Reflection
AE 481W/AE482 Course Reflection
I can definitely see how the infamous Fifth Year Architectural Engineering Thesis is about as scary to the professors as it is the students. By analyzing actual buildings under construction in a self-paced way, the scope, schedule, and timelines of each thesis project reached well beyond the faculty’s control. This could be the making of a beautiful synthesis of a college education and real-life engineering problems, or a mid-April disaster combining perpetually locked computers in the thesis studio with frantic endless meetings in the advisors’ offices.
Though the thesis presentation definitely showed that the structural, mechanical, electrical, and management problems were analyzed in depth, and that our initial four years of background in Architectural Engineering provided a more than adequate foundation of knowledge for structural analysis, what amazed me was the way every fifth year consistently sought to help each other out. Where one student’s knowledge of ETABS or post-tensioned concrete or drafting symbols fell short, another was always willing to help, with needed information or the whereabouts of an appropriate resource. This interaction between the students that always managed to provide answers and guidance when the faculty was not around seemed to model the collaborative atmosphere I have seen at engineering firms outside of Penn State, where professionals are required to know who to ask or how to respond when a project goal delivers complex design questions.
Not that the structure of AE 481/AE 482 did not help us make progress; the
technical assignments in the fall semester provided a framework to analyze
current designs, a framework that I will take with me into the workplace.
Once the groundwork was laid during the fall semester, the freedom to set
my own work schedule during the AE 482 allowed me to optimize my time spent
working, a skill which will no doubt be of value in the workplace.
CPEP and Discussion Board Reflection
Putting my entire thesis project online was actually more intimidating than the thesis itself. However, the pre-designed CPEP websites made it easy for me to most clearly represent my thesis online. Further, the consistency in format between all CPEP websites made it easy to look for examples and information throughout the Architectural Engineering department.
In addition, posting my reports and project information online created an
immediate way to both interact with professionals in the field and represent
my program. Since they could immediately get a visual understanding of my
project, professionals using the message board were able to provide relevant
responses, and since the CPEP website included personal information, it provided
an excellent resource to prospective employers who may not be completely familiar
with Architectural Engineering at Penn State.