, the first of its kind within the organization, to establish a lasting way for other students to make an impact. I want everyone to be able to find a place in a field they are passionate about, no matter their background or age. I have learned that the most rewarding engineering work is that which impacts and benefits others.
My experience with EWB has taught me how to communicate with people from all different backgrounds and advocate for what I believe is important. I even had the opportunity to attend the EWB-USA National Conference this year, where I met students and professionals from across the world. Although the chapters hadn't been able to meet together in this type of setting since COVID, the organization was immediately united through the shared goal of helping others. Each chapter and person brought their own skills to the table, with representatives from almost the entire organization in one place, proving how big a difference we have the potential to create as a whole. At the conference, I discussed the life-changing projects already in the works at the CU Boulder EWB chapter with current students and professors. As the location of the first EWB branch, CU Boulder truly embodies this collective hands-on learning I have discovered through EWB. Although I've only traveled to local communities and the National Conference through EWB, I strive to expand my travels and address problems faced by larger communities as my experience and skills grow. I hope to continue my story with EWB at Boulder and reconnect with the amazing people I have already met.
As Director of Projects, I have kept all of our local and international projects on track and have taken on the role of team lead of a local project in collaboration with a University of Texas Senior Design Course. As the project lead for a community garden, I have worked with civil engineers to survey infrastructure and improve resources available to senior citizens and other underrepresented groups. Through this project, I discovered not only how to use topographical survey equipment but also how to harvest local herbs from the community garden's oldest member, who doesn't speak a word of English but grows the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen in Texas. I'm just beginning EWB's story with them as we have already started planning an improved irrigation system, drainage study, and a universally designed community kitchen. By gaining an appreciation for all that the garden stands for, I was able to fully understand the scope and beauty of the project I am leading.
I also created a mentorship program for high school students, the first of its kind within the organization, to establish a lasting way for other students to make an impact. I want everyone to be able to find a place in a field they are passionate about, no matter their background or age. I have learned that the most rewarding engineering work is that which impacts and benefits others.
My experience with EWB has taught me how to communicate with people from all different backgrounds and advocate for what I believe is important. I even had the opportunity to attend the EWB-USA National Conference this year, where I met students and professionals from across the world. Although the chapters hadn't been able to meet together in this type of setting since COVID, the organization was immediately united through the shared goal of helping others. Each chapter and person brought their own skills to the table, with representatives from almost the entire organization in one place, proving how big a difference we have the potential to create as a whole. At the conference, I discussed the life-changing projects already in the works at the CU Boulder EWB chapter with current students and professors. As the location of the first EWB branch, CU Boulder truly embodies this collective hands-on learning I have discovered through EWB. Although I've only traveled to local communities and the National Conference through EWB, I strive to expand my travels and address problems faced by larger communities as my experience and skills grow. I hope to continue my story with EWB at Boulder and reconnect with the amazing people I have already met.
I have never been able to narrow down my interests. My walls are filled floor to ceiling with art pieces, sports medals, handmade jewelry, playbills, 3D printed projects, Duck Tape swords, records, clay sculptures, books, and thrift store clothing. In Williams Village North, I hope to find people who share my love for the pursuit of knowledge and seek to take the initiative to explore and embrace their interests.
I was initially drawn to engineering because I have countless ideas bouncing around in my head. Under the mentorship of a professional engineer, a classmate and I are collaborating to design a knee brace to measure the pressure and angle of impact to determine the likelihood of ACL injuries, an evil that has incapacitated many friends from sports they love. We squeeze in time between classes to talk to our computer science, engineering, physics, biotechnology, and sports medicine teachers to learn as much as possible. Although each field is unique, we have combined all these subjects in pursuit of helping others. I love engineering not only for the ability it affords me to help others but also for the opportunities to learn from and work with others.
I want to find people with whom I can both bake cookies and binge bad reality television, as well as discuss complex physics and mathematical problems. I have always learned best with others and believe that the most creative solutions come from collaboration and trust. I am excited by the opportunity to find peers who are just as passionate about the subject of Global Engineering as I am. Exploring resources and making a difference in the world around me with my future best friends makes me ecstatic about the future that I could have at Boulder. I hope to collaborate with and learn from others in the Global Engineering RAP in order to engineer a world that lives up to our greatest imagination.
I was initially drawn to engineering because I have countless ideas bouncing around in my head. Under the mentorship of a professional engineer, a classmate and I are collaborating to design a knee brace to measure the pressure and angle of impact to determine the likelihood of ACL injuries, an evil that has incapacitated many friends from sports they love. We squeeze in time between classes to talk to our computer science, engineering, physics, biotechnology, and sports medicine teachers to learn as much as possible. Although each field is unique, we have combined all these subjects in pursuit of helping others. I love engineering not only for the ability it affords me to help others but also for the opportunities to learn from and work with others.
I want to find people with whom I can both bake cookies and binge bad reality television, as well as discuss complex physics and mathematical problems. I have always learned best with others and believe that the most creative solutions come from collaboration and trust. I am excited by the opportunity to find peers who are just as passionate about the subject of Global Engineering as I am. Exploring resources and making a difference in the world around me with my future best friends makes me ecstatic about the future that I could have at Boulder. I hope to collaborate with and learn from others in the Global Engineering RAP in order to engineer a world that lives up to our greatest imagination.
