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Project #1

Ricardo Garay

English 149 – 24

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Table of Contents

Reference Page Number

Table of Contents 1

Interview Memo 2

Research Proposal 3

Progress Memo 4-5

Recommendation

Report

6-8

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Interview Memo To: My Parents

From: Ricardo Garay

Date: February 01,2015

Subject: Interview with Nick

The memo will both summarize and analyze the information obtained in my interview with Nick,

senior student with a current job offer from Lockheed Martin. It is about how to be the best

student to have multiple options, work/experience leading up to jobs/internships, and his

experience and future career plans in electrical engineering.

According to Nick, the three things he believes has made him as successful as he is today are

communication, friends, and networking. He said that communication and friends are what has

helped him pass classes normally people find difficult. Networking and having profound

relationships with professors and employers, has certainly helped him earn the opportunity of

internships. With these traits he has a cumulative GPA of 3.67 and multiple job offers from well-

known companies.

I often hear how many companies and employers state that projects are often what will

distinguish one from someone else. Nick rebutted that statement and said that he has not done

any projects, apart from the in-class ones which everyone does, and he said so long as one you

have a high enough GPA, it will be better. Because how would it look to an employer if you

have such a low GPA and have done numerous projects? He said JPL simply will not talk to you

if you do not have a GPA of at least a 3.0, cumulative.

Getting companies to talk to you is only the beginning. Nick says that obtaining the interview is

only the first step. How someone acts in the next step will determine the future.

Nick had had an internship with NASA where he worked on the SOFIA project. SOFIA stands

for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. This is where a plane of some sort is on

flight during the night time, and the plane is used for observers to obtain data, via infrared

technology, about space. His job in this internship was to help design the plane so that it would

have as much air time as possible. This was the only internship Nick has had.

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Research Proposal

To: Anthony Stark, CEO and Head of Research Division at Stark Industries

From: Ricardo Garay, Student Intern

Date: February 5, 2015

Subject: Proposal of Research in the Field of Mechatronics

Proposed Study

As a response to your January 1st request for my intended study/position/research opportunity I

would like to take, I propose to continue the ongoing research with harvesting solar energy with

the use of mechatronics and all it has to offer. Following are my specifications and intended

target research within the field of mechatronics.

Statement of Problem

During my lifespan I have witnessed a growth in a new field known as mechatronics,

mechatronics is a multi-disciplinary field where both mechanical and electrical systems are

combined into one. Since the field is relatively new, I would like the opportunity to place my

name in the history books by inventing or discovering something that could help strengthen the

future. Mechatronics, with the proper applications, can one day run and support the world’s

energy needs.

Scope of Proposed Study

My study will include, but is not limited to:

1. Embedded systems, finding new ways to implement them

2. Energy engineering, finding new ways of harvesting and transforming energy using

mechatronics.

Each of these fields is growing, and therefore they have a lot of sub-fields that have yet to be

explored/ invented.

Methods and Data Sources

My primary research will come from current online videos and seeing how said projects

function. Secondary research will come from reliable online information, whether it is a

scholarly journal, a credible website, or data image.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me. I would be

happy to discuss my proposal with you at any time that is convenient to you.

CC: NONE

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Progress Report

TO: Anthony Stark, CEO and Head of Research Division

FROM: Ricardo Garay, Student Intern

DATE: February 5th, 2015

SUBJECT: Progress Report: Mechatronics Research

Work Completed

My team and I have met three times since the approval of our research, mostly to come together

and discuss the action plan that is most effective and efficient. In these meetings we came up

with a skill set everyone in the team should ideally have.

Ideal Training

1. Programming knowledge in C/C++

2. Knowledge in how to solder properly

3. Efficient written and verbal communication

4. Some background with embedded systems

5. Some background with solar energy

In our meetings, we also came upon the ideal place to begin our research/projects.

