Cell Phones on a

the ohio state engineer Autumn 2006 Vol. 90 No. 1 Cell Phones Plane! on a 1 4 7 2 5 8 3 6 9 from the editor the benefits of writing 02 comic Binaebi Akah’s “Nerderella” 20 departments 16 20 10 06 autumn 2006 contents 14 12 04 features 04 scoring the perfect internship how to get your dream job Erin Pompilli 06 engineers making a difference contributing through community service Aimee Gall 10 “real world” possibilities becoming a project manager as an engineer Dawn Chandler 12 you think you know: the real story of the college of engineering Sarah Zaremba 14 avoiding the dangers of study abroad other students’ perilous stories Sarah Zaremba 16 cell phones on a plane! is it really as dangerous as they say? Cheyney Loffing Editor-in-Chief Julie Kohus Marketing Staff Rachael Wasserman, Manager Christina Clark Design Team Kim Mayer, Layout Editor Binaebi Akah Catherine Eichel Julie Kohus Fiscal Officer Catherine Eichel Art Staff Binaebi Akah, Art Editor Jacob Boswell, Graphic Artist Jennifer Duann Catherine Eichel Katie Hayes David Heasley Wing Ki Lee Writing Staff Sarah Zaremba, Editor Erin Pompili, Editor Cheyney Loffing, Staff Writer Dawn Chandler Aimee Gall Staff Advisor Ed McCaul Special Thanks to Joan Slattery Wall Wendy Whissel Location Hitchcock Hall 325 2070 Neil Ave Columbus, OH 43210 Visit our website: http://osemagazine.org.ohio-state.edu Advertising rates and media kits available upon request. Contact: Rachael Wasserman.35@osu.edu The Ohio State Engineer is a member of the Engineering College Magazines Association. The Engineer is printed in the autumn, winter, and spring by students of the Ohio State University. The Benefits of Writing FROM THE EDITOR Throughout a college career, many opportunities arise to conduct research, write proposals, etc. One thing that is difficult to achieve as an undergraduate student is getting published. For engineering majors, having research or any written piece published is a great way to get a foot in the door with employers. This magazine is a wonderful opportunity for undergraduates to be published. The variety of topics featured in this magazine gives writers freedom to write an article on almost anything of interest. There is a high demand in industry for engineers who are proficient in technical and science writing, and writing an article for a magazine is one of the best ways to show this ability. Two members of the Ohio State Concrete Canoe team took advantage of an opportunity to get their researched published. Phillip Hinson’s and Claire Nichols’s work appeared in the inaugural issue of Concrete Canoe Magazine in March 2006. Phillip will graduate in spring 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and Claire graduated last spring with her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering as well. The research for the article was conducted during the 2005 season of concrete canoe competition. The goal of the team is to construct a canoe out of concrete and race against other college teams. In order to build a canoe out of concrete that will float in water many different additions to the mix are tested for their buoyancy. The article that was published in Concrete Canoe Magazine, “Polystyrene Beads as Coarse Aggregate in Concrete Canoe Mixes,” was written by Phillip and based on research conducted by Claire. The journal is published by Laval University in Quebec, Canada. There were 4,500 copies published and distributed at the regional American Society of Civil Engineering student engineering conferences throughout the United States and Canada. Hinson was met with challenges during his publication experience. “Coordinating with people in another country to get the article published was challenging at times because of language differences and time between replies,” said Hinson. Writing an article and having it published takes a major time commitment, but the reward is immeasurable. Both students have found out the reward of being published—the staff of this magazine has as well. I encourage you all to talk to professors, advisors, and other students to find out how to have an article published. I guarantee that you will be happy with the result. For more information on Phillip and Claire’s article, you can go to http:// www.concretecanoemagazine.com. Julie Kohus, Editor-in-Chief English Major Kohus.1@osu.edu story by erin pompili, writing editor How to Score the Perfect Internship There are certain moments that mark progress in one’s life. For example, the moment when the opposite sex is no longer seen as simply the “it” in a game of tag, the day that going to see an R-rated movie is not an adventure, or the moment when searching for a part-time job does not mean applying to be a cashier at Wendy’s. N 04 onetheless, tasks like compiling a resume, writing cover letters, organizing different options and preparing for interviews can make rehearsing “Do you want fries with that?” seem more appealing than taking that next step towards adulthood. However, there is no reason to become discouraged or overwhelmed when planning for an internship. What follows is a list of things that can make preparing for an internship easier than it may seem. RESUMES Resumes are the core of internship preparation; they are your own personal spokesman. They make your first impression on possible employers and are there to represent you at interviews. Designing a winning resume is an art. You must be able to make selling charm bracelets at a kiosk in the mall sound like a rewarding experience that has helped make you the most able candidate for the opportunity. graphics by binaebi akah Tips for making your resume sell: • Use words as a tool. Take advantage of your vocabulary, or at least a thesaurus. For instance, instead of simply stating that you can write well, say that you “utilize English and communications skills in order to clearly express ideas in speech or written form” Engineering students have templates that they are recommended to use. Those can be seen at http:// career.eng.ohio-state.edu/student/resume-templates.php. Use those templates! However, if your advisors have not recommended a template to follow, avoid your instinct to use one of the Microsoft Word ones. As enticing as their perfectly measured boxes and carefully planned bullets may be, it is these same things that will cause you to remarkably limit your resume. Instead, take the extra time to play around on a blank document so that you can create a resume that will accommodate all of your relevant skills, education, work