David Luong ‘06

SwarthmoreCollege

2005 NNIN REU Program

Personal Statement

The liberal arts education I have been immersed inthus far has afforded me greater confidence in believing a scientific and research career is right for me. Having had the opportunity to explore different studies in several departments, I have discovered that the art and process of solving problems in engineering, whether inalecture or laboratory setting, is something I enjoy pursuing and willing to make a career in.

Having already taken an eclectic variety ofengineering courses including Mechanics of Materials and Electronic Circuit Application, I have acquired intriguing and fascinating problem solving techniques. The theoretical models presented in class have afforded me an understanding and set of tools to deconstruct relevant problems into manageable tasks to ultimately discover meaningful solutions and results. The laboratory part of the engineering curriculum has provided the medium in which I have had numerous opportunities to use the theory in practice, and to develop and foster my interests. A notable experience of mine involved developing a photoplethysmograph, a simple non-invasive device to measure heart rate. My partner and I chose this for our final project in our Electronics Circuit Application course, and we both truly enjoyed designing and constructing the device from scratch. With the knowledge of circuits and their design we gained from lectures and the guidance we received from the professor, we ended up with a robust and reliable cardiotachometer; we were amazed to realize what can happen with an understanding of electrical engineering concepts.

As a result of such experiences and my present studies, I am enthusiastic about a career in engineering for subsequent value and meaning I can obtain from it. Frequent interactions with engineering professors and peers have allowed me to realize how much I enjoy conversing about approaches to scientific problems and concerns, and discovering effective approaches and revelations to them. My discussions with professors have led me to conclude that the shear act of thinking about a problem, even in the wrong light, is edifying. Progress is made from making adjustments to initially incorrect approaches, and I believe that is the importance of conducting research. It allows in-depth opportunities to think about and solve problems at different angles, and from that grant researchers the chance to examine and evaluate their methods in a meaningful manner. From that process, scientific results are created and even if they do not fully address the researcher’s problem the results can provide direction and guidance for further research. I find the approach and process of research rewarding because it encourages critical thinking and creativity in tackling problems—especially when it leads to useful and applicable results.

My professors and I concluded that NNIN would be an excellent opportunity for me to do research and share with me the value and importance I have for the work. The opportunity to work with faculty and other students is a highly valued aspect of Swarthmore’s education and for me to continue and foster that over the summer in an interesting field is special. The chance to present scientific research is also important because it encourages the expansion of knowledge and technology. NNIN’s 4-day convocation will give me the experience to share my summer’s work, and grant me the confidence and ability to do that well in the future. At NNIN, I hope to gain insight into how engineering principles are applied, how to work with other researchers and present findings to them, and how research is generally conducted on a professional level to prepare for an engineering career.

I believe the NNIN REU program will not only help prepare me for a future in an engineering career, but also provide me the necessary experience to apply my skills in an interesting engineering research area. Even though my current interests are in electrical engineering applications in communication systems, Smart systems, and signal processing, I am interested in finding a bridge between those areas of interests and Nanoscience and technology—particularly in biotechnology and Smart technology at NNIN this summer.

For a sample of my engineering projects, please visit

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