Training Room and Equipment Needed

As a team we discussed how Research Lab III would be ideal for us to work in. It has the space

and equipment needed to aid our research and project needs. Please confirm whether or not the

room is available for use by on a full-time basis, or if you have other plans for us to work in,

please let me know as soon as possible. Also, will it be possible to be able to use the equipment

in the laboratory? It will expedite the process and we, my team and I, can give back results faster

than without the equipment. To support the projects and training, we have bought some

equipment we deem will be useful for the process:

• Microsoft Visual Studio (Programming Environment)

• Soldering Iron, Solder, and Solder wick

• Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace, Laura J. Gurak

This equipment will help the training process go by quickly and allow our team to be as prepared

as can be for the project. Though this is only a small amount of equipment, it would help

tremendously if you can assist with some material.

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Work Remaining

The remaining bit of information is come up with a project that we will make as a team. Ideas

have been made, we just need a bit more time to fully decide on what the project should be, or

perhaps even make multiple projects. I can assure you that everything will be worked out.

As of today, the project is where it should be. We have planned to start the project in two days.

As soon as we receive your approval, we will begin room preparation. Training has begun so as

soon as you it's a go, we shall commence building. Expected Completion: March 17, 2015.

CC: NONE

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Recommendation Report

TO: Anthony Stark, CEO and Head of Research Division at Stark Industries

FROM: Ricardo Garay, Student Intern

DATE: February 11, 2015

SUBJECT: Proposal for a Time Extension

From the time since I was allowed to research this field to now, I have learned a large amount of

information in mechatronics. Mechatronics is, “The application of complex decision making to

the operation of physical systems.”i This pretty much means letting software and hardware

handle certain instances that normally humans may not be able to do with ease. Upon doing the

research, my team and I came up with an idea to name Stark Industries a company that is run by

clean energy. Solar energy is one of the energy sources are most abundant.

Research Process

How much solar energy is given off during a sunny day? Well, “Every hour the sun beams onto

Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year.”ii Given said

information, my research involved how to maximize solar energy by converting solar energy to

energy that is able to be used by everyone. To find a way to transform it from sunlight to

electricity and other energy forms.

Leila Madrone, a mechatronics engineer from MIT, works on a project with heliostats. Heliostats

are essentially large mirrors which reflect sun light to solar panels that allow for the

maximization of solar energy gathering.iii

With this idea I was inspired to follow in her footsteps.

I know the project I want to start; I would like to create a solar energy powered company. Since

solar energy is the largest untapped energy available for use.

Investigation Findings

iv

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As can be seen in the figure above, solar energy is the energy source that is used the least,

making up only .1007% of United States’ renewable energy, when the sun alone can run the

Earth’s energy need for a year just by shining down on earth not even a fraction of the time.

v

Global energy usage is increasing, predicted usage will double from 1980 to 2020. With that

alone, there should be a higher amount of money and research going towards harvesting solar

energy. Solar Energy should be amongst the top of renewable energy sources. Like Leila

Madrone stated, it is expensive to make large scale solar panels heliostats made from metal and

other expensive material. However, Madrona is working on a project that will make the

heliostats from plastic and moveable with airbags. Though she states the project should last at

least 30 year. With those thirty years it is there could be enough energy to run earth for years to

come.

Future Recommendations

With that information, I ask for some time and money to fully be able to design, develop, and

implement some heliostats to power your building. Upon doing so, you will no longer have a

need to pay for electricity. If you sponsor such a project, it will only benefit you and your

company. Please consider further funding my research project.

CC: NONE

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i Auslander, David M. "What Is Mechatronics?" IEEE Xplore. IEEE, Mar. 1996. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. ii "Solar Power Energy Information, Solar Power Energy Facts – National

Geographic." Environment Facts, Environment Science, Global Warming, Natural Disasters,

Ecosystems, Green Living - National Geographic Web. 11 Feb. 2015. iii

Career Spotlight: Mechatronics Engineer. Dir. Quest Quest Science. Perf. Leila Madrone.

YouTube, 2014. iv U.S. Renewable Primary Energy Consumption by Source. Digital image. Energy Information

Admisnistration, 2008. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. v Historic and projected global energy demand for the period 1980-2030. Energy Information

Administration. Web, 5 Feb 2015