This Engineering Life

Welcome back to season 6! In our first episode of this new season, the whole This Engineering Life team (including our new editor Richard) join together in person once again to discuss our summers, our outlook on a new academic year, and our plans for the future. We hope this episode is a short but fun dive into all we're excited about in the next few months. Thanks for joining us!

Welcome to S5E04 - Senior Reflections! In our second-to-last episode of the season, we take our time interviewing a number of seniors who reflect on their cumulative Duke experiences. All of these engineers have something unique and important to say, and while they are only a small subset of the Pratt Class of 2022, we hope their voices will speak for everyone. We're so excited to see what all of these incredible students go on to accomplish in life! Thanks as always for listening :)

Welcome to S5E03 - Chip Bobbert & the CoLab! Today's episode features a spotlight interview with Dana (Chip) Bobbert, Senior Technologist and Innovation CoLab Architect. Chip has been responsible for much of Duke's investment in and creation of the Innovation CoLab that we know and love today. He possesses formal education in Instructional Design at the master's level and over a decade of experience producing educational products.  Listen in to hear more about Chip's incredible experiences and contributions during his time at Duke, and some of the wisdom he has gained along the way. We're wishing our best to Chip as he continues on to many new adventures!

Welcome to S5E02 - Study Abroad! Today's episode features a broad (haha, see what we did there) look at the study abroad experiences of Pratt Stars across all disciplines. From Madrid to Edinborough to Sydney to Copenhagen, we explore many of the experiences of Duke Engineers abroad. We hope you enjoy this deep dive into the success (and failures) of some incredible engineers! [A disclaimer that many of these interviews actually took place back during Season 2 of This Engineering Life and, due to COVID, they have been pushed back until now. A huge shoutout to Elle and Becca for their work on these interviews.]

Welcome to S5E01 - Conversations with CoHosts! Today's episode is a temporary departure from our typical interview-style episode in favor of a candid conversation with all of our CoHosts, and our sponsor, Dr. Becky Simmons. We discuss our winter break happenings, dive into a book-club-style review of Malcolm Gladwell's "Talking to Strangers," and chat about some of our exciting plans for the future. Stay until the end to hear our fortunes (fortune-cookie-derived of course)! Thanks for getting back into the groove of the New Year with the This Engineering Life crew :)

Welcome to S4E05 - Entrepreneurship with Bill Walker! Today's episode features a spotlight interview with Bill Walker, the Mattson Family Director of Engineering Entrepreneurship and advisor to the Clark Scholars. Bill received his Ph.D and B.S.E. from Duke University in biomedical engineering and has had various entrepreneurial ventures in the field. He has taught at the University of Virginia for 16 years and has been back with us at Duke for the past 5 years. Listen in to hear more about Bill's experiences as an entrepreneur and the wisdom he has gained along the way.

Welcome to S4E04 - Women in STEM! Today's episode features a spotlight interview with Pratt's very own Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Karis Boyd-Sinkler. Our discussion covers her experiences, advice, and a deep dive into what it means to be a Woman in both STEM and specifically Duke Engineering. We wrap things up with a discussion from the female-identifying members of the This Engineering Life team in what we hope is an informative and eye-opening conversation. Thank you as always for tuning in to this very important episode, we hope you learn something!

Welcome to S4E03 - Animals on Campus! In today's episode, we speak to various students & faculty, as well as Duke's K9 Cognition Lab, and your favorite Keith and Nugget. We loved the wide variety of animals we see all over campus and wanted to bring you a fun, light-hearted episode, that may just inspire you to find a fluffy dog (or rat) to pet around campus.  Thanks as always for tuning into today's episode, we hope it makes you smile :)

Welcome to S4E02 - Student Clubs! In today's episode, we speak with a ton of incredible Duke students and Pratt's Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs to uncover what makes up a student-run club on campus. We segment our episode between more "technical" engineering clubs (such as Duke Aero and Motorsports) and some of Pratt's Student Societies (NSBE, SWE, and SHPE to be specific). We hope this episode helps to broaden your perspective on the vast variety of clubs and opportunities Pratt has to offer. Who knows, you might even be inspired to try something new! Thanks as always for tuning into today's episode :)

Welcome to S4E01 - Welcome Back to Season 4! In our first episode of this new season, the whole This Engineering Life team (including our new co-host Reyna) join together in person for the first time since Season 1 to discuss our summers, our outlook on a new academic year, and our plans for the future. We hope this episode is a short but fun dive into all we're excited for in the next few months. Thanks for joining us!

