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Submission information
Submission Number: 491
Submission ID: 1633
Submission UUID: dde86d24-3b8a-4bc3-9bdd-24de62c77bb0
Submission URI:/center/mortenson/form/webform-1367
Created: Wed, 03/19/2025 - 14:06
Completed: Wed, 03/19/2025 - 14:09
Changed: Fri, 04/18/2025 - 16:18
Remote IP address: 2603:6081:8f02:db1d:c99b:52c:f0f6:6f3f
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Locked: Yes
{Empty}
Alana
Duffy
she/her
Waxhaw
North Carolina
USA
28173
Environmental Engineering
English (5)
June 25th, 2023, I met my long-lost pseudo sister. A gorgeous Thai-American from Kuwait, she was worlds different from myself, yet I have never found more comfort so immediately than when I met her.
Wendy changed my world.
We met in Rhode Island at Brown University鈥檚 Pre-College Program. It was our first time in the state and sharing a room with someone else for two weeks. I was worried about tensions rising or cultures conflicting, but nothing could have prepared me for the heartbreak Wendy caused me.
Our daily schedule was perfect: wake up early, have breakfast at the Ratty, go to morning class, eat lunch with our friends, workout at the gym, stop for dessert, do homework, eat dinner with friends, and then have a whole night of endless possibilities. We went to Boston, Newport Beach, karaoke night, a 4th of July live band, pranked our floormates, and so much more.
Through each experience, I learned something new and shocking about Wendy. Rhode Island was consistently humid and in the 80-degree range. Wendy, however, was always in leggings and t-shirts. I could never understand it until I asked 鈥渁re you not hot?鈥 to which I learned that Kuwaiti females normally cover their shoulders, knees, and midriff鈥 she didn鈥檛 own any shorts. Kuwait is an extremely hot environment, reaching record temperatures where even seahorses boil in the tidepools. I was flabbergasted at this idea and started asking other questions about Kuwait that I had never thought to ask. Needless to say, the cultural differences were immense. Sandstorms, a 7-hour time difference, a place where a 20-minute drive can take you from opposite sides of the border鈥 it seemed like everything was different. Yet here was this girl, so different from me, yet so sweet, kind, and similar to me. We loved similar artists, favored certain exercises, and even liked the same flavor of ice cream. Leaving Wendy was one of the hardest experiences in my life emotionally. For two weeks I felt depressed.
But Wendy inspired me. For my Renewable Energy Engineering class鈥檚 final project, we were asked to create a proposal to convert a state or country to completely renewable energy. I chose Kuwait. It was a difficult challenge with the sandstorms and extreme heat, but Wendy helped me discover different components of the project that I, as a foreigner to Kuwait, would never have known.
Wendy is a large part of why I want to engage in global engineering efforts. I believe there is something beautiful about collaborating with locals to understand a region and trying to work together to find an adept solution. I鈥檝e yet to travel abroad, but I desperately want to see Singapore. My grandparents lived there for a while and their stories sound enchanting. I love their sustainability efforts and clean streets 鈥 something rare, if not nonexistent in America. I hope to combine a global perspective with environmental engineering techniques to create real and lasting change.
Wendy changed my world.
We met in Rhode Island at Brown University鈥檚 Pre-College Program. It was our first time in the state and sharing a room with someone else for two weeks. I was worried about tensions rising or cultures conflicting, but nothing could have prepared me for the heartbreak Wendy caused me.
Our daily schedule was perfect: wake up early, have breakfast at the Ratty, go to morning class, eat lunch with our friends, workout at the gym, stop for dessert, do homework, eat dinner with friends, and then have a whole night of endless possibilities. We went to Boston, Newport Beach, karaoke night, a 4th of July live band, pranked our floormates, and so much more.
Through each experience, I learned something new and shocking about Wendy. Rhode Island was consistently humid and in the 80-degree range. Wendy, however, was always in leggings and t-shirts. I could never understand it until I asked 鈥渁re you not hot?鈥 to which I learned that Kuwaiti females normally cover their shoulders, knees, and midriff鈥 she didn鈥檛 own any shorts. Kuwait is an extremely hot environment, reaching record temperatures where even seahorses boil in the tidepools. I was flabbergasted at this idea and started asking other questions about Kuwait that I had never thought to ask. Needless to say, the cultural differences were immense. Sandstorms, a 7-hour time difference, a place where a 20-minute drive can take you from opposite sides of the border鈥 it seemed like everything was different. Yet here was this girl, so different from me, yet so sweet, kind, and similar to me. We loved similar artists, favored certain exercises, and even liked the same flavor of ice cream. Leaving Wendy was one of the hardest experiences in my life emotionally. For two weeks I felt depressed.
But Wendy inspired me. For my Renewable Energy Engineering class鈥檚 final project, we were asked to create a proposal to convert a state or country to completely renewable energy. I chose Kuwait. It was a difficult challenge with the sandstorms and extreme heat, but Wendy helped me discover different components of the project that I, as a foreigner to Kuwait, would never have known.