experiences, etc. Some categories to consider including in your resume are Education, Work Experience, Relevant Skills, Objective, and Extra-Curricular Activities. As college students, most of us do not have extremely relevant work experience yet (that is what you are trying to gain through the internship). Therefore your education and relevant skills are going to be your most important features. Place those high in your resume. Remember that you DO have relevant skills. Many students forget that every class that is part of their major program helps them build the skills that they need. If you are having trouble trying to describe the different skills, here is a tip that I learned through an Arts and Sciences Career Services counselor. Go to www.osu.edu, “current students,” then “browse master schedule.” Look up your different classes then read the course descriptions. Most course descriptions will clearly state the skills that you should have developed through that class. • • • INTERVIEWS Once your resume gets you in the door, it’s time for the interview. An interview is a chance to introduce your personality to the company and to understand more about the culture at the company to which you are applying. Ti s f r making a great impre s o : p o sin • Be prepare f r questions that are impossible to prepare f r. For example, during one of my interviews for d o o an internship I was asked “If your life was a television show like Laguna Beach, what would the theme song be?” As hard as it was to take seriously a question that referenced Laguna Beach, I had to remember that interviewers have a reason for asking every question they choose. (I ended up picking Soco Amaretto Lime by Brand New, stating that I liked the importance it placed on friendships. I figured it’s hard to go wrong with friendship.) Interviewers will not mind if you take a few moments to think about a question, so ask for a moment so you have time to sculpt some reasonable answer. Most interviewers ask questions like this in order to see more of your personality, so do not be afraid to be honest. • Be earlier than early. This one is pretty straightforward. A potential employer is going to be more impressed with someone who is fifteen minutes early than someone who walks in at exactly 3:30 when the interview is scheduled. Let them know that you really are excited to be here. Smile at them, show them that you are happy for this interview and excited at the possibility of having an internship with their company. Do not envision the interview as a question and answer session that is going to demand quick, perfectly shaped responses. Instead, see it as a conversation between two people that share common interests. This potential employer gets just as excited about computer programming as you do, so do not be afraid of him or her. • Though these may cover just a few steps in preparing for an internship, they are perhaps the most important steps you will encounter. Your resume and interview are the two things that will show who you are and what you have accomplished. So go ahead and crumple up that fast food application and start preparing for an opportunity to actually use all of the skills for which you have been paying! 05 story and pictures contributed by aimee gall Engineers making a Difference During spring break 2006, I did not road trip to the beaches. Instead I flew to the mountains of rural Honduras. Arriving in the capital, Tegucigalpa, was my first experience outside the United States. Honduras is a beautiful, colorful country, but there is also impoverishment. I can tell you tales of scorpions and tarantulas, frogs jumping out of shower drains, perplexing food, and 120°F weather, so follow along and I will share with you my experience of how Honduras impacted my life. Everyone having fun with the parachute! ou might be wondering why I went to Honduras over spring break, and the answer lies within an organization at Ohio State called Engineers for Community Service (ECOS). The mission of this student organization states that ECOS “promotes lifelong professionalism via educational experiences in the uses of engineering skills for local and international community service Y projects.” This was the second spring break that members of ECOS traveled to Montaña de Luz (MdL), an orphanage for children with HIV/ AIDS in Honduras. The trip allowed students to use the engineering skills they learned in the classroom and apply them to real life situations in a developing country. Four teams of engineering students, a team from the College of Human Ecology, and four professors, we were on our way to help improve MdL. We spent all of winter quarter in 2006 researching aspects of the project and determining the needs of MdL. An important lesson we learned before embarking on the trip was that if the Hondurans did not see the benefits of a project, the changes would not be sustained. Some of the students had gone to MdL the previous year, so 06 Although the electrical team had fixed this year’s group had the advantage of The Computer Team knowing what would be useful and After learning that some of the most of those problems the year before, what could be c o m p u t e r s this year they updated the electrical accomplished in were not maps and surveyed for more problems, a limited time f u n c t i o n i n g such as working outlets and wall frame. We p r o p e r l y switches. Also, they made maps of planned, packed, anymore, the redistributing the electrical loads so and got typhoid computer team that if MdL were to take in more shots, malaria brought down children, the staff would be able to pills, passports, nine computers know where they could hook up extra bug spray, sundonated by appliances and not constantly blow screen, and Ohio State. breakers. Furthermore, the electrical Pepto-Bismol, T h e y team installed a wind data collection and then we were refurbished the device that measures the average speed on our way. computers and of the wind. After a year of collecting Our passinstalled Span- data, the team will be able to determine ports were ish software so if wind power can be used at the stamped as we the children orphanage. In the future, the electrical skipped seacould learn by team hopes to put in a device to use sons: from a reading and wind power as a source of energy winter-like Coplaying games because MdL’s electricity bills are lumbus into on the com- tremendously expensive. extremely hot puters. The Luis Carbajal installing the wind data Honduras in one computers