tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9481807984013863732011-07-08T13:47:50.751-05:00Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-50619024190682773392010-05-05T12:54:00.000-05:002010-05-05T12:54:54.024-05:00

It’s ‘dead week’ again. To explain, dead week is the time of the semester when no new material is covered in class, so that students can take time to prepare for finals the following week. There’s just one problem…the week so far has been alive and kicking! Some of the tasks for the week are the following: finish my Dynamics, Vibrations, and Control project, finish the homework that is due the

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-36080613615136269162010-04-26T16:13:00.000-05:002010-04-26T16:13:34.958-05:00

“A wise man learns by the mistakes of others, a fool by his own.” This quote, taken from an old Latin proverb, encompasses a simple, but insightful philosophy that has proven quite useful during my recent studies at UNT. The first two years of my academic career consisted of core and undergraduate curriculum, where a majority of my time was spent delving into textbooks in order to extract the

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-54641144419913749282010-04-15T16:28:00.000-05:002010-04-15T16:28:15.869-05:00

Upon further investigation I realize now that I made a rather large mistake in one of my previous blogs entitled, Power Output: The Energy Flow Rate, (03/08/2010), or so I think. First off, the title was not wrong, but inaccurate. I revised the title now to say simply ‘Power’ because the rate at which energy flows can refer to either a power input or output. Secondly, my calculation of the

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-51118052187045083912010-04-09T14:07:00.000-05:002010-04-09T14:07:00.421-05:00

It is the culmination of pretty much any undergraduate engineering degree. It defines whether or not a student has learned anything in their studies. It is…the SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT! This year’s seniors have got an interesting idea. They will be participating in the ’Live Green Expo’ in Plano, where they will introduce a bicycle-powered entertainment center. Included in the entertainment center

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-80108452270391493162010-04-07T09:15:00.000-05:002010-04-07T09:15:26.749-05:00

When you look at the Discovery Park campus here in Denton, you think of all of the possible innovative research and cutting edge technological discoveries that could be taking place on the inside. The building is massive, and was formerly a factory for missile production, which is evident from its design. But aside from the engineering/scientific setting that the campus provides, it is a

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-28698245650005170312010-03-29T09:06:00.000-05:002010-03-29T09:06:12.116-05:00

What are some stereotypes that people have about engineers? Lanky… Unathletic…Tech junkies. Not true. We don’t want to be labeled with these misdirected adjectives. One person who is helping to change the minds of those so quick to judge is the recently-crowned interim heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championships mixed-martial arts circuit, Shane Carwin, who works as an engineer

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-18888199388531658092010-03-26T12:43:00.000-05:002010-03-26T12:43:05.412-05:00

“C’mon, big money! Big money!”…“Seven Hundred.”…”M.”…”Three M’s!” These are the all too familiar words spoken between Pat Sajak and a contestant on the timeless classic Wheel of Fortune game show. The lucky few who get to participate and encounter such a situation have the potential to win 2100$ if they can guess the puzzle. But not everyone is fortunate enough to showcase their skills on TV,

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-75210519753602002352010-03-22T10:39:00.001-05:002010-03-22T15:24:49.987-05:00

It’s Sunday night and school is set to commence this week. I struggle to awake from my Playstation 3 induced coma so that I can focus on the tasks at hand for a week that follows what was an incredibly relaxing spring break. Unfortunately I have a lab report due tomorrow which erases any possibility of easing my way back into the normal routine so to speak. This lab report encompasses two

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-45700608643058739472010-03-15T14:24:00.000-05:002010-03-15T14:24:32.461-05:00

It’s spring break this week. Instead of planning my trip to Cinemark Movies 14 I’m left with the thought of how I am I going to measure the amount of heat transfer from a light bulb to a body of water. Why? It’s a project in one of my classes this semester. The light bulb is powered by a 9V battery, and is encased in an insulated container along with a small pool of water that has a thermocouple

