Memo Reflection
Memo Reflection
For this specific piece, the Memo for Dr. Vincent Boudreau, I was able to learn a lot of things that I did not actually know before. The purpose of the memo was to pick an issue in the CCNY campus and address it to the president of CCNY, Dr Vincent Boudreau, so it can be corrected — hopefully. The format was that we have a heading so people know who it is written by and who it is for as well as any other important information such as the issue. After that, my first paragraph was a summary including the thesis and mi was trying to get across which wasn’t too hard because I saw it as a form of introduction. Next I had to elaborate on the issue going on, explain how it is in fact an issue that affects us all and should be corrected. Next was a paragraph explaining some recommendations on how the issue can be corrected. And finally, the last paragraph was short but I took it as a form of conclusion in which I restated the issue and also hoped to schedule an appointment with him so we could speak on the matter. The issue I spoke on was the food in the cafeteria and how it can be improved because food is a necessary part of a person’s life especially a college student in NYC. When speaking on how to resolve the issue I suggested bringing in large food chains. I felt that larger food chains are better at things relating to food since that’s what they work with. Not only that but they’re more used to working in fast paced environments. Additionally, for a company such as McDonalds or Wendy’s, with such a wide range of options to pick from in their menu, there is bound to be food that can be eaten by any individual, from breakfast choices to any choice of burger. I also felt that these large chains can make it affordable for the average student. For example, at Wendy’s there is a 4 for 4 combo with a burger, chicken nuggets fries and a drink of your choice cuz just 4 dollars. Similarly, McDonalds offers a dollar menu in which certain items can be bought for as little as a dollar, 1.09$ with taxes. This memo in general was very different from what I’m normally used to because I’ve never really written a memo. Before college all I’ve ever written are argumentative essays over and over and over and over again so this format of writing where it’s address to a specific individual that can actually be applied more easily to the real world was very exciting to write. The most interesting. I personally find it a struggle when you’re hungry but all the popular/affordable places are a walk from campus. I thought it’d be great to have everything right there. Some other points I’d like to bring up while we’re on the topic or reflecting is that I wrote it based on my experience going to the cafeteria last semester. I went to it a few days ago and was surprised to see that it’s doing a lot better. They have a section for empanadas and Spanish food, the smoothie section moved, and now they have a pizza section which is one of the things I was going to bring up in my memo. You can’t possibly be a school in New York, representing New York, having New York in your name, without pizza. As a New Yorker pizza is something that defines New York; it’s dollar slices found all over the city have greatly shaped our society and I really felt like pizza was an important meal that should be included in our school cafeteria. Unfortunately it was not there last year but thankfully they have it there although I haven’t tried it, it certainly felt nice seeing it and I honestly can’t wait to try it out.
Letter of Introduction
William Vasconcelos Peralta
927 Dekalb Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221
(347) 742-1754
28th January 2020
Elisabeth von Uhl
Professor, The City College of New York
1160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
Dear Professor von Uhl,
Hello Professor von Uhl, I was reaching out to you due to the fact that I find it to be crucial for you to have a background idea of the students in your class. As a result I will be taking this time in order to briefly talk a little bit about myself so you could have a better idea of who I am and why I am in your class this Spring 2020 semester.
In order to get to know me better one must understand where my love for engineering came from and that can be answered with one word, Legos. They served as the building blocks for many of the sets I have completed but also as the building blocks for my desire to pursue engineering as a whole. Being able to add and take apart blocks in order to make a piece I was satisfied with made me think about the importance of every piece and how they all come together to make a final product which I could be satisfied with. With this train of thought in mind, I have decided that I will major in engineering, although I am currently going through a dilemma for I don’t know which engineering in particular to go into. At the moment I am stuck between both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering because I find both careers to be very interesting and applicable to real world events thus my inability to pick one or the other. When it comes to mechanical engineering I feel that it can be applied over any field, however, when it comes to electrical engineering during my senior year of high school, I worked a lot with electricity and it helped me overcome my fear of electricity. As a result, the idea of continuing to face my past fear has led me to want to work around electricity thus me picking electrical engineering. I firmly hope that through the following semesters when time comes to declare my major I will have decided upon which I will pursue.