Welcome to S3E06 - Senior Reflections! In our last episode of the season, we take our time interviewing a number of seniors who - in the midst of a crazy senior year - reflect on their cumulative Duke experiences. All of these engineers have something unique and important to say, and while they are only a small subset of the Pratt class of 2020, we hope their voices will speak for everyone. Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead. - Yvonne Woon We hope you enjoy the final episode of This Engineering Life - Season 3 and we can't wait to bring you more fun and inspirational content when we're back in the Fall of 2021!

Welcome to S3E05 - FOOD! In today's episode, we speak with 4 incredible Duke students and one of Duke's Student Health Dietitians to uncover the secrets held in a student's relationship with food. We learn about how to plan out healthy meals, what to look for in a good snack, and where to go for more help and advice for special dietary circumstances. Additionally, we hear from freshmen students about how COVID has affected their personal eating habits, especially for those with allergies and eating restrictions. Finally, we tune into a senior's perspective, exploring different cooking tips and tricks, and even discussing some alternative diets. We can't wait for you to listen in to our second-to-last episode of the season!

Welcome to S3E04 - Dean Ravi! In today's episode, we spotlight our incredible Vinik Dean of Engineering, Ravi V. Bellamkonda. Dean Ravi speaks on his philosophy and goals as Dean of Pratt, gives advice to undergraduate students, shares stories from his experience, and reflects on all he's accomplished in his nearly 5 years at the helm of Pratt. This feature episode comes just after Dean Ravi's announced departure from Duke in June 2021 to become provost and executive vice president of Emory University. We hope you enjoy this special conversation with Dean Ravi as much as we did!

Welcome to S3E03 - Research. In today's episode, we learn about the many aspects of undergraduate research at Duke! We speak with two Duke undergrads who have jumped into many different forms of research, as well as a MEMS Professor well known for his research contributions and prestigious lab. We hear about the best and worst aspects of researching as a Duke engineering undergrad and dive deeper into the many opportunities available on campus. Adventure with us in this episode to hear some truly exciting, inspirational, and informative research stories! 00:00 - Episode Intro; 00:40 - Megan: Health Research & Other Considerations; 11:00 - Dr. Gall: An Inside Perspective on Research; 20:00 - George: A Different Take on Undergrad Research;  29:25 - CoHost Episode Commentary; 33:00 - Episode Outro

Welcome to S3E02 - Risk Taking. In today's episode, we learn about Risk! We speak two Duke undergrads as well as the founder of Duke's "Learning to Fail" course to explore differing perspectives on taking risks. We learn that risk can take on many forms and that everyone has different personal relationships with risk. Join us on this journey to better understand how risk-taking can make a positive (or negative) impact on our lives! 00:00 - Episode Intro; 1:05 - A Long History of Risk-Taking and its Payoffs (Claire);  10:00 - Spontaneous Risk and Exciting Results (Charlotte); 20:10 - I&E Professor's Perspectives on Risk (Dr. Dinin); 30:20 - Episode Outro

Welcome to S3E01 - Lessons on Learning. In today's episode, we introduce our newest co-host Fran Romano and editor Priya Juarez. We also speak with two Duke students and a Learning Consultant from the ARC (Academic Resource Center) who share their perspectives, experiences, and advice on learning! Thanks for tuning into yet another season of This Engineering Life :) 00:00 - New Team Member Intros; 1:50 - Duke Learning Consultant (Amanda);  13:45 - Remote Learning as a Freshman (Sophie); 23:45 -Senior Perspectives on Learning (Brooke); 31:05 - Episode Outro

Welcome to S2E06 - Engineering and the Arts. In today's episode, we speak with a variety of Duke Engineers who have interests spanning beyond engineering and into the world of the Arts. We learn about the different motivations of each of our interviewees, as well as hear about some of their favorite artistic accomplishments. Finally, we dive into the concept of how Engineering and Art can actually exist hand-in-hand. This is our last episode of Season Two, we can't thank you enough for joining us :)