are The Agriculture Team day. We spent collection device with the electrical team. also internet The agriculture team researched the first whole ready, so as about plant life suited for growth in day experiencing Honduran culture soon as MdL gets its satellite, it will Honduras and made a book, which was and the city of Tegucigalpa. The be able get online. The kids seriously translated into Spanish, about what mountains are higher and more love the computers. their expanded garden and orchard beautiful than any I have ever seen in could contain. The agriculture team the States, and the houses are smaller The Electrical Team determined that drip irrigation is a but more colorful than Key West. The The electrical project was also an beneficial way to water the garden, so homes are built into the sides of the ongoing project from the year before. the team brought down the supplies mountains, and bright colored clothing Previously, many wires were exposed and installed the system. Also, the road hangs on lines outside. Even though I and posed a hazard to the children. leading up the mountain to MdL had was in a foreign country, I spotted familiar things like Coke advertisements. Arriving at the orphanage, the smiling faces excited to see us were very welcoming amidst a country that is very unfamiliar. All the children at MdL have AIDS or are HIV positive; however, when playing with the energetic children, you would never guess that they have a life-threatening disease. The orphanage began as a hospice, but since the children have been taking antiretrovirals, they are thriving. Antiretroviral drugs reduce the amount of virus in the blood and slow down the progress of the disease. Since the morgue was no longer needed, ECOS transformed the building into a computer lab during the spring of Homes outside of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. 2005. 07 eroded from past rainy seasons. The team surveyed the road to give preliminary data to a company to fix this problem. MdL has lots of animals including rabbits, chickens, a pig, and tilapia. The tilapia pond received special attention from the agriculture team because the water in the fish pond is too rich in nutrients to waste. To maximize its uses, everyone helped dig a trench from the tilapia pond to the garden so that the garden will benefit from the nutrient rich water. board, where the board expressed concerns of having clean water for all the residents. Currently, the village gets water for only two hours per day because of the high cost to run the pump from their well. Consequently, people store water all day in large samples at Ohio State will determine the cause of the yellow water. The water team’s future goals are to get company support to revamp the village and orphanage’s water systems to solve their water quality issues. The Human Ecology Team Three students and a professor from the College of Human Ecology researched and outlined a preschool program for MdL. Upon arriving at MdL, they renovated the library into a preschool and worked with the newly hired preschool teacher to develop a structured learning plan for the children. The Water Team From the previous trip, the team knew that the water of MdL has high arsenic levels. Arsenic can cause many health problems, including cancer, with long-term exposure. The team was concerned with how high levels of arsenic would react with the children’s medicine because there has not been any research in this area. The team took an existing chlorine filter Lauren Atkison, Melissa Nazareth, Mark Andre, and Jake Adams mixing cement used at the orphanage and added an for the satellite pad. arsenic removal media. The filter exploded on a few occasions, but the test was able to be completed by taking basins outside their homes and separate samples. As a result, the team is in their drinking water into Coke bottles. the developmental stages of having a company manufacture the filter with arsenic removal media. The team also did a lot of research on water wells. MdL’s source of water is well water, and upon surveying their well, the team used a checklist they had made to fix and properly seal the well. Cracks were sealed with caulk and holes were filled with expanding foam. The team also constructed a concrete pad around the The group after completing the satellite pad. well so that rain water would drain away from the well instead The problem with the village water is that the chlorine is not consistent of contaminating the water. The team took water samples at throughout the system, causing some MdL and from the surrounding village houses to get an excessive amount, and brought back samples to Ohio State while other houses get none. After the to do more in-depth testing. The team water sits out during the day, it had a meeting with the village’s water progressively turns yellow. Testing the The Satellite Pad Team Everyone who traveled to MdL was on the satellite pad team. For seven hours, about 25 people mixed 12 tons of concrete by hand to fill an 8-by-8by-3-foot hole in preparation for a 12foot diameter satellite dish to be installed. Prior to the trip, the engineers had to determine the correct composition of the concrete, how big the hole had to be and how sturdy the soil must be so that the weight of the satellite along with heavy rains and hurricane winds would not cause a collapse. All the teams accomplished their projects at MdL that they had thoroughly planned the quarter before. But overall, the impact of the trip was not just the changes made at MdL, but also the impression the trip left on each person. After I returned to the United States, I realized I learned as much as I gave. I never imagined how much this trip would impact me, and I truly miss Honduras. Not only did Honduras open my eyes to the world around me, but it also made me realize that I can use my engineering degree to change lives. Because of my experience in Honduras, I know that after I graduate I will use my engineering degree to improve the 08 quality of life for people. There are opportunities for engineers in college and after graduation to use their degree to help developing countries; you just have to look for them. Whether it is in developing countries, working on renewable energy resources or designing more cost effective and efficient mechanisms, I hope to improve the lives of people around the world using my engineering skills. For more information: www.ecos.osu.edu http://montanadeluz.org The water team around the well. A home in the village surrounding Montaña de Luz. Jake Adams and Jen Rutledge teaching the kids how to use the new computers. Two children playing with slime that they made in structured playtime. Meggie Safford and Melissa Nazareth sifting sand for the satellite pad concrete mix. Part of the team and children heading to school. 