The field of engineering plays a pivotal role in our modern society. Engineering allows for the creation of many of the things around us, from the pencils we use to write or the computers we use to type, engineering can be found all over us. It is one of those fields that will always be there since ideas and new creations are endless. I believe that when new problems give rise in our society, engineers will tackle many of these problems head on by coming together and thinking of new inventions to eliminate or decrease the amount of problems that occur. One of the goals I have after getting my degree no matter which one it is is to be able to create new things that could change the way we live. Ideas such as using the principles behind step up transformers, motors and generators to create a continuous power source. Other objectives I have set out for myself is to be able to build my own house and make it very energy efficient with some of my inventions incorporated in its structure to facilitate my family’s quality of life and then expand upon that.
Sincerely,
William Vasconcelos Peralta
Group Project: Energy Cycle
The Energy Cycle
By: William, Rodaina, Lee, Jonathan
Summary: This new invention is one that will be focused on saving costs and creating a source of energy for the user. This device uses something we call the Energy Cycle to make the electricity for personal use with little to no effort at all. This invention consisting of a generator, modified bicycle or treadmill, and motor, will take up the same size as a twin-sized bed and will help save money in the long-term. Although this idea is more complex than at face value, the benefits of generating one’s own energy for whatever person will not only help the wallet, but the person using it as well. Since the user will need to do some physical exercise on the equipment, it promotes a healthy lifestyle as well but if they don’t feel like doing anything, the device will continue to make power for a set time. While it may seem pricey at first with the whole set up costing around $2000 and possibly more for installation, it will pay itself off within 1-2 years.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The quarantine has many of us staying at our homes due to many jobs closing, as well as the whole world in itself being shut down to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. While many of us have weeks, maybe even months staying indoors, there is no doubt that many of us have turned to an unhealthy lifestyle. Thankfully rules are in place as that in which we can’t get evicted if we don’t pay rent. It sounds great and all but being realistic, it only means that when its all over we are going to have a lot of money to pay. And trying to kill 2 birds with one stone is where we came up with this innovation. What about, being able to get back in shape as well as being able to help decrease the overall cost of those bills. This leads to our invention using an idea we call the Energy Cycle. This is a set up consisting of a generator and bike or treadmill and doing exercise to produce energy. In this Quarantine, the amount of free time available has skyrocketed and what better way to use it than to save money and generate free power. This is not a replacement for regular usage in electricity but rather serves as a way to have free energy on the side. It can be used for anything such as powering small daily appliances like coffee makers, blenders, or charging one’s phone. In addition, it serves as a source of power in case of an emergency, and power is cut off or severely limited.
Innovation Process:
Labor:
The process to install this invention varies depending on how many people are working on it. It can take a single day to assemble or an entire week to assemble. The minimum amount of people needed is 1 but this person will be to experience as an electrician and construction worker. This is because there is an electrical element where they will need to connect the bike into the generator, to then a battery, and finally anywhere they want. In the next field, this single person will need to be proficient in construction and how to follow regulations. This is because they need to make sure the area can support a generator and make sure no laws are being broken. But if a team of around 3 – 6 people are present then this will be reduced to a day or couple days as now there are multiple people working on multiple components.
Components:
Total Cost: Approx. $2170
Electric Motor – $100: a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy
Electric Generator – $2000: a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, in this case, power would be acquired through the motion of exercising
Wiring – $10: strand(s) of metal that can allow the flow of current from one end to the other
Step-Up Transformer – $50: a component that induces voltage from the primary coil to the secondary coil. Through induction, the voltage is increased in the secondary coil
Load – N/A: a part of a circuit that consumes electrical powerCapacitor/Battery – $10: the component responsible for storing excess energy when a mechanical force applied is insufficient or when more energy is required
Technical Description
The Spark that Ignited the Flame
By: William Vasconcelos
Origins:
Why the Plug?
As was previously mentioned, the spark plug was utilized to ignite the fuel and air mixture inside of a combustion chamber of an engine. However, prior to the plug, it was expressed by (Keegan, 2019, para. 2), that manufacturers would rely on alternative methods to create ignition such as a battery. Unfortunately, the use of batteries proved to be far too dangerous since it would cause fires, and also depleted the battery way too fast. This caused too much concern for how to conserve more power from the battery as well as make the system much safer, which led to the creation of the spark plug.
