Joseph Bednarz

 

Please scroll down for Joe Bednarz's personal thoughts as this project winds to a close.

ABET Outcomes for AE 481W/482	Outcome not able to be assessed   (Score of 0)	Level of ability demonstrated but below acceptable (Score of 1)	Minimum acceptable level of ability demonstrated (Score of 2)	More than minimum level of ability demonstrated (Score of 3)
a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering	-	-	-	X
b. An ability to analyze and interpret data	-	-	-	X
c. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs	-	-	-	X
e. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems	-	-	-	X
f. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility	-	-	-	X
g. An ability to communicate effectively	-	-	-	X
h. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context	-	-	-	X
i. An ability to engage in life-long learning	-	-	-	X
j. A knowledge of contemporary issues	-	-	-	X
k. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice	-	-	-	X
o. Engineering design capabilities in at least two (2) of the (3) basic curriculum areas of architectural engineering, and that design has been integrated across the breadth of the program	-	-	-	X
p. Communication and interaction with other design professionals in the execution of building projects	-	-	-	X

AE 481W/482 Reflection

The Senior Thesis experience can be described in one familiar and expected word: CHALLENGE. Whereas all Structural classes are challenging and have their own moments of tension (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist), the Senior Thesis project has an additional sense of pressure that inescapably haunts you during your entire 5th year. The pressure cooker bubbles over come late March and early April, as the final report becomes due, and the final presentation looms. In my experience, most of this pressure comes from within, as you worry if what you have done is enough, what your advisor and professors will question you about, and in some cases, what exactly was correct in your final report.

Credit the PSU AE faculty for their steadfast guidance during this process. The Senior Thesis project is an awfully daunting task, made all the more difficult due to the additional classload that we all must balance with this project's completion. Our advisors and professors realize this (even as they supply this additional classwork in most cases). But in retrospect, this was all for our benefit. In real practice, clients do not consider class schedules, field trips, and the like. Many projects will stack upon our desks, all with the same urgency and significance. And almost all of these jobs will require the same sort of research and design requirements asked of us during this Senior Thesis Project.

This project represents the total package of our professional careers: cultivating and maintaining contacts clients and other industry professionals, gathering advice from peers and advisors, research and design. But perhaps the greatest challenge of this whole experience was the time management aspect. This can be a greater form of frustration for some, especially those who seem to thrive through procrastination. Not being one of those types, I still had to weather some unexpected and unforeseen challenges. For myself, the year began with a bit of a challenge gaining permission for a building. Fortunately, after multiple attempts, I was able to secure this project that appears here. Tthe unfortunate passing of my grandmother challenged me early in the Spring Semester. And towards the ultimate crunch time of the project, my laptop's motherboard failed completely, setting me back another week. I could have fallen back on these excuses, but instead I tried my best to work through these setbacks and respond with the same standard of results that I have come to expect of myself. I am proud of what I was able to accomplish. This is yet another microcosm of the real world to take to heart. My hope is that I can carry the determination and persistence that has gotten me this far into my orientation into real practice and real life. Thanks to this project, my classes, and most importantly, my professors, I have the lessons of these challenges to guide me.

 

CPEP & Discussion Board Reflection

I must admit that coming into this year, I was not aware that Web Design would be a critical part of this project. Thankfully, the department provided a great introduction to this area, and supplied us with templates to customize on our own. I cannot call myself an expert of course, but I am grateful for the experience, as I have already used this knowledge outside of class in the use of blogs and so forth. The ability to look at previous projects from last year and beyond was an invaluable tool in the creation of my own project. The use of the Internet helped in all areas, whether in contacting industry professionals, professors, researching specialized systems like the staggered truss system, or even posting my reports for my parents to proofread. Though I did not ask a specific question on the AE message board, I was amazed at the quickness and detail of the responses. It was actually encouraging to see that my peers had similar questions and problems to withstand. And the dedication of the professionals, many of them alumni who went through the same experiences, is an incredible testament to the program and the department.