09 “ Real World possibilities Alternative careers in Engineering: Project Manager ” As we study to become engineers, we develop experience working on teams to meet project goals. We build up our skills in areas such as writing code, documenting processes or designing automotive bumpers. A few of us have the opportunity, while we are in school, to see the life cycle of a marketable product completed from beginning to end. In our different industries there may be many teams involved in the production of a finished product. These teams require effective management to ensure that the final goal is met. Project managers are used on a regular basis every day in a wide variety of disciplines including construction, engineering and information technology to ensure successful completion of projects across many teams. A project, unlike a task, is defined as being complex with a definite timeline and a unique problem that has not previously been solved. A project is normally comprised of many different tasks, which may individually be repetitive or even routine. Projects are all subject to the triple constraints of time, budget or resources and quality or deliverable. Successful projects have someone who organizes the tasks into a sequence and estimates the amount of time each task will take. The person who performs this role is a project manager. They provide the direction needed to coordinate and integrate the people and tasks so a project is successfully completed on time and within budget. Here on campus, Moninder Singh is the senior project manager for the OSU McCracken Emission Compliance Project. The construction cost for this project is approximately $53 million dollars, and the project has a fairly long timeline and a defined deliverable. According to Singh, the project started the design phase in late 2001 and entered the construction phase in the third quarter of 2003. The expected completion date for this project is March 2007. At that time, the project deliverables will include installing four new boilers and upgrading the existing power distribution systems and the mechanical infrastructure of the McCracken Power Plant. The steam from the McCracken Power Plant is used to heat the buildings on main campus. “The students on campus will benefit directly from this project, as these upgrades will provide an uninterruptible supply of steam and power to the main campus,” Singh said. During the past four years, Singh has been a project manager for Gilbane. He also has 18 years of experience in construction management with a structural engineering background. Singh recommended that new engineers make the transition from an engineering career into project management by finding a company like Gilbane where they could “get their feet wet” in project management. He said this will give them the chance to see if they enjoy this type of challenge. Singh said he enjoys being a project manager because, “I like to manage building the structures rather than just designing them on paper.” Why become a Project Manager? Project management isn’t for everyone. In addition to domain knowledge, the project manager must be able to communicate effectively, to 10 story and graph by dawn chandler envision the start-to-end process and to provide direction while coordinating and integrating the project and project teams. It is frequently seen as a highpressure, time-sensitive role. Rewards include being instrumental to the overall success of your project and corporation, which often results in a higher salary and a more challenging career path. A recent survey of more than 350 project managers in Central Ohio, conducted by the Project taking on more and more of the roles of a project manager. This process may take several years depending on their position and the projects being completed by their firm. A more structured route to becoming a project manager is to become a Project Management Professional (PMP) through a certification administered by the Project Management Institute (www.pmi.org ), an international earth picture from nasa.gov you complete your internships and coops. This will allow you to accrue hours toward your certification while still in school, and it will help you get into the habit of documenting. Once you have these requirements, you will need to pass a computer-based examination over the six domains of project management. In order to retain an active certification status, a minimum of 60 hours of professional Management Institute Central Ohio Chapter, showed that over 75% of the Project Managers earned $70,000 a year or more, as shown in the table above. These project managers were from a variety of disciplines and educational backgrounds. How does someone become a Project Manager? Many engineers learn project management on the job. Starting as team members, they demonstrate effective communication and organizational skills as they guide their teammates through a project. Over time, their role as a project manager becomes formalized as they begin organization with more than 200,000 professionals in 125 countries. Earning your project management professional certification requires preparation and planning. The requirements—7,500 hours of documented responsibility leading and directing specific tasks during the previous eight years, 60 months of project management experience and 35 hours of project management education—are reduced if you have earned a baccalaureate degree. In that case, your requirements are only 4,500 hours leading and directing specific tasks, 36 months of project management experience and 35 hours of project management education. You can begin documenting hours now as development units must be earned every three years. Central Ohio Chapter of PMI Within the Project Management Institute there are local chapters. In the campus area, the Central Ohio Chapter holds many of its meetings at The Ohio State University’s Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. Meetings are open to both members of the Project Management Institute and to nonmembers. For additional information contact: PMI Central Ohio Chapter Inc. 1500 West 3rd Avenue, Suite 120 Columbus, Ohio, 43212 11 story by sarah zaremba, writing editor The real story of