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Submission information
Submission Number: 437
Submission ID: 1568
Submission UUID: ccff3f3e-89db-4291-8e69-b5dee6bba3a8
Submission URI:/center/mortenson/form/webform-1367
Created: Sun, 03/02/2025 - 15:13
Completed: Sun, 03/02/2025 - 15:13
Changed: Mon, 05/12/2025 - 01:49
Remote IP address: 71.218.53.214
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Flagged: Yes
{Empty}
Vaughn
Dornan
He/Him
Denver
CO
USA
80230
Mechanical Engineering
English (5), Spanish (3), Mandarin (1)
I grew up listening to my grandparents' stories about growing up in South Korea. A country, which back then, was so poor it lacked easy access to running water or electricity. My grandfather joked how maybe a few times a year, they would see a car come passing through, and how he and his friends would chase after it, amazed by its speed and capabilities.
Fast forward to a few years ago, I finally had an opportunity to visit South Korea for the first time. Although it shouldn’t have been a surprise, what I experienced was a very modern, vibrant and highly advanced technological country. Vastly different from the stories my grandparents described. In Seoul, I saw smart cities with underground pneumatic waste systems and wireless charging roads, solutions that seamlessly improved daily life. Later, I traveled to Japan and noticed how even small innovations, like high-tech bidet toilets, reflected a broader philosophy: engineering isn't just about solving problems. It's about enhancing the human experience.
These experiences solidified my passion for engineering and my desire to shape the future of technology. The Global Engineering RAP at CU Boulder is the perfect place to foster that passion with others who feel the same way. Its focus on cross-cultural collaboration and sustainability aligns with my desire to develop solutions that adapt to different societies' needs.
Fast forward to a few years ago, I finally had an opportunity to visit South Korea for the first time. Although it shouldn’t have been a surprise, what I experienced was a very modern, vibrant and highly advanced technological country. Vastly different from the stories my grandparents described. In Seoul, I saw smart cities with underground pneumatic waste systems and wireless charging roads, solutions that seamlessly improved daily life. Later, I traveled to Japan and noticed how even small innovations, like high-tech bidet toilets, reflected a broader philosophy: engineering isn't just about solving problems. It's about enhancing the human experience.
These experiences solidified my passion for engineering and my desire to shape the future of technology. The Global Engineering RAP at CU Boulder is the perfect place to foster that passion with others who feel the same way. Its focus on cross-cultural collaboration and sustainability aligns with my desire to develop solutions that adapt to different societies' needs.
Traveling and experiencing different parts of the world opened my eyes to how drastically people's lives and environments can vary. Despite how connected the world has become through the internet and air travel, basic necessities like clean water, reliable energy, and high air quality are still out of reach for many communities. Seeing these challenges firsthand gives future engineers a different perspective, one that goes beyond technical skills and focuses on how engineering innovation can improve lives.
When I traveled to Turks & Caicos last summer, I saw many opportunities where engineering could improve daily life. From infrastructure upgrades to more efficient transportation systems, to reducing their concrete jungle in order to help mitigate the high temperatures people had to ensure. It showed me how thoughtful engineering could create solutions that directly impact people's health and quality of life.
I want to bring this mindset into my own career, using engineering to create solutions that adapt to different environments and help communities thrive. Global experiences push engineers to think bigger, collaborate across cultures, and design technology that improves lives around the world.
When I traveled to Turks & Caicos last summer, I saw many opportunities where engineering could improve daily life. From infrastructure upgrades to more efficient transportation systems, to reducing their concrete jungle in order to help mitigate the high temperatures people had to ensure. It showed me how thoughtful engineering could create solutions that directly impact people's health and quality of life.
I want to bring this mindset into my own career, using engineering to create solutions that adapt to different environments and help communities thrive. Global experiences push engineers to think bigger, collaborate across cultures, and design technology that improves lives around the world.
If you take my love of engineering and combine it with my fascination for the world, you get Global Engineering. From everything I’ve read about the program, I know this community is where I belong. I believe Global Engineering RAP will help expose me to different cultures, perspectives, and ideas, and help me understand how engineering solutions can be applied in diverse environments.
I also have a strong desire to be part of a close-knit community, where I can build friendships that’ll last a lifetime. To be honest, this is what I want to get out of college more than anything. You can practically teach yourself anything, but friendships and community, where people support each other, grow together, and form strong bonds, can only come from an environment like Global Engineering RAP. That is what makes this program so appealing to me. Living together, seeing each other daily, sharing meals, studying, and engaging in countless activities deepens the relationship.
I’m also excited to find ways where I can contribute to the community. Whether through collaborative projects, mentorship, or simply helping others navigate the program, I want to play a role in making the community even stronger for current and future students. Being surrounded by peers and faculty staff who share my passion for engineering and global perspectives will push me to grow both as an engineer and as a person, as I know it will do the same for others in the program.
I also have a strong desire to be part of a close-knit community, where I can build friendships that’ll last a lifetime. To be honest, this is what I want to get out of college more than anything. You can practically teach yourself anything, but friendships and community, where people support each other, grow together, and form strong bonds, can only come from an environment like Global Engineering RAP. That is what makes this program so appealing to me. Living together, seeing each other daily, sharing meals, studying, and engaging in countless activities deepens the relationship.
I’m also excited to find ways where I can contribute to the community. Whether through collaborative projects, mentorship, or simply helping others navigate the program, I want to play a role in making the community even stronger for current and future students. Being surrounded by peers and faculty staff who share my passion for engineering and global perspectives will push me to grow both as an engineer and as a person, as I know it will do the same for others in the program.
Vaughn Dornan Resume.pdf(172.91 KB)