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-22302871598164412252010-03-11T15:22:00.001-06:002010-03-11T15:22:23.505-06:00

For those of you who regularly follow my blog, which is probably about two people, you remember my prediction for the fate of the UNT Men’s Basketball team. If I remember correctly, it was back in December when I prophesized their current state. This past week, UNT knocked off Denver in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference championships, led by Tristan Thompson’s 19 point output. The very

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-53303511834696003642010-03-08T09:08:00.000-06:002010-03-08T09:08:53.289-06:00

As my studies continue here at UNT, I notice myself beginning to think more like an engineer. This time I really mean it. The other day I calculated the power output of my body. The calculations were pretty messy, but it was worth it just to get a quantitative comparison of my body to an electric motor. The calculation itself is quite easy actually, just messy. When I go to the gym, I typically

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-22018018694707853262010-03-04T18:22:00.000-06:002010-03-04T18:22:17.660-06:00

Several students were honored last week by being welcomed into the recently created Energy Engineering Honor Society. The society seeks students who excel within the Mechanical and Energy Engineering program. This is a huge step for the people involved, as well as the University of North Texas College of Engineering as a whole because it marks the first society of its kind. Several names have

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-83344197740256993792010-02-26T10:09:00.000-06:002010-02-26T10:09:39.330-06:00

As the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver near their end, we can’t help but reminisce about some of the memorable moments that made up this epic event. USA hockey beats Canada in that Sunday night thriller. Shaun White rides to the gold while executing his signature Double McTwist. There was even the story of Joannie Rochette, the female ice skater from Canada whose mother had died just days

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-70110799002641859562010-02-21T18:43:00.000-06:002010-02-21T18:43:07.974-06:00

Yesterday marked my second time to attend the Engineering and Computer Science Career Fair, or ECSCF, which is pronounced phonetically, Ehk-siff. Warning: Use of this acronym in daily conversations may result in your peers thinking you have swine flu! So you may just want to say the entire phrase instead. The career fair this year was very informative for me. Being a Mechanical Engineer, I was

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-82241898901720007972010-02-18T09:53:00.000-06:002010-02-18T09:53:42.058-06:00

This past Tuesday, for the third time in its recent history, the College of Engineering at UNT held the Solar Powered Winch and Cart Race, which makes up a small part of the Engineering Week at UNT. Other activities this week include catered lunches from a local barbecue called Metzler’s, a gaming competition, and the always interesting poster competition. Dr. Matthew J. Traum, Assistant

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-11970994275467906782010-02-15T09:28:00.001-06:002010-02-15T12:49:24.507-06:00

February 11, 2010. A day that usually meant that spring was right around the corner. It was not to be this year as a torrential record setting downpour blanketed the city of Denton with a flawlessly white helping of snow. From the weather reports I saw in the early morning, I was sure that UNT would cancel its classes, especially since Denton ISD had done so just minutes before. But as each sip

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-64259542827974300972010-02-10T14:33:00.000-06:002010-02-10T14:33:34.119-06:00

Lots 3 and 4. A vast and seemingly treeless frontier, these lots make up the two biggest areas to park at Discovery Park. They also require the cheapest parking permit, roughly 27$ for a full year, but like any parking lot, the people who arrive the earliest get the best spots. Now don’t get me wrong, there are no really “bad” spots per say, a token to the civil engineers who designed the layout

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-43744806105505506462010-02-08T10:50:00.000-06:002010-02-08T10:50:16.754-06:00

There are certain traits that must be inherent in order to be considered a legitimate engineer. Yes of course there should exist a keen sense of math skills, as well as an ability to concentrate even when the walls are falling down around you. But there are some criterion for proper identification that tend to go unchecked and need to be reiterated, and the avenue for such reiteration shall be,

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-86268078370359203952010-02-04T09:48:00.000-06:002010-02-04T09:48:22.579-06:00

