Yeo Dong Xuan

*Disclaimer ChatGPT was used in refining and assisted in removing grammatical errors* Subject: Descriptive Reflection Greetings Professor Brad,           I am Yeo Dong Xuan, and this is a reflective account of my educational background, evolving interest in engineering, communication strengths and weaknesses, as well as two specific goals I have for this module.           Before starting my studies at SIT, I completed an Aerospace Technology course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. My interest in engineering began early, sparked by a fascination with war action movies and documentaries, particularly about the World Wars. I was captivated by the operation and evolution of military machinery.           My passion for engineering deepened after watching the documentary series Air Crash Investigation. The show explores aerospace accidents and reveals how multiple failures—mechanical or human—lead to disasters. This perspective on aviation sparked my curiosity and influenced my response during the

      I have paired up with Nicholas to both offer our own perspectives on the following quote by Merybeth Miceli, President of Miceli Infrastructure Consulting, USA in 2011.       “I contend that we (engineers) are undervalued because of our widespread inability to explain what we do to the general public (and why it is so important). It is one of the hardest goals to accomplish, to be able to boil down difficult concepts into a short and easily understood presentation or elevator pitch”.       The way I read and understand the quote is that engineers as a whole tend to be unable to communicate in a manner that the general public can understand as most of the communication relies on the existing knowledge of those conversing. Without such forehand knowledge, one might not offer critical thinking to the conversation at hand.       An example from aerospace, a field of particular interest to me, is the concept of lift and the role of aerodynamic devices such as flaps and slats. The calc