| Search Chronicle Online | |
May 24, 2010  Robert Barker/University Photography Senior profile: Erin Fischell
Major: Mechanical and aerospace engineering Why did you choose Cornell?
Cornell has the quantity and quality of undergraduate research and student project teams that I was looking for. In addition, I really liked the "any person, any study" philosophy: it was important for me that I get to interact with people with diverse interests and backgrounds. Main Cornell extracurricular activity -- why is it important to you?
I am the team leader of the Cornell University Autonomous Underwater Vehicle team (CUAUV). Every year, we design and build a robotic submarine for an international AUV competition. Since joining CUAUV freshman year, it has been the most important part of my Cornell experience, providing me with daily challenges and excitement. CUAUV keeps me connected with the joy of engineering: that rush I get when debugging a circuit, machining a part or standing in front of a white board doing design. While at Cornell, what other accomplishments/activities are you most proud of?
I am proud of the volunteer work I have done with CUAUV. I spend more than 20 hours per semester organizing and running workshops to interest young people, especially girls, in engineering. Over the last two years, these workshops have included two seven-week after-school programs at Enfield Elementary School, Girl Scout workshops, workshops for Diversity Programs in Engineering and research with the Cayuga Lake Floating Classroom Project. I enjoy teaching, and watching kids discover engineering reminds me of why I became an engineer in the first place. I am also proud to be a member of the Sphinx Head Senior Honor Society. Your most profound turning point while at Cornell?
Joining flute section of the Cornell Big Red Marching Band freshman year. That was one of the best decisions I ever made: The band taught me how to take myself less seriously and enjoy being a little crazy. With the band, I can escape from engineering and CUAUV for a while to regain my sanity. Who or what at Cornell influenced your Cornell education the most?
Working with the CUAUV team - I have learned more about engineering, management and business than I have from all of my classes combined. What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?
This last summer, I led CUAUV to a first-place finish at the competition in San Diego against 30 teams. The competition requires vehicles to work their way through an underwater obstacle course without any human intervention or control. Once we hit the start button, our vehicle, Nova, was on its own. No vehicle had completed the course since 2002, before the competition was made interactive. The memory I will treasure forever is standing with my team as Nova slowly made its way through the course, completing one task after another, holding our breaths as the judge signaled each completed obstacle. When Nova surfaced in that recovery zone, completing the entire course in 11 minutes, we all went crazy. That instant, when we surfaced, was the most amazing moment I have had at Cornell. What are your plans for next year; where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In the fall I will be starting a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Joint Program, continuing my work with AUVs. In 10 years, I see myself pushing the boundaries of autonomous vehicle technology in industry or academia. |
