Why Columbia Engineering: My Interest in Fu Foundation

In this essay, I will delve into my lifelong fascination with Mechanical Engineering and address the question of "why Columbia Engineering?" by expressing my aspirations to advance my knowledge in Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University.

One afternoon, I bought a cheap Lego kit off the street. The bright colored blocks fitted naturally, forming a miniature Qutub-Minar, leaning like the real one. That marked a life-long marriage between me and Mechanical Engineering.

My interest increased when, in class, my teacher explained a Heat Engine using a Drinking Bird model, the red liquid rhythmically rising in its body with each bob.The toy cars unveiled their secrets on examining their gears. Similar examples revealed themselves as I studied Mechanics in Physics, and Industrial-chemistry in Chemistry. Online Courses took me beyond my IB course, as I learnt of Astronomy and Number-Theory.

Mechanical engineering formed a major part of all my internships. Seatech, Rajkot, exposed me to the overhauling of marine engines, revealing their intricate functioning. My internship with Atul Auto, at Rajkot, demanded first-hand resolutions to manufacturing process problems, such as reflexively redirecting the gas-flow to contain leakage from ruptured pipes.

Such a research project introduced me to interdisciplinary study in Engineering, as I investigated the efficiency of Solar Bottle lights as a cheap alternative for light bulbs. My ongoing research on truss bridge structuring revealed key aspects of design and analysis of structures. My chemistry exploration on Heavy-Metal Ion Removal amplified necessary skills for fieldwork.Developing an EEG module for the 12th International Science Conference introduced me to Electronics and Robotics. Leading the school math-club, I learnt to apply vectors to real-life situations such as aligning staircases to avoid overhead collision.

So why Columbia Engineering? In Columbia I can advance my Mechanical Engineering knowledge and pursue my passion for Theater and HAM. Fu’s stellar facilities, under the guidance of Professor Sunil Agrawal, will help me design advanced AIs, while researching Nano-Materials as possible substitutes for Fossil Fuels under Professor Hone. Fu at Columbia would train me to become a leader of tomorrow’s world advancing interdisciplinary scientific research.