From the Classroom to the Sky by Kevin

From the Classroom to the Sky by Kevin - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

My passion for engineering comes from my love for both math and aeronautics. I have always excelled at math, and I have always been in the highest classes offered at my schools. As a result of my love for solving mathematical problems, my interest in engineering emerged early. As a child, whenever a new bridge-building game came out, I would eagerly download it, excited to test the different ways to optimize the weight-bearing load they could withstand. Perhaps out of admiration for my uncle, who is a pilot in the Air Force, I started gravitating toward aeronautics. I love how planes defy gravity and can execute unthinkable maneuvers at such quick speeds. I can lose track of time, spending hours reading or watching videos on the engineering marvels that hide within the planes that allow them to perform. Last year, I worked alongside NASA Glenn Research Center engineers on a Capstone project aimed to optimize a simulation of a rover's ability to maneuver a lunar terrain. We spent months designing and testing prototype wheels, experimenting with how different tire treads and wheel sizes can impact performance. The experience exposed me to aerospace engineering and made me realize that I enjoy working with a team to innovate something for its given task. I am currently working on another Capstone project with NASA focused on acoustic dampening. We are developing acoustic liners that are the most effective at absorbing sound.

After I graduate from St. Ignatius High School in May, I will pursue an undergraduate degree in aerospace/aeronautical engineering at an institution with a strong engineering department. Rigorous classes and hands-on projects will help me gain an understanding of flight dynamics, air and space travel, and propulsion. I will apply what I learn in the classroom to internships and other projects dealing with real-world challenges. My long-term goal is to help advance aviation and space technology by working with research organizations to make flight (whether in an airplane or a spacecraft) safer, more efficient, and more eco-friendly.