the College of Engineering You THINK you know: U sing the data from the College of Engineering Annual Report of 2005 and a few interviews from both engineers and non-engineers, I comprised a list of different statistics to see how they measured up to what people thought. Was the stereotype that women are barely represented in the engineering and architecture community true? Or how about the common assumption that international students make up a rather large percentage of engineers and architects? The following seven people were asked an assortment of questions regarding the statistics: Andrea Chevalier; sophomore; early childhood education Lindsey Rachel; sophomore; special education Jimmy Lauzau; sophomore; computer science and engineering Jennifer Horvath; sophomore; industrial engineering Jon Schick; sophomore; respiratory therapy Michael Lauzau; freshman; electrical engineering Tim Kreimer; sophomore; architecture How many architecture undergraduate students were there in 2005? Jennifer: Like 1,000. Jimmy: 500. Jon: Probably like 5,000. No, that’s too many. Probably 3,500. FACT: In 2005 there were 665 undergraduates in the school of architecture. Architecture and engineering undergraduates made up 13.9% of the university’s undergraduate population in 2005. How many architecture graduate students were there in 2005? Andrea: I’m going to say 109. Jimmy: 150. FACT: 183 graduate students study architecture at Ohio State. Together with the engineering graduate students, 14.4% of the total graduate population at Ohio State is represented by engineering and architecture. GENERAL INFORMATION When people were asked to make estimates about general information regarding the engineering and architecture departments, it was surprising how varied the responses were. How many engineering undergraduate students were there in 2005 (including pre-majors)? Andrea: 3569. Lindsey: Well, there’s like 50,000 people that go here, so 7,000. Jennifer: Like 10,000. Jimmy: 5,000. FACT: According to the report, there were 4,536 engineering undergraduate students. ENGINEERING MAJORS While this subject probably makes sense to all of you, I had to explain to every non-engineering student what I meant by this. Many simply thought that “engineering” itself was a major and had forgotten about the different focus areas that one could choose from. How many different engineering majors are there? Andrea: Seven…are you gonna make me list them? Don’t make me list them. Seven is my favorite number that’s why I said that. Lindsey: Well there’s civil engineering. Biochemical – isn’t that one? I’m gonna say there’s about 12. Jennifer: Wait, I can get a pretty good idea…let me think…I’d say maybe like eight or 10. Tim: I’d say about 10. 12 graphic from the osu college of engineering website I am not an aspiring engineer or architect. I have used maybe 10 buttons on my graphing calculator, which by now is buried somewhere in my closet at home. I am an English and Communication double major who would rather read the dictionary than be forced to integrate, determine velocities or attempt any computer programming. And like many other non-engineering majors, I am guilty of assuming the common engineering student stereotypes. So when I was assigned to write an article for a magazine whose audience is comprised of solely engineers and architects, I decided to figure out exactly who makes up the engineering department and architecture school here at Ohio State. FACT: The actual number of engineering majors is 19. The highest guess was 12. Not even engineers were quite sure what all of the available majors are. What is the most popular engineering major for undergraduate students? Andrea: I say electrical. Lindsey: Chemical…is that what you mean? Jennifer: Mechanical. Everyone I talk to is a mechanical, like everyone I know. Jimmy: Mechanical. FACT: The engineering majors were right. 496 of the mathematical elite of 2005 were mechanical engineers, with electrical pulling a close second with 466. Both Jennifer and Jimmy felt confident that welding was the least popular engineering major for undergraduate students. When I told Jimmy that the correct answer was geomatics with only two people in 2005, he shrugged his shoulders and admitted that he did not even know that major existed. What is the most popular engineering major for graduate students? Jennifer: Mechanical I guess. Jimmy: Electrical…if I remember right, I think electrical makes a lot more if they go to grad school. FACT: Jimmy was right. 270 students were in the Electrical and Computer graduate program at Ohio State in 2005. Mechanical was second with 228. Jimmy assumed that computer-science would have the lowest turn-out of graduate students, because “I really don’t see a point of going to grad school as a CSE.” However, engineering mechanics had only one graduate student enrolled in 2005. Lindsey: I’d say around 3,000. Jennifer: About 1,000. Jimmy: 1000. Even though everyone thinks that there are a lot of foreign people in engineering, based on my classes and stuff it doesn’t seem like there is that big of a percentage. FACT: The engineers’ guesses were closest to the actual number of 1,100. I guess that the stereotype that the engineering school has a large population of international students is not as true as some people assume. The most popular major for international engineering students was electrical and computer. How many countries were represented in the College of Engineering in 2005? Andrea: 6. Lindsey: I’m going to go with 9. Jennifer: A lot, like 50. Jon: 27. FACT: Jennifer was the closest, and yet even her guess was rather low. The actual number of countries represented in 2005 was 85. Andrea said, “I don’t even know of 85 countries.” How many architecture students were international students in 2005? Jennifer: 150. FACT: There were only 58 international students enrolled in the architecture program at Ohio State in 2005. Which country did the largest number of international engineering students come from in 2005? Lindsey: Definitely Japan. Jennifer: China. I was trying to think of a country that had a big population so it would make sense. Jimmy: China, I guess. Jon: India, definitely. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND WOMEN How many engineering students were international students in 2005? Andrea: 2,721. 