November Extra Blog Post

Here are two pictures of my mentor Antonio Salas. He is a civil Engineer for a firm in Irvine,Ca. These two pictures show that this profesion is not just a office job. You also get to go out explore and inspect new sites. On the first picture my mentor is right under the Gerald Desmond bridge in Long Beach,Ca inspecting the site. On the second picture he is working with AutoCad to design a street and Traffic signal.

EQ

"I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

- I think it does meet the rule of three criteria because you can find more research on this topic and it is not a yes/no question. It allows you to argue a point because there are plenty ways to lose weight. The wording makes sense and there is no extra words that are just there.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

- I think it does meet the rule of three, the wording could be a little different for easier understanding. also,It is not a yes/no question. This question does allow you to argue a point because there are more than one answer to this. 

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

I do not think this EQ meets the rule of three because it does not really provide a framework for studies. there is not much research you can do on this topic, it is more of an opinion. You can argue a point but that wont really matter because every customer is different.

d.  How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

I think this EQ does not meet the rule of three because it is not specific enough and the wording seems like it was just done in a hurry. I feel like the format of the question could have been a little longer because when it is this short it makes it seem like you didnt put any thought into it.

Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

- How can a Transportation engineer design a comfortable means of public transportation in Los Angeles?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ?

- One way transportation can be improved is by using traffic signal management programs using advanced computer software. 

- Special timing is a special technique that traffic engineers use to manage traffic flow and determine who has the right of way at signalized intersections.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 

- The most important source that has helped come up with an answer to my working EQ are the articles from research check because I have been learning things about transportation that I never thought mattered. 

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

- I am currently volunteering at a consulting firm in Irvine,CA with my brother Antonio Salas. While at mentorship I use programs like synchro which help simulate traffic flow and the affect the streets have when more or less vehicles go a certain way. Also, when I go out to the streets and count all the vehicles passing by a intersection tell me how the signals timing should be improved. 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours?

For my 30 hours I plan to keep doing my mentor ship. I am going to work with my brother and another engineer. I will try and learn as much as I can from both of them. When I cant contact one of them I will have the other. I also want too see if they work differently or think about projects in a different manner. I also plan on learning how to use more programs and learning to read blue prints. That way if I ever want a job as an engineer I will already know things that most wont.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

A way that I will show 30 hours of evidence is by taking pictures while I am at the field with my mentor and making measurements of the sidewalks, streets, and lanes. I will also record myself when using the different programs engineers use to see how the traffic would flow if you were to place different road signs, if you widen the lanes, or if you were to take off or add lanes.

3. Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic more in depth.

Everything I do with my mentor will be used in the future.  As I learn more and more all the things I learn will tie into one another and will help me do the job. The things I learn how to do will help me find other branches of engineering and will let me find more information about this career. I plan on learning as much as I can from these research checks and applying what I learn into the job.

September Additional Post

Here my mentor and I are using a program named synchro 7. Here we are simulating traffic flow. This program covers signal timing software used to perform capacity analysis for signalized intersections. You can increase and decrease the speed of the vehicles and lanes to see how each performs.

Blog #6 Second Interview Questions

Who is your mentor and where does he work?

My mentor is my brother Antonio Salas who currently practices transportation engineering at consulting firm in the city of Irvine,CA.

What five questions will ask them about their background?
1. How did you get interested in transportation engineering?
2. What skills do you think are most important for this career?
3. Do you work more physically or mentally on a day-to-day basis? How did this compare to your college experience?
4. What is your prior job history?
5. Were there any obstacles that you encountered while trying to pursue this career?
6. Do you think transportation engineering is worth doing? Why or why not?

Blog #5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?
- After having to read the traffic signal book so many times I finally understand what most of the traffic signals mean and I do not feel lost. I learned how and why the traffic signals are located where they are. I always thought companies would put them where ever they felt like it.

(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?  
- A piece of research that has helped me understand this topic more clearly is " Transportation engineers are civil engineers who design highways, airports, and railway and bus systems'. I used to have an understanding that transportation engineers only worked with highways. This has opened my doors to new research.

(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
- Something that has worked for me so far are the research checks. They have helped me understand my topic more in depth and have helped me understand that there are other branches in Transportation engineering.

(4) What hasn't worked so far?
- My mentors schedule has not helped me so far. I think that if I talk to him and tell him how important this is to me he will take this more serious and actually make time to work with me instead of just telling me what to do.

(5) Finding Value: 

(Working EQ) - How can a transportation engineer design a a comfortable means of public transportation in Los Angeles? 

What do you plan to do for mentor ship?
- I plan to help develop plans and programs for the use of land. I will also help create communities and accommodate growth.