I could hear my heart almost beating out of my own chest. Something was obstructing the system, which was clear from the high amount of friction. I knew I was short on time, but the fact still remained: what could be stopping my system from achieving its goal? Immediate action was necessary, but how could I solve something when I was unaware of my own abilities? The shrill sound coming from the

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-56527552396405155482010-02-01T09:33:00.000-06:002010-02-01T09:33:16.744-06:00

Who is a fan of Man vs Wild? If you are then you’ve seen the extreme weather conditions that star host Bear Grylls, the youngest man to ever summit Mount Everest, is subjected to on a weekly basis. The modern day MacGyver must keep his body at a survivable temperature even in sub zero environments. Being that he’s a former member of the British Special Forces I’m sure he is familiar with what

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-34483932551003547792010-01-27T09:29:00.003-06:002010-01-28T11:27:29.234-06:00

I would like to take this time to talk about an important event that will take place at Discovery Park very soon. This event particularly interests me because I am an active undergraduate researcher. What I’m talking about is the great ‘Poster Competition’ that will take place February 12th. I know what you’re thinking, “It must have taken hours for them come up with that name!“ and, “Why in the

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-32202571401075178002010-01-21T15:16:00.000-06:002010-01-21T15:16:31.965-06:00

One of the more exciting parts of my day comes fairly early in the morning. No, I’m not referring to my bowl of Kroger brand corn flakes, or my perusing of the weather channel. What I’m talking about is an ingestion of a certain, what I like to call magic elixir…coffee. Mainly because it helps with the shakes I get from caffeine withdrawal. Just kidding, I’m not that dependent on it, but a fresh

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-37614189543336759502010-01-14T15:06:00.001-06:002010-01-21T12:47:50.774-06:00

I like sports…particularly football. GO COWBOYS! We’re gonna destroy the Vikings this weekend!... or so I hope. The Vikings, led by future hall of famer Brett Favre, make for a formidable opponent, but the Cowboys are definitely good enough to beat them. If for some reason we don’t win, it will be time to look ahead to next season. And one thing coaches do at times like this is start to scout

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-20912679001543187502010-01-07T21:50:00.000-06:002010-01-07T21:50:14.142-06:00

I had the pleasure of spending the holidays with my family this year, as I’m sure most did. I personally didn’t have a long Christmas list, really no Christmas list at all. But I did receive one gift that surprised me. It is a gift that took me back to my younger years. A gift that, while simple, encompasses several physical properties that make it so perfect. What I’m talking about is the Slinky

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-24720283306199501532009-12-25T22:56:00.000-06:002009-12-25T22:56:10.618-06:00

Its Christmas Eve folks. Santa’s arrival is inevitable whether or not you have been naughty or nice. Some will get coal, others…a new x-box. I hope to be the latter. I look forward to re-entering my childhood home tomorrow, and have my nostrils engulfed with the smell of warm holiday cookies, my bones heated by a crackling fire, and my eyes greeted by a plethora of presents. An early Christmas

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-19009685837628589112009-12-11T10:51:00.000-06:002009-12-11T10:51:13.958-06:00

What’s up people?! TGIF. ACRONYMS! It’s been a long week, full of last minute projects and homework.  It’s all good though. I’m all for increasing my knowledge of engineering methods. It seems though that dead week has slowly turned into a myth, and now is simply what seems to be another typical week, just on steroids. In light of this psychological pummeling if you will, I would like to take

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-80155393392122153942009-12-10T10:06:00.000-06:002009-12-10T10:06:11.523-06:00

The world of acronyms has become more complex with the recent addition of S.U.P.E.R. (Summer Undergraduate Program in Engineering Research) UNT announced just days ago the birth of the program, which gives undergraduates from around the country the opportunity to conduct research in his or her field of interest. Areas such as data mining, green energy generation, and computer gaming are just

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-23527633829016127782009-12-04T09:44:00.001-06:002009-12-04T10:54:04.254-06:00

