In this course FSE 194: Perspectives of Grand Challenges for Engineering, I learned what courses and experiences I needed to complete to successfully become a Grand Challenge Scholar.

Amy Trowbridge, the Grand Challenge Scholars Program Director, taught this course. In this course, we were able to make a plan describing how we were going to successfully complete all the components. Not only did we have lectures each week on a different theme area of Energy, Health, Education, Security, and Sustainability, but each week a Grand Challenge Scholar faculty adviser would come speak about a specific theme. In addition, we would have interactive activities about these different theme areas. For example, we had to build a sustainable island using limited resources of different household items and present our design and describe why we chose those materials. 

Another aspect of the course was the Future Solutions Project. We had the opportunity to pick a theme and work in a team to create a futuristic solution to a challenge that existed in a particular theme. The project consisted of four components: technical document, physical model, poster, and a solution presentation to the class. At that time, I decided to research the theme area of Health. My team consisted of three fellow scholars and we decided to explore the question of "How can organ transplants be revolutionized?" There exists a long waiting period for patients on an organ transplant list and we wanted to explore how we could aid this shortage of organs available to those in need. Even though many are fortunate enough to receive a donor organ, unfortunately the body can reject the organ. Our proposed solution was specific patient organ cloning catered to their own cells. This solution involves three steps: 1) print a template heart from a 3D printer,  2) decelluarize the particular organ around the template, 3) seed the patient cells into the template. 

In supplement to the four components of the project, we had to deliver intermediate deliverables throughout this project including: solution description, the 'Human Element': Social Challenges and Impact, Technology Development Milestones, and Plans for a Visual Model.  As a team we made a visual model of how the different steps of the process. Our visual model was made of foam and shown during our formal presentation of our solution. We presented a poster describing our solution and were able to answer specific questions after the class presentations (check the side bar for the PowerPoint, technical document, and poster).

Individually, we were able to explore Enabling Technologies for Grand Challenges, which was essentially an Individual Research Paper. This paper had to include emerging technologies and the potential of this technology in a theme. My paper was, The Past and Future of Lasers. I wrote about how lasers shape security of national security, personal security, and Internet security. In the armed services, solid-state lasers are used due to its directed energy power, how cost-efficient it is, the accuracy, precision, how it complements kinetic weapons, and the ability of its long life span on electricity. Remote Scan lasers are used to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which can be detected behind different backgrounds such as different metals and glass. The law enforcement uses remote scan lasers and these lasers are also used at security checkpoints. These two type of lasers keep our nation and troops safe as well as our citizens. Lasers also play an effective role in preventing and detecting counterfeit money as well as false government documents through laser perforations- which makes repetitive patterns on currency/documents that makes these documents difficult to copy. Internet security utilizes ultra-long fiber lasers for secure key distribution. To ensure that information that is shared through the Internet is secure, it is crucial to have two users share a secret key known only to them. Information can be seen due to light pulses and once both individuals receive the key no other individual can intercept. A new emerging area for lasers is put into place for consumer safety. BMW announced that their i8 hybrid includes laser headlights. Since these headlights are made out of lasers, they are ten times stronger than LEDs and will produce safer driving conditions. The lasers themselves will not be directly shooting lasers onto the road, but their reflections of the laser will hit a fluorescent phosphorous substance which then produces a white light, the brightest color on the prism. This paper was presented as an overview to the class and included visuals (look at the side bar for my paper). 

It is amazing to see how much I learned regarding different challenges engineering faces and the possibilities of many solutions. I also learned how to network with peers and faculty. I learned to focus on my strengths and interests. After I completed my paper on lasers, I decided that I enjoyed looking at security and I believe that shaped me to choose the in-depth theme of Engineering the Tools of Scientific Discovery.  My interests have stayed in line with my current professional endeavors. I interned Raytheon Missile Systems and was exposed to evolving technology and I find that this course has helped me look beyond the technical make-up of these technologies, but most importantly, how they impact us socially and globally.