Enthusiasm for Engineering Anonymous

While most kids are excited to learn how to tell time, I was captivated by what was in the background -- how a clock actually works. I found the tiny details of clock movements fascinating, and this preoccupation led me to a love of watches and eventually to the creation of my own watch movements and designs. My focus on the small details of the “how and why” has developed into a passion for mechanical engineering, specifically intricate mechanical components such as the gear setups in clocks and cars. Since the seventh grade, I’ve kept a small journal in which I sketch, design, and plan my projects. In high school I taught myself how to use three-dimensional design programs like Google SketchUp and CAD programs like Inventor and SolidWorks to make my own designs -- houses, motorcycles, and, true to form, watches.

Because honing my command of the small details allowed me to be creative, I gradually developed a more advanced knowledge of these systems. Last year, I was able to take my dream course at Menlo: Applied Science Research, a college-level engineering program. For my final project I utilized classical physics to create a functional wooden mechanical clock. It was not flashy, but when I met other clock enthusiasts at the...