"Oh, you were actually right." I have heard this phrase too many times in my engineering, math, physics, and computer science classes. I am one of only five girls out of sixty students taking a high-level physics course at my magnet high school. Growing up, I rarely felt the pressures of stereotypical female vs male interests. However, as I advanced through my intellectual career, I progressively noticed that as my interests led me into more advanced STEM classes, female participation gradually dwindled as well. It is in these situations that I strive to lead by example. I hope to find a platform through the Global Engineering RAP at CU Boulder that will allow me to forge a path so that others can be inspired to follow their ambitions as well.
I was disappointed to learn that less than 16% of engineers in the US are female. However, my experience with Engineers Without Borders as Student Director of Projects and a Team Lead has shown me that progress is achievable. Two-thirds of the EWB Austin branch's executive board is female, and 40% of the entire organization is female. I have seen the possibilities of the future of engineering and am excited to be a part of it.
Growing up in Austin has given me the unique experience of having amazing female role models. The first person to introduce me to the world of 3D printing was a family friend who specializes in environmental science, sparking my love for the magic of technology and innovation. I have vivid memories of participating in a local Girl's Day, visiting all the fantastic booths as well as running a booth for the last two years and seeing all the young girls' faces light up just as mine had years before. I have been fortunate to have these platforms and role models that encouraged me to expand my interests, but I am also very aware that many girls are not afforded this opportunity.
Outside of school, I work at Camp Half-Blood Austin (CHBA), an interactive literary camp that provides an accepting environment for queer youth. Using nonpreferred pronouns when addressing campers' parents due to the child's fear of not being recognized for who they are is heartbreaking. Some campers have stopped coming because their parents felt it was "too gay." However, I embrace the responsibility of being a role model for the next generation, especially since CHBA played a significant role in accepting myself. As a queer female in engineering, I will be in the minority, but I have learned the importance of staying true to myself so that those who come after can do the same.
I aspire to design accessible toys with parts designed so every child can experience the joy of play. I long to help with a universal kitchen design for a local community kitchen despite the knowledge that funding, experience, and time all limit my abilities. My knowledge and expertise can't keep pace with my imagination. I want to tackle every problem head-on, every challenge becoming just another puzzle to solve.
The Global Engineering RAP would provide me with resources, including small-group mentorship, priority enrollment, and a fast track to the Global Engineering Minor that would allow me to continue to pursue my interests with peers who support my aspirations. I hope to expand my knowledge through the ITL Laboratory and the Global Engineering minor, as well as explore the future opportunities in this discipline discussed by Evan Thomas at the EWB-USA National Conference I attended last fall.
I strive for a future filled with the diversity and inclusion I saw growing up in an urban area so that no one is discouraged from a path they are excited about. I want to continue to pursue my passions at CU Boulder, hopefully participating in the Global Engineering program, Society of Women Engineers, and Engineers Without Borders, for which I am currently the Austin chapter's Student Director of Projects, so I can grow into a role model and create a more inclusive STEM experience for the next generation.
I was disappointed to learn that less than 16% of engineers in the US are female. However, my experience with Engineers Without Borders as Student Director of Projects and a Team Lead has shown me that progress is achievable. Two-thirds of the EWB Austin branch's executive board is female, and 40% of the entire organization is female. I have seen the possibilities of the future of engineering and am excited to be a part of it.
Growing up in Austin has given me the unique experience of having amazing female role models. The first person to introduce me to the world of 3D printing was a family friend who specializes in environmental science, sparking my love for the magic of technology and innovation. I have vivid memories of participating in a local Girl's Day, visiting all the fantastic booths as well as running a booth for the last two years and seeing all the young girls' faces light up just as mine had years before. I have been fortunate to have these platforms and role models that encouraged me to expand my interests, but I am also very aware that many girls are not afforded this opportunity.
Outside of school, I work at Camp Half-Blood Austin (CHBA), an interactive literary camp that provides an accepting environment for queer youth. Using nonpreferred pronouns when addressing campers' parents due to the child's fear of not being recognized for who they are is heartbreaking. Some campers have stopped coming because their parents felt it was "too gay." However, I embrace the responsibility of being a role model for the next generation, especially since CHBA played a significant role in accepting myself. As a queer female in engineering, I will be in the minority, but I have learned the importance of staying true to myself so that those who come after can do the same.
I aspire to design accessible toys with parts designed so every child can experience the joy of play. I long to help with a universal kitchen design for a local community kitchen despite the knowledge that funding, experience, and time all limit my abilities. My knowledge and expertise can't keep pace with my imagination. I want to tackle every problem head-on, every challenge becoming just another puzzle to solve.
The Global Engineering RAP would provide me with resources, including small-group mentorship, priority enrollment, and a fast track to the Global Engineering Minor that would allow me to continue to pursue my interests with peers who support my aspirations. I hope to expand my knowledge through the ITL Laboratory and the Global Engineering minor, as well as explore the future opportunities in this discipline discussed by Evan Thomas at the EWB-USA National Conference I attended last fall.
I strive for a future filled with the diversity and inclusion I saw growing up in an urban area so that no one is discouraged from a path they are excited about. I want to continue to pursue my passions at CU Boulder, hopefully participating in the Global Engineering program, Society of Women Engineers, and Engineers Without Borders, for which I am currently the Austin chapter's Student Director of Projects, so I can grow into a role model and create a more inclusive STEM experience for the next generation.
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