The title of my last entry was ‘Engineering is All Around Us’, well it’s still there. I promised last time that I would share some of the engineering marvels I encountered while in the great city of St. Louis, if you haven’t been you should go sometime before you reach the light at the end of the tunnel. After visiting the arch, my cohorts and I continued our journey onto a special place called

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-92217257800849950262009-12-01T15:19:00.000-06:002009-12-01T15:19:37.301-06:00

As I stated in my last entry, I drove to St. Louis for the Thanksgiving holiday. This week I would like to share some of the engineering marvels that I saw. What do you think about when someone mentions the city, St. Louis? For many the answer is the Gateway Arch. Another answer might be the St. Louis Cardinals which is more than acceptable (Go Redbirds!) but for the purposes of this article I

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-26535920289458457812009-11-20T11:41:00.001-06:002009-11-20T12:03:07.851-06:00

George Lucas is probably hiring lawyers right now. At least I hope so. That is of course if he patented his costume design for the Jedi in his Star Wars movies. The reason I say this is because I can’t stop seeing one certain item revealed on just about every other commercial break in a rather humorous infomercial. What I’m talking about is the recently made infamous Snuggie. (see figure 1.1

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-79287876752094965632009-11-18T12:27:00.004-06:002009-11-18T13:55:18.423-06:00

This December freshman in the Mechanical and Energy Engineering Program will compete in the Second Annual Solar Powered Winch and Cart Race. Students are given a maximum of $40 for their Bill of Materials. The price cap is imposed to prevent the kids who have easier access to funds from gaining an advantage. The interesting thing about this project is that students are provided with their own

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-55933345296298634692009-11-16T12:58:00.001-06:002009-11-16T12:58:27.134-06:00

Last week I had the privilege of attending a College of Engineering Advisory Board Luncheon, or C.E.A.B.L. if you’re into acronyms. I was armed with a Nikon 12 Megapixel camera…it’s considered illegal in almost 12 states, due to its x-ray capability. I kind of felt like the donkey being led by the carrot hanging from the stick; the carrot in this case being a fully catered lunch from Carinos,

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-32743107237137454012009-11-09T12:31:00.002-06:002009-11-09T12:34:51.736-06:00

The Mechanical and Energy Engineering program at UNT has just recently added fuel to the fire that is undergraduate research. You might be wondering just what that ‘fuel’ is specifically, but I’m not going to tell you yet. I’m going to make you wait. I can’t give up all the goods right away. First, let me tell you what I do for undergraduate research, and then I’ll tell you what you want to know,

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-54785532183488327162009-10-26T10:59:00.001-05:002009-10-29T06:32:14.445-05:00

“To infinity and beyond!” Ah yes, the famous words spoken by that modern day Pinocchio-like action figure Buzz Lightyear in the recently reincarnated 3D version of Disney’s Toy Story. But the reason I begin with this quote is not to transition with a movie review, but rather to prepare you all to open your minds. One must tap into their imagination to rationally seek an answer to the following

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-39385031974280143462009-10-20T21:40:00.010-05:002009-10-29T06:33:29.785-05:00

Have you ever wanted to paint yourself green and run around screaming at the top of your lungs, gnarling your hands into the shape of eagle claws, while at the same time making what you believe to be the sound that eagles make? Well students were welcome and had the opportunity to act out these insane actions in good company this weekend at UNT’s Homecoming. It was mainly the parade that came

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948180798401386373.post-7632944992948165702009-10-20T21:40:00.006-05:002009-10-23T14:14:37.862-05:00

When you walk through Discovery Park, what are some words that come to mind? Big. Quiet. Kind of Plain. These thoughts are sure to change in the near future thanks to the help of newly appointed Assistant Dean of Students, Lisa Campbell. Mrs. Campbell, who has experience working at schools such as West Virginia University, Montclair State, and Miami University (Ohio), boasts a “new

Mr. Alternativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16490512673801159957noreply@blogger.com