FSE150: Perspectives on Grand Challenges for Engineering 

Mandated for all GCSP students at Arizona State, FSE 194/150 Grand Challenges of Engineering is an introductory course that provides a versatile overview of the challenges and the program as a whole. I completed this course during my very first semester of college. Taking this course as a brand new freshman at ASU not only introduced me head on to what it meant to be a Grand Challenge Scholar, but it connected me with a network of individuals who shared my mindset for a better future. Taking this course was the initial step on my Grand Challenge Scholar’s journey. Through a collaborative, critical-thinking approach, we were tasked to work in teams on projects aimed at increasing our awareness of “social complexities of meeting the needs of local and global challenges through engineering and technology” (engineering.asu.edu).

This course helped me craft a vision for my path as a Grand Challenge Scholar. I was able to create a plan for accomplishing the required components of the program, and I became more informed to the opportunities available to me. The content and projects required in the coursework expanded my vision for the possibilities available when a group of ambitious and intelligent engineers work together. Through in-depth analysis of the global, cultural, and technological aspects of the issues faced in our 21st century society, I left the course feeling better equipped to create multi-disciplinary solutions to respond to complex challenge landscapes.

This is the team of magnificent engineers that I spent my semester in FSE 194/150 working alongside. Here we are at our final poster symposium presenting our final project, a futuristic Computer Brain Interface.  A link to our final poster can be found here: GCSP-landscape_FINAL.pdf

Outside of the coursework itself, the larger and more impactful takeaways from the course were in the community and network I met. I was introduced to faculty, mentors, community partners, alumni, and students who shared my passion for problem solving and commitment to engineering a better world. My teammates were brilliant engineers from different disciplines who brought unique talents, perspectives, and ideas to the table. I learned more from them than I did from any assignment or deliverable I created. I met friends in the program who I still call close friends today. I forged relationships with professors who continue to provide me with invaluable mentorship. As an out of state student, I learned important lessons from community partners and alumni on how these grand engineering challenges manifest in our local Arizona ecosystem. I am grateful for the interdisciplinary approach to learning and problem-solving gained from my very first introduction to the Grand Challenge Scholars Program at ASU.