Undergraduate
Student Profiles
Full Name: Laura Sadow
Year: 2006
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: History
Hometown: Fort Lee, NJ
What makes Penn different from say MIT or Caltech?
What do you think of the differences?
I’ve never been to Caltech or MIT but I would guess
the difference is that we are a liberal as well as technical
school. At Penn, you can also major or minor in a humanities
or social science. Taking all technical classes can get a
bit overwhelming at times. I enjoy interspersing history,
economics, management, and other classes from The College
and Wharton into my SEAS schedule. If I can fit in the last
couple of classes that I need, I will graduate with a history
minor in addition to my Mechanical Engineering major.
Besides the huge variety in classes, there is also a wide
diversity of people. History, English, communications, nursing,
etc. majors think differently then engineers and are interested
in different things. Most of my friends are engineers but
I also have friends who are majoring in Spanish, communications,
business, and the list goes on. With so many friends and friends-of-friends
I have gone to a lot of interesting shows because I knew people
in them and gotten to do thing and go places I never expected.
Variety really is the spice of life. I would imagine you could
make a more eclectic group of friends here then at a school
like MIT or Caltech.
Has any teacher made a difference in your time here?
If so, who and why?
Dr. David Pope was my teacher and advisor the fall semester
of my freshmen year. When we met to discuss my spring semester
classes, all I wanted to take was engineering and science
classes and the required writing class. He tried his hardest
to convince me to mix in an art history or other humanity
course. Dr. Pope told me it was good to diversify and take
a variety of classes. I was my typical stubborn self and didn’t
listen. BIG MISTAKE! In the end the required writing class
was a lifesaver. The math, physics, and intro to mechanical
engineering classes would have really frustrated me otherwise.
Ever since I have remembered his advice and taken at least
one non-“hard-core” engineering class. It makes
for a much more enjoyable semester, in addition to exposing
me to something new.
What has been your favorite engineering class and
why?
My favorite engineering class so far has been MEAM 101: Intro
to CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Machining)
taught by Adjunct Professor Daniel Newman, who spends most
of his day at Boeing designing helicopters. Most of the class
are mechanical engineering freshmen but other engineers and
even sometimes a few non-engineers also take the class. With
the exception of Senior Design and one other class, all my
engineering classes have been primarily theoretical with only
a touch of application. Since Mr. Newman works in industry
he focuses the class on “real world” applications
and brings in a physical example of nearly everything we discuss.
I’ve learned plenty about how heat transfer and other
subjects but this is the only class that has taught me how
to convey that theoretical system to others in the way of
sketches, computer drawings, and physical models. All the
students learn ProEngineer, a powerful 3D CAD program, and
work in the machine shop, both with manual and automated CNC
(Computer Numeric Control) machines. When done with the class,
you have a K’nex windmill (as well as a ProEngineer
model) and a helicopter rotor made in the machine shop. I
continue to bring both back to school and they are still on
display in my dorm room!
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