The deadline is February 1, 2006, 5pm. All I am really looking for at this point is grammar and spelling checks. Thanks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bioengineering<\/strong><\/p>\n My interest in Bioengineering first took root when I participated in the role-playing game Shadowrun in my late elementary school years. Based in the year 2050, the Shadowrun universe places its heroes and villains in post-apocalyptic earth where magic and myth run amuck among a high-tech society ruled by mega-corporations and corrupt governments. Yet in spite of the powerful magic spells or the intricate Matrix-esque world of the “deckers,” I found the most intriguing part of the Shadowrun world to be “cybernetics” – an assortment of electro-mechanical implants that turned an ordinary individual into something extraordinary. Inspired but unfulfilled by the limited offerings in the official Shadowrun game, my companions and I developed a completely new set of powerful cybernetic devices. Engineering these devices in our minds was my first exercise in what might be called “Bioengineering.”<\/p>\n Years later, during my senior year in high school, I conducted research into “cybernetics,” or bionics as I soon learned was the correct term. I was thrilled to learn about state of the art systems such as the highly successful cochlear implant and the early work into restoring vision to the blind. Perhaps if I had attended the University of Washington directly after high school, I would have learned about the newly established Bioengineering Department and applied. Instead, I chose a different path – until my interest in biological systems and engineering eventually led me to consider finishing my education at the University of Washington. Although the other educational institutions I attended did not offer degrees in Bioengineering, I managed to complete much of the introductory coursework anyway. This is because my interests really do lie at the intersection of biology, medicine, and engineering that is Bioengineering. Indeed, when I sat down with a University of Washington Bioengineering advisor before autumn quarter, we were both amazed at how much of the Department’s prerequisites I had already completed.<\/p>\n I believe that my unique experiences and accomplishments will enhance the Bioengineering Department. I am an active mentor with a FIRST (see www.usfirst.org) Robotics team, the Titan Robotics Club (TRC), which I co-founded during my senior year in high school. The TRC had such a large impact on my life that, when I returned to the Seattle area, I began working with the team again so that I could help high school students have an experience similar to mine. Since I rejoined the TRC, the club has won back-to-back regional competitions and placed highly at The Championship (5th and 9th out of 300 teams from across the nation). I say this not to boast (although I do like to brag about the kids on the team), but to show that I understand the motivation and dedication it takes to build a winning team.<\/p>\n My position at Microvision is another unique experience that I bring to your department. This position – Software Test Intern – was originally slated to run three-to-six months. I have now been at it for nearly two years, and I have worked on projects not typically associated with an intern’s role – including business trips to meet with important clients and the development of mission-critical applications delivered to partners and consumers. The arrangement remains mutually beneficial – Microvision provides flexibility and real-world experience, and I deliver high-quality work and timely results.<\/p>\n It is worth noting that Bioengineering is not my only interest. From my transcripts, you will see that I have taken a wider variety of science and technology classes than is necessary for application to the Department. I made this choice because I genuinely enjoy learning about how our universe works and because my full interest might be better described as “Biocomputer Engineering.” Indeed, if accepted to both Bioengineering and Computer Engineering, I plan to pursue degrees in both.<\/p>\n My experience at Microvision demonstrated to me that innovation rarely comes from following the well-trodden paths. Instead, innovators must take roads less traveled, perhaps stumbling on occasion, in order to learn and create. Thus, when a friend who is nearing the completion of his Bioengineering degree told me that some might see the Department’s labs as open-ended, I took this as a sign of a cutting-edge program. If we are truly “inventing the future of medicine,” we cannot take Main Street and expect to arrive at a novel destination. Moreover, I have found through my work at Microvision and my experiences in the FIRST Robotics competitions that I feel most energized and productive in environments where not everything has already been reduced to a book of rules.<\/p>\n I am excited about the prospect of studying Bioengineering, as I believe that I will be able to make a real difference with the education I will receive. With this opportunity before me, I can honestly say that I have never been more motivated or directed in my life. Thank you for your consideration.<\/p>\n Computer Engineering<\/strong><\/p>\n When I first applied to the University of Washington in 2001, I listed my major of choice as Computer Science. The University accepted me and offered me early admission to the CS program. Instead of accepting that offer, I chose a different path – a path that has brought me back to the Seattle area, but now with much more experience, motivation, and dedication.<\/p>\n Through experiences such as my current position at Microvision and my work with the Titan Robotics Club, I learned that programming alone was not nearly as interesting to me as was developing an entire device. Thus, I see my interests as having shifted away from “Computer Science” and towards “Computer Engineering” – a major that strikes me as the perfect blend of hardware and software, of theory and application. Although it is a bit dramatic, as a “computer scientist” I always imagined myself trapped forever in a dark cubicle in front of a glowing monitor tapping away at a keyboard late into the night. As a computer engineer, I see myself in a somewhat brighter cubicle working not quite as late into the night on a much more real device – and enjoying myself a lot more. In short, I think that Computer Engineering is about balance – the right balance for me.<\/p>\n I believe that my unique experiences and accomplishments will enhance the Computer Science and Engineering Department. I am an active mentor with a FIRST (see www.usfirst.org) Robotics team, the Titan Robotics Club (TRC), which I co-founded during my senior year in high school. The TRC had such a large impact on my life that, when I returned to the Seattle area, I began working with the team again so that I could help high school students have an experience similar to mine. Since I rejoined the TRC, the club has won back-to-back regional competitions and placed highly at The Championship (5th and 9th out of 300 teams from across the nation). I say this not to boast (although I do like to brag about the kids on the team), but to show that I understand the motivation and dedication it takes to build a winning team.<\/p>\n My position at Microvision is another unique experience that I bring to your department. This position – Software Test Intern – was originally slated to run three-to-six months. I have now been at it for nearly two years, and I have worked on projects not typically associated with an intern’s role – including business trips to meet with important clients and the development of mission-critical applications delivered to partners and consumers. The arrangement remains mutually beneficial – Microvision provides flexibility and real-world experience, and I deliver high-quality work and timely results.<\/p>\n It is worth noting that Computer Engineering is not my only interest. From my transcripts, you will see that I have taken a wider variety of science and engineering classes than is necessary for application to the Computer Engineering Program. I made this choice because I genuinely enjoy learning about how our universe works and because my full interest might be better described as “Biocomputer Engineering.” Indeed, if accepted to both Computer Engineering and Bioengineering, I plan to pursue degrees in both.<\/p>\n In looking at the many educational options available at the University of Washington, I find the Capstone Design Courses offered by the Computer Engineering department particularly exciting. In my life experiences so far, I have learned that innovation occurs in the attempts to solve real problems and to make real systems work. Therefore I see the Capstone Design Courses as a very accurate model of the real engineering world. At Microvision, I have seen that innovation rarely comes from following well-trodden paths Instead, innovators must take roads less traveled, perhaps stumbling on occasion, in order to learn and create. Moreover, I have found through my work at Microvision and my experiences in the FIRST Robotics competitions that I feel most energized and productive in environments where not everything has already been reduced to a book of rules.<\/p>\n I am excited about the prospect of studying Computer Engineering, and with this opportunity before me, I can honestly say that I have never been more motivated or directed in my life. Thank you for your consideration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The deadline is February 1, 2006, 5pm. All I am really looking for at this point is grammar and spelling checks. 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