Wendy is a large part of why I want to engage in global engineering efforts. I believe there is something beautiful about collaborating with locals to understand a region and trying to work together to find an adept solution. I鈥檝e yet to travel abroad, but I desperately want to see Singapore. My grandparents lived there for a while and their stories sound enchanting. I love their sustainability efforts and clean streets 鈥 something rare, if not nonexistent in America. I hope to combine a global perspective with environmental engineering techniques to create real and lasting change.
In addition to applying a global perspective to environmental engineering, I also want to use a psychological perspective to make 鈥減ractically relevant鈥 designs that are psychologically more likely to succeed in the market.
Psychological predispositions and similar theories are the key to inventing and successfully implementing. This, however, only works when you consider the sociocultural perspective of psychology and its implications. What might work in a southern United States town likely won鈥檛 work in an Asian country as the social norms and environment are so different. For example, lighter skin tones are considered more desirable in many Asian cultures. In America, it鈥檚 often the opposite; tanned, darker skin is more sought after. Thus, if I expect a successful tanning solution in the US to be just as big of a hit on the Asian market, I will be setting myself up for failure.
This is why I want to travel, experience, and immerse myself in new and unfamiliar cultures and countries. Life has so much beauty to offer if we are willing to accept it, and the bonds that could be forged and improved through social interaction, intellectual invention, and simple observations are so vast. It would be a shame to not invoke such a journey as global engineering.
As an Irish Buddhist, I still laugh fondly about attending my first Shabbat dinner at the Brown University Rabbi鈥檚 house. I want to make more of these beautiful memories and global engineering will allow me to do so.
Psychological predispositions and similar theories are the key to inventing and successfully implementing. This, however, only works when you consider the sociocultural perspective of psychology and its implications. What might work in a southern United States town likely won鈥檛 work in an Asian country as the social norms and environment are so different. For example, lighter skin tones are considered more desirable in many Asian cultures. In America, it鈥檚 often the opposite; tanned, darker skin is more sought after. Thus, if I expect a successful tanning solution in the US to be just as big of a hit on the Asian market, I will be setting myself up for failure.
This is why I want to travel, experience, and immerse myself in new and unfamiliar cultures and countries. Life has so much beauty to offer if we are willing to accept it, and the bonds that could be forged and improved through social interaction, intellectual invention, and simple observations are so vast. It would be a shame to not invoke such a journey as global engineering.
As an Irish Buddhist, I still laugh fondly about attending my first Shabbat dinner at the Brown University Rabbi鈥檚 house. I want to make more of these beautiful memories and global engineering will allow me to do so.
As a prospective environmental engineer, I want to make a positive and lasting impact on our world鈥檚 global health. I wish to see both our natural environment and quality of life for people improve. To see either of these happen, I believe they both need to occur simultaneously, which is why I want to be a part of a team of global engineers 鈥 people who, together, can make real change happen.
The Global Engineering RAP community will further push me to gain a global perspective, accomplish greater feats, and improve my overall college and educational experience. Being surrounded by highly motivated and driven peers dedicated to such admirable causes will heighten my passion as an engineer and a benevolent person. I believe that the people we surround ourselves with and look up to are a reflection of our true selves and who we will become, thus, the Global Engineering RAP community is where I want to be and where I hope to see myself flourish.
As a community member, I bring a vibrant and open attitude. My high school experience has led me to become more open-minded and vulnerable. I love to meet new and unique people and hear their stories. Uplifting others by making jokes and offering compliments is another one of my hobbies, as I consistently see the effect a mere smile can have on people鈥檚 moods. Every day, I make it a purpose to compliment at least one person, and this practice has brought me so much joy and made me see life in a more positive light. Additionally, I enjoy listening and offering advice when I can. Whether it be my class recommendations, how to navigate tricky friendship situations, or even which lunch item is best, I love to try to guide those around me and see them flourish.
The Global Engineering RAP community will further push me to gain a global perspective, accomplish greater feats, and improve my overall college and educational experience. Being surrounded by highly motivated and driven peers dedicated to such admirable causes will heighten my passion as an engineer and a benevolent person. I believe that the people we surround ourselves with and look up to are a reflection of our true selves and who we will become, thus, the Global Engineering RAP community is where I want to be and where I hope to see myself flourish.
As a community member, I bring a vibrant and open attitude. My high school experience has led me to become more open-minded and vulnerable. I love to meet new and unique people and hear their stories. Uplifting others by making jokes and offering compliments is another one of my hobbies, as I consistently see the effect a mere smile can have on people鈥檚 moods. Every day, I make it a purpose to compliment at least one person, and this practice has brought me so much joy and made me see life in a more positive light. Additionally, I enjoy listening and offering advice when I can. Whether it be my class recommendations, how to navigate tricky friendship situations, or even which lunch item is best, I love to try to guide those around me and see them flourish.