Types of Spark Plugs:
Spark plugs have been modified and improved since its creation. Currently, there are up to 5 different types of spark plugs which include copper, nickel, platinum, double platinum, iridium, and silver. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages which make them suitable for the task which they are constructed for. Additionally, despite the main metal utilized, the structure and way in which the plug was constructed, there are other components that will be taken into consideration such as: heat range, shell design, wide gap designation and a few others. However, these will be discussed later on in more depth.
Copper/Nickel Spark Plugs
According to Zahl, T. (2014) , author of “Understanding the Different Types of Spark Plugs”, expresses how there are different types of spark plugs, the copper/nickel being the common/standard ones.
Single Platinum Spark Plugs
Single Platinum Spark Plug is the name given to it because the center electrode is made out of platinum. Although the cost compared to the “standard” spark plug is much higher due to platinum being a much more rare element it does have its advantages. These advantages include: double the lifespan, higher the resistance to carbon build-up and can be operated.
Double Platinum Spark Plugs
As was mentioned previously, the single platinum spark plugs are those with the center electrode made out of platinum. Similarly, a double platinum spark plug has both the center electrode and the ground made out of platinum. Its benefits are that it is much better than a single platinum spark plug in that it’s able to perform better and last longer. Another benefit of double platinum spark plugs are that they work very well with “wasted ignition” systems – a system in which 2 spark plugs are attached to one coil and will fire simultaneously. On the downside, it is much more costly as platinum is not very abundant in nature.
Iridium Spark Plugs
Iridium-tipped spark plugs compared to the standard plug offer better power, as well as more complete combustion that leads to smooth operating engines, and a longer lifespan. When it comes to cost, iridium spark plugs are the most expensive because of their “fine wire” centers which aim to conduct electrical energy more effectively.
Silver Spark Plugs
Last but not least, there is the silver spark plug which has the best thermal conductivity which helps in preventing them from getting damaged due to high temperatures. This type is usually found in older European vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
Spark Plug Nomenclature:
Although a spark plug is such a small component, in order to perform its task, its intricate design contributes to its overall performance.
Some of the different parts of the spark plug are the: ground electrode, center electrode, threat, gasket, glass resistor, insulator, seals, ribs, and terminal nut. Each one of these parts performs a certain task that helps the plug be most efficient. The parts and their purposes are as follows:
Ground/Center Electrode: Metallic components that create a gap in which a high voltage from the center electrode jumps to the ground electrode thus creating a spark (both electrodes can be made up of different materials)
Thread: grooves on the body of the spark plug used to attach the spark plug to another surface
Gasket: A component placed between two different surfaces to allow for a tight seal to be created between them
Glass Resistor: a resistor that helps remove excess electrical voltage as it flows through the center electrode inside a spark plug
Insulator: a component used to dissipate heat and depending on its design it can help prevent flashover
Seals: A component similar to a gasket, in which it allows for a tight seal between two different components and prevents anything from passing between them
Ribs: Rib-shaped design on spark plug that depending on its length will determine how good the electrical insulation is. Not only that but, it can prevent electrical energy from leaking along the side of the spark plug.
Terminal Nut: Part responsible for conducting voltage to the center electrode and is attached to the high tension cable
Spark Plug Identification:
Despite its various parts as well as the different materials which it could be made out of, spark plugs also have specific codes which help determine other traits. These traits include: resistor, shell design, heat range, gap dimension and firing end design.
Resistor: The “R” present represents that the spark plug is a resistor type where all it does is reduce radio frequency interference (RFI).
Shell Design: refers to the design of the body, such as the threads and length of ribs
Heat Range: is referring to the amount of heat that the plug can withstand; the higher the number, the higher the amount of heat it can withstand
Gap Dimension: this is simply the distance of the gap between the center and ground electrodes
Firing End Design: this information shows the material which the ground and center electrodes are made out of
Coming as One:
The spark plug works by receiving voltage which enters through the terminal nut. From there the voltage is transferred to the center electrode. As it travels through the center electrode, the voltage jumps the gap between the center electrode and the ground electrode thus creating a spark. This spark then ignited the fuel and air mixture inside of the combustion chamber of the engine. That is the spark plugs main purpose, as well as be able to dissipate heat from the inside of the chamber.