13 Dangers of Study Avoiding the Abroad Mom’s old fashioned home cooking will not always be available. Sometimes the refrigerator can only provide moldy leftovers from last week. Dad offers to make his specialty “Cajun bread,” but burnt toast doesn’t cut it. Although these routine food choices can be scary in their own right, imagine having to eat foods unknown in American cuisine. English grandmas cook blood pudding while some daring Chinese moms prepare monkey brain soup. 14 story by sarah zaremba graphic by jacob boswell worn inside her jeans and affectionately nicknamed “the belly.” Suer, 21, said that during her study abroad in England she used it for weekend excursions. However, during post-trip traveling throughout Europe, Suer said she “felt safer keeping it on at all times, even sleeping in it.” Suer had no problems although she said less cautious people had unattended money stolen from their hostels. Unfortunately, travelers have to be aware at all times of their surroundings because of theft. According to the U.S. Department of Travel’s website, anyone can be a pickpocket, from “a child to a woman carrying a baby.” The “People on motos (similar to motorcycles) would rob people randomly,” said Skalak, 20. “In Granada, a friend of mine was held at knife point while sitting at a street side restaurant.” Even people in the service industry try to take advantage of the situation. McDermott said that she encountered many taxi drivers who tried to swindle people out of money. She said taxi drivers had “many tricks up their sleeves by taking the long way or accidentally going to the wrong place.” McDermott said the best way to avoid this is to set a price before you step in the car. It is especially helpful when you know the language of the country so you can make sure that you both understand what is being agreed upon, McDermott said. Although theft will always be prevalent, current world conflicts can make traveling more dangerous than in the past. Julie Morris, a third-year English major, traveled this past summer to England the day after the London bombings. Morris, 21, said that she wasn’t as frightened as her parents, who anxiously waited at home in Cincinnati to hear news of Morris’s safe landing. It did make her feel more secure to witness the tightened security at airports and be in contact with her OSU coordinator, she said. “It’s frightening to be in an unfamiliar place, let alone a foreign country,” Morris said. “It certainly raised my level of precaution and poked a hole in my feeling of invulnerability.” According to Palmer, Ohio State’s Office of International Education can only help if they know about a situation, even if it is just for reassurance. “That’s why we encourage proactive communication so students feel comfortable,” Palmer said. Ashley Koch, an Akron, Ohio, native, experienced explosive dangers firsthand. Koch, a senior in I f the thought of such cuisine is a bit appalling, envision being completely immersed in foreign culture. For most Ohio State students, studying abroad for the first time brings much excitement and anticipation. However, foreign travel can also be very scary for people who have never left the United States. Dining is not the only thing to fear before preparing to leave. Jane Palmer, a coordinator of international students and study abroad, said some countries require shots before a visitor can enter, but it’s dependent upon that particular country’s regulations. According to Ohio State’s Office of International Education Study Abroad Handbook, students can make an International Travel Appointment at the OSU Wilce Student Health Center for $37. It can be helpful to have a trained professional ease heath concerns and acquaint participants with the particular health needs of their destination, the handbook says. Before studying abroad in Ecuador this summer, Shannon McDermott, a senior political science major, said students were encouraged to get the “highly recommended” shots. McDermott, from North Royalton, Ohio, was one of only three of the 17 participants that decided to receive shots. However, the shots do not protect against everything. McDermott said most of the participants got “sick to their stomachs” because people were not use to the water and the way food was prepared. Money and passports are essential when arriving at any foreign destination. According to OSU’s Study Abroad Handbook, “A money belt worn inside your clothing or a money pouch around your neck is recommended for safe keeping your passport, insurance and emergency cards, health information, credit cards and travelers checks, and cash.” Stephanie Suer, a senior political science major from Cincinnati, never went anywhere without her money belt, “ “ According to the U.S. Department of Travel’s website, anyone can be a pickpocket, from ‘a child to a woman carrying a baby.’ ” website said to be on the lookout for people who “jostle you, ask you for directions or the time, point to something spilled on your clothing, or distract you by creating a disturbance.” McDermott, 21, witnessed various ploys in her time in Ecuador. Although she said the situation was not funny, she could not help but laugh at the cleverness of one pickpocket child who “pelted him (the victim) in the face with ice cream and took off with his money,” McDermott said. Unfortunately situations can get more dangerous and hostile. Matt Skalak, a Strongsville, Ohio, native, traveled to Spain last year. Skalak, a third-year business major, said numerous people on his trip had wallets, cameras and laptops that went missing. 15 Cell Phones on a story by cheyney loffing, staff writer graphic by catherine eichel Like many college students, I could have been arrested during spring break last year. What was my crime? Not paying attention. I was on a flight down to Florida daydreaming about beaches, spring training baseball and 80 degree weather (it was snowing as I left Ohio). While in this trance, I missed the announcement saying, “Please turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones, pagers, PDAs…” I found out later that my phone had been on during the entire flight. I realize that this isn’t the most heinous of crimes, but people have actually been arrested for this. So what’s the big deal about using a cell phone on an airplane? Can it actually make an airplane crash? It turns out that no one really has a definite answer. Two things are clear, however; it is against federal law to have a cell phone turned on while an airplane is in flight, and there are a large number of people who want to change this law. 1 4 7 2 5 8 3 6 9 16 Plane! Laws Regarding Cell Phone Use The use of personal electronic devices while flying is actually