Welcome to S2E05 - Startups. We talk today about what it takes to create, work for, and support startups of all kinds. This collection of information comes from students, alumni, and even Duke faculty who share with us their personal experiences in all levels and types of startups. It's our hope that this episode can be inspiring and informative for anyone considering startups as part of their future career path! Thank you for joining us :)

Welcome to S2E04 - Interviews! We spend today's episode exploring the experiences of Engineering students who have gone through the stressful but exciting process of interviewing! We'll be learning about interviews for both internships and full-time positions, and are excited to share with you some of the most fun, unusual, and unexpected stories. Also featured in today's episode is the advice and insights from Duke's Career Center. Thank you for joining us for this fun episode!

Welcome to S2E03 - Mental Health & Wellness, where we explore different perspectives on mental health and wellness on Duke's campus. This episode features Pratt students who speak on their personal experiences, as well as some strategies and practices that have helped them. Additionally, we speak to mental health experts in both the Wellness Center and Duke Reach about the vast quantity and variety of resources available to students who need them. We recognize here at This Engineering Life that especially during this global pandemic, mental health challenges are at an all-time high. It is our goal to share resources and experiences both to normalize needing/wanting help and to share that you are not alone. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to S2E02 - Black Lives Matter & Pratt! We spend today's episode exploring the effect that the Black Lives Matter movement's recent increase in awareness has had on Engineering Students at Duke, as well as the impact Pratt students have had on the BLM movement as a whole. We need to have candid conversations, built stronger foundations, and push to set positive examples. Black Lives Matter. This is undeniable and non-negotiable. We can and need to do better. Thank you for joining us.

Welcome to S2E01 - Summer Student Spotlights! Today we are proud to speak to six impressive Duke students about their summer experiences. We will dive into the depths of Duke's Data Plus program, explore the complexities of a Duke Startup, examine the process of engineering a COVID ventilator, and shoot to the stars to learn about the experiences of two SpaceX interns. We hope you enjoy the return of This Engineering Life - Season 2!

Welcome to Episode 007 - Senior Reflections, where we take our time interviewing a number of seniors who, in the midst of a stolen senior year, reflect on their cumulative Duke experiences. All of these engineers have something unique and important to say, and while they are only a small subset of the Pratt class of 2020, we hope their voices will speak for everyone.

Welcome to Episode 006 – Pratt: the Virtual Edition, where we discuss with a number of undergraduate students the effects of changes made to the way Pratt run that have started in the last few weeks. As distance learning, social distancing, and even stay-at-home orders are becoming the norms of daily life, we think it’s important to share that no-one is alone, and we’re all having to make changes to maintain as much of our normal lives as possible. The following interviews (all conducted from a social distance of course) aim to show you that, despite the changes to all of our worlds, we are still living This Engineering Life.

Welcome to Episode 005 – Engineering around COVID-19, where we discuss the vast array of adjustments and changes that students and professors have had to make amidst all of the uncertainty, changes, and closures resulting from the Coronavirus Pandemic. We spotlight much of the outreach and empathy of students, as well as provide resources which will hopefully aid many in this time of social distancing.

Welcome to Episode 004 - SLGs and Other Commumities, where we speak with Engineers who have chosen to join a variety of social organizations that fill niches all over campus. We also interview Duke's Director of Student Engagement, Emilie Dye, about her role and unique perspective about how students and engineers find community on campus. Again, for their personal anonymity, we will not be releasing the names of any students who were interviewed in the making of this episode.

Welcome to Episode 003 - Greek Engineers! where we explore the lives of various Duke engineers who have decided to rush and join some of the Sororities and Fraternities active on campus. In addition to current Duke Engineers, we also speak with a current professor, Dr. Michael Gustafson about his fraternity experiences!

Welcome to Episode 002 - Effortless Perfection, where we hear perspectives from professors and students about what effortless perfection is, whether it exists at Duke, and how to navigate this landscape that may be unfamiliar for many. We also explore the differences in perspectives between freshmen and seniors when it comes to this important topic.

Welcome to Episode 001 (This Engineering Life’s first ever podcast), where we look into what it takes to be a Cameron Crazie and a Duke Engineer. Can you do both? What does it mean do be a line monitor… or a mascot? What if you’ve never been to a basketball game in your life? Hear it all right here on This Engineering Life.