Jeff Sutterlin

 

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	5	5	5	x
b. An ability to analyze and interpret data	5	5	5	x
c. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs	5	5	5	x
e. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems	5	5	5	x
f. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility	5	5	5	x
g. An ability to communicate effectively	5	5	5	x
h. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context	5	5	5	x
i. An ability to engage in life-long learning	5	5	5	x
j. A knowledge of contemporary issues	5	5	5	x
k. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice	5	5	5	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	5	5	5	x
p. Communication and interaction with other design professionals in the execution of building projects	5	5	5	x

 

 

 

AE 481W/482 Course Reflection

 

After a week of relaxation, staying out of the thesis lab, and enjoying the warm weather moving through Happy Valley, I now can sit in front of this computer with a clear head to reflect on my senior thesis. From an objective point of view, I will say that the past eight months have been one of the most challenging, and ultimately rewarding, experiences I have ever gone through. I admit there were a few frustrating times where it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but in a way, those instances made holding my final, bounded report that much more gratifying. And although I doubt that I would want to perform this academic feat again, I feel that this senior thesis is the most satisfying accomplishment of my scholastic career.

I walk away from my 5th year at Penn State with a new confidence in my structural engineering abilities. There is no doubt in my mind that the AE program has provided me with all the tools I need to start my career, and this senior thesis in particular has shown me that I have the ability to take on even the most intimidating projects. Coming back this past fall, I was not particularly excited to take on this project that has been in the back of my mind for since the 3rd semester of college. However, I quickly learned how well I had been prepared from the previous four years and realized that this thesis was not as intimidating as I made it out to be. I particularly liked the way the AE 481 class was structured; it broke down the fall semester into smaller, obtainable technical assignments. Doing so kept me focused on my building and never let me feel that I was falling behind in my work. By the end of the fall semester, I was ready to take on my proposed building redesign.

The spring semester proved to be nothing like the fall, letting us each go our own way to complete the thesis process. By this time, I knew what steps had to be completed in my proposed design and in what order to do them. These spring months produced a snowball effect in my confidence as a structural engineer. I was redesigning an entire building, and I could see the big picture of what had to be done. By the time April rolled around, I was ready for the unnerving task of presenting my thesis to AE faculty who had taught me during the previous five years.

Overall, I could not be more pleased with the outcome of this senior thesis. Coming into this year with no idea what to expect, I now see why this project is such a necessary and valuable part of my AE education. I have learned so much from this thesis, and much of it isn’t taught in a textbook. Time management, priority setting, and communication are all valuable skills I have come to master and will need after graduation. I look back on this experience with a sense of accomplishment and a grateful feeling for being able to have this opportunity.

 

CPEP & Discussion Board Reflection

Although I did not have any web design experience prior to the fall semester, I found that creating and updating my CPEP website was fairly simple and straight-forward. Having a thesis website was nice in the fact that the work I was accomplishing throughout the year was available for others to view. I was able to communicate better with the outside engineers because they were able to follow my work throughout the year and identify what additional steps I needed to perform in my thesis.

The discussion board was also a useful tool in communicating with the professionals. Although I did not post any questions myself, I followed the questions asked by my classmates and actually used a lot of the advice provided. I feel that having this discussion board available is an important part to the senior thesis because it allows students to get help for the problems they come across and avoid lingering on any one setback for to long.