prohibited by two separate federal agencies: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The purpose of the FAA law is the more obvious of the two. According to the agency’s website, this law was established “because of the potential for portable electronic devices (PED) to interfere with aircraft communications and navigation equipment.” PEDs, including cell phones, emit radio frequencies which could disrupt the sensitive equipment onboard that is necessary for flight safety, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment and radio communications. Therefore, the FAA currently bans cell phone usage between takeoff and landing. The FCC ban on cell phones was established for a less apparent reason. According to the information from their website, they prohibit cell phone usage on aircraft “because of potential interference to cellular phone networks on the ground.” Due to the shear volume of flights in the U.S. (9,246,862 in 2005 according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics), there is no way to handle the potential strain that airline passengers would place on networks if they were allowed to use their cell phones. Imagine one person flying through the air at hundreds of miles per hour. His or her cell phone traffic would be transferred from ground tower to ground tower as the plane moved across the country. Now, instead of one person, imagine millions of people. This would wreak havoc on cell phone networks, hence the FCC’s ban. in America, a debate is beginning to rage. On one side are people who can’t live without their cell phones for a twohour flight. They are demanding their right to use the fruits of modern technology. On the flipside are safety advocates who believe that cell phones pose a serious risk to aviation safety. And in the middle is the FCC, which is trying to decide if air-to-ground cell phone use is even feasible. So the entirety of this dispute revolves around two questions. First, can cell phones be proven safe for use while airborne? And second, if they are safe, can cell phone providers implement a system for such usage? Discovery Channel’s hit series “MythBusters.” The show is devoted to using scientific methods to test various urban myths. In the first experiment, a makeshift plane cockpit was constructed using pieces of aircrafts from an aviation junkyard. An electronic device was used to amplify various popular frequencies used by cell phone manufacturers. In certain cases, the signals from the simulated cell phone produced deflection on a navigational needle, a result that could lead to major problems in the air. The first experiment granted credibility to fears of cell phone disturbance. But to make the findings of this testing more practical, another experiment was conducted in an actual plane. In the second trial, a private jet was used, but the testing had to be conducted on the ground in order to abide by current regulations. This time, the frequency generator failed to affect any navigation or communication equipment, even when the signal was amplified to a level much higher than any standard cell phone. This lack of influence was attributed to the “hardened” avionics on board the aircraft. This term refers to the shielding of instrumentation on modern aircrafts that is designed to eliminate, or at least lessen, electronic interference. The improvised cockpit used in the first experiment was fashioned from spare parts and didn’t have this sort of protection. Therefore, the makeshift plane in the first trial was subject to disturbance while the private jet in the second experiment, with its hardened avionics, was unaffected. But if a plane can be shielded from electronic interference, why are cell phones still prohibited? The antiphone movement can answer this question. For one thing, some older aircrafts do not have shielded Safety Concerns Currently, the FAA’s stance on the subject is that cell phones pose a safety threat. There have been numerous reports from pilots and flight crews suspecting an electronic device of disrupting flight equipment. For instance, a recent ABC News article references an incident where a DVD player was responsible for a 30-degree navigational error. When the device was turned off, the error was corrected. However, a cell phone is not a DVD player, and recently the legitimacy of the FAA’s claim has been brought into question. Cell phone supporters point to the fact that a cell phone has never been nailed down as the definite cause of a crash. There are many conspiracy theorists who claim that the ban on cell phones has nothing to do with safety at all. They suggest that it is merely a ploy to force airline passengers to use the more expensive seatback phones supplied on many planes. In fact, a survey conducted recently by Carnegie Mellon University said that a majority of those surveyed believed this to be true. This very question was recently considered on an episode of the The Controversy As time passes and cell phones seemingly become attached to every ear 17 instrumentation. But even for shielded aircrafts, this test is not definitive. While one specific plane was shown to be safe, it would be nearly impossible to test every aircraft used by the FAA. The monetary and time requirements would be enormous. Furthermore, the “MythBusters” experiment was conducted on the ground and therefore lacked complete authenticity. Between taking off and landing, an airplane would be subject to a large set of varying electromagnetic waves from radio and television towers, satellites, etc. These conditions simply cannot be recreated on the ground. The question over whether cell phones create a safety hazard is left unanswered. Feasibility Concerns Another large obstacle in the path of cell phones’ airborne liberation is ensuring that the ground network can handle the increased activity. After all, the possibility of network chaos on the ground is the reason for the FCC’s current ban. However, the agency has recently considered relaxing its limitations when it began an initiative to collect public opinion on a new proposal. According to the FCC’s website, the proposal would theoretically provide usage of cell phones on airplanes given two conditions. First, any cell phone must “[operate] at its lowest power setting under control of a ‘pico cell,’ which is a very small specialized cellular base station installed onboard the aircraft” and secondly, a cell phone must “not interfere with on-ground users.” At this stage, no action has been taken. The FCC is simply