Noah J. Ashbaugh

Reflection

ABET Outcome Survey

 AE 481W/482 Course Reflection

Senior thesis is complete, the presentation has come and gone and now it is time to take a few minutes to look back at my own work and the courses taken this past year. I admit that I expected my final product to turn out slightly different; however I am still pleased with the skills and knowledge I learned along the way. Throughout the process of completing senior thesis I was able to learn a great deal of technical knowledge as well as other personal skills such as time management and motivation.

The fall semester of senior thesis proved to be a great stepping stone for what was to come in the spring semester. Although the course wasn’t easy, the structure allowed me to learn a great deal about my building. With deadlines and evaluations throughout the semester it was easy to gauge my own progress as well as have important feedback from instructors.

Spring semester is formatted differently than fall semester, because of the different structure I think the spring is more difficult but also more rewarding. The skills required to complete a project such as senior thesis are valuable to me both as a student as well as a future industry member. The final presentation and the thesis book are the two major requirements for the semester. These two pieces of work are a culmination of the entire year’s work and analysis. I placed high expectations on the quality of the work. Only because of the skills taught in and out of the classroom is the difficulty of the project overcome.

I fully expect the lessons I learned during senior thesis to last well past the time I graduate. Also, I am excited and feel well prepared to become an industry member. I am grateful to Penn State University, the AE department and faulty for making it possible to become a proud graduate of the architectural engineering program. In addition my family and friends played a large part in my successes as a student and I thank them for that.

CPEP & Discussion Board Reflection

Senior thesis provided an excellent opportunity to learn new and interesting things. One of the valuable skills I learned was how to operate and maintain this website. At the beginning I was a little skeptical of my own abilities, however with the help of a few classroom sessions and templates I was able to develop this website. The CPEP website proved to be a great way to organize and showcase my work with the AE community. Also the discussion board with industry members is a great tool and forum to learn and communicate. The industry members were incredibly helpful and replied quickly with very useful information. All the industry members who took time to help the students deserve a special thank you. I am very proud to be graduating from a program that creates such a positive atmosphere between students and the industry as well as thank the AE department for being so technologically advanced.