gathering public opinion on the proposal as well as various other topics, such as what types of devices should be allowed, and the scope of airborne services. The FCC states that this proposal is “aimed at increasing the communications options for wireless users—in this case, airborne connectivity–while ensuring no increased risk of harmful interference to terrestrial cellular systems.” While this is a significant first step in the process of granting airto-ground cell phone use, there is still much work to be done. The question of whether or not cellular phone service providers can actually implement such a system remains unanswered. What Happens Now? A number of issues must be decided before passengers are able to fly and dial. The safety of cell phones on aircrafts would have to be established. This could only be done through extensive testing of current equipment. If the equipment is found to be unsatisfactory, a number of other steps could possibly be taken, such as installing radio frequency detectors in airplanes (such devices would indicate potentially dangerous levels of radio frequency), or providing more heavily shielded avionics. Additionally, the ability of current cell phone networks to handle air-to-ground traffic would have to be determined. This would mean even more testing. Completing these two tasks will still not ensure success for cell phone advocates. There is still the matter of public opinion. The FCC, in response to its recent proposal, has heard a formidable outcry from those who don’t want cell phones in the air, regardless of safety or feasibility. Apparently, some people would rather not be seated next to someone shouting into a cell phone. It seems that airplane cabins are one of the few babble-free sanctuaries left. So in the mean time, you will still be politely asked to turn off your cell phone on any flight you take. While the obstacles to airborne cell phone use (both scientific and social) may be overcome, it seems clear that this will be a slow process. General Sources - http://www.wired.com - http://www.fcc.gov - http://www.archives.gov - http://www.bts.gov - http://abcnews.go.com The Dangers of Studying Abroad (continued from page 15) international studies, was studying at Tel Aviv University in Israel when bombs hit the city. Fortunately for Koch, she said she was traveling in a different area at the time. “The scariest part was having to call all my friends in Tel Aviv to see if they were OK and calling my parents to tell them about the bombing, but that I was OK,” said Koch, 21. Although it was a scary time, it didn’t change Koch’s perspective or daily life. “These are the realities of how things are there,” Koch said. “This has been going on for so long, you can’t change what you do.” While many of her fellow students chose to not ride the buses, which were common bomb targets, Koch said she eventually did. “All the Israelis take it, why shouldn’t I?” Koch said. Something Ohio State stresses is being respectful in the country of study. If trouble arises, it is up to Ohio State and the foreign institution of study to decide if people need to be sent home. There is no standard protocol because every event is case specific, Palmer said. “Oftentimes things arise when alcohol is involved,” Palmer said. “The OSU Student Code of Conduct applies to students who study abroad just as they do on campus.” Studying abroad relies on common sense. Although it is important to experience another country’s culture, don’t do something that you wouldn’t do in the United States, Palmer said. Eric Hevesy, a senior in English, was trying to live the life of an Irish native. Unfortunately, Hevesy, 21, was so immersed in the Irish culture he missed his plane ride home. “Trying to be as drunk as an Irishman in Dublin doesn’t work when you have to fly in the morning,” Hevesy said. Although a trip abroad brings the good and the bad experiences, foreign travel is still an excellent opportunity to explore the world outside mom’s kitchen. 18 College of Engineering Truths (continued from page 13) FACT: In 2005, 280 students came from India, making in the largest represented international country. China was close behind with 221. How many women were in the engineering undergraduate program in 2005? Lindsey: Engineering? I’d probably say there’s about 150. Jennifer: About 22%. Jimmy: 500. It’s got to be more than that, but there are more foreign kids than girls for sure. So maybe I’ll guess 800. Jon: Zero. I’m just joking, I’d say about 1,500 were women. FACT: There were 600 women in the engineering program in 2005 making up 13.2% of the total undergraduate engineering students. The most popular undergraduate major for women engineering students is industrial and systems engineering. How many women were in the architecture undergraduate program in 2005? Andrea: 210. Lindsey: For architecture I’d say 35. Jimmy: I’ll go with 50. FACT: There were 199 women in the architecture undergraduate program in 2005. Combined with the 600 women from the engineering programs, only 3.7% of Ohio State’s undergraduate women were represented by engineering and architecture in 2005. I know as engineers there are many stereotypes that you are up against. A web site listed statements like “you might be an engineer if you know vector calculus but you can’t remember how to do long division” that seem to support the “academically-mindful” image that many people have of engineers. Besides that label is the stereotype that the engineering community is made up of a large concentration of international students and little or no women. Hopefully after reading this article you will all be able to combat remarks like Jon Schick’s by retorting that “13.2 percent of the engineering community was made up of women in 2005.” Unfortunately, while I may be able to help you combat the latter stereotype, when it comes to the “academically-mindful” stereotype, you are on your own. For more information on the statistics behind your college, you can visit http://www.eng.ohio-state.edu/annual/ index.php. Will you be ready? Thursday October 5th, 2006 10am - 4pm French Field House Check out the Engineering Expo Website at engexpo.osu.edu Register with OSU Engineering Career Services at career.eng.ohio-state.edu 19 Special thanks to David Heasley, for allowing the use of his 2005 OSU/Michigan photos. If you have adventures like Zelda Nerderella, e-mail Binaebi Akah at osemag@gmail.com and you might see it in upcoming issues! Non Profit Org US Postage Paid Permit No. 711 Columbus OH