Sources Cited:
History of Spark Plugs
Types of Plugs
https://www.carid.com/articles/types-of-spark-plugs.html
Silver Plug Image
Wasted Ignition
http://crypton.co.za/Tto%20know/Ignition/wasted%20sp.html
Nomenclature Image
Nomenclature Definitions
https://www.mechanicalbooster.com/2017/05/spark-plug.html
Spark Plug Identification
https://www.championautoparts.com/Technical/Tech-Tips/decoding-champion-spark-plugs.html
How it Works?
Memo to Dr. Boudreau
To: Dr. Vincent Boudreau
From: William Vasconcelos Peralta
Subject: CCNY Cafeteria Recommendations
Date: February 3rd, 2020
The purpose of this memo is to aid the students at CCNY by providing them with more accessible meals on campus. I strongly believe that by improving the food available to our students we could foster a more welcoming learning environment as well as increase student productivity. In doing so, we could add on to the principles upon which CCNY stands for which is to provide an affordable education to the common public.
Summary
Food plays a vital role in the life of every human and its importance is no different in the life of college students. As a college student myself, not having food throughout the long college day can make staying up and focusing quite a hassle. Therefore, having a cafeteria that provides food to fuel a students’ energy throughout the day is in the best interest for the school for its benefits.
Discussion
A vast majority of the students at CCNY have experienced what the workforce has to offer. While some are currently working full time, others part-time, and others in internships, eating has become a commodity that is taken for granted. Whether that means that some students might not have enough money because of New York’s high cost of living or the lack of time that they may have due to balancing school work as well as their lives outside of school and work. These students do not have the simple luxury of being able to walk out of campus to get some of the well known, popular, affordable foods eaten nowadays such as McDonalds Dollar Menu, or Wendy’s 4 for 4 deal. These deals not only allow students to get a full meal for an affordable price, but is already prepared, the food just needs to be packed. This allows for fast and efficient serving of food. Additionally, not only will you be feeding our hardworking students to help satisfy their basic needs but you will be encouraging and supporting a better learning environment. Students will no longer have to worry about where they will have their next meal, or what would it be, since they could do it from the comfort of their own campus.
Recommendation
Perhaps we could come to an agreement to allow major food giants into our campus as well as incorporate their services in the cafeteria of our school. I’d like to be about to get the chance to speak to you in person to further discuss the issue.
E-mail Response to Customer
Engineering Pool Club
125 Broadway Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11308
Saturday February 1, 2020
Ms. Bautista
937 Myrtle Avenue
Brooklyn 11208
Subject: Swimming Club private policy on items lost on club property.
Dear Ms. Bautista:
We are deeply sorry for the loss of your contact lenses and we would love to be able to help. We understand that losing any item can be a burden, especially if it is something as expensive as 75$ and is used daily. However, it is our deepest regrets to inform you that we are unable to pay for the cost of the missing contact lenses.
As stated in our, “Engineering Pool Club Membership Rules”, under Rule 3 it explicitly states that, “ The Club is not responsible for any lost or stolen items on Club property such as the parking lot, the pool or anywhere in the main building. As a result, a locker is provided to each member to safeguard their personal belongings.” Therefore we apologize for the inconvenience but we will not be able to supply you with the 75$ you requested.
However, our maintenance team cleans the pool every 2 days and place any missing items in our lost and found located behind the receptionist. We will be looking for your contact lenses there but we would also like to encourage you to pass by the lost and found on your next visit.
Sincerest apologies,
William Vasconcelos
William Vasconcelos
Manager
Lab Report Analysis
Lab reports are used to accurately depict data gathered from research conducted. Although identifying the nomenclature of these lab reports may be difficult, one can analyze them carefully to have a better understanding of what the main points in a report are. The three lab reports looked at were: Traditional Indian fermented foods: a rich source of lactic acid bacteria by the Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry-605014, India, A Look Inside Autodesk Labs, where technologies are put through their paces by Karen Moltenbrey, and Computer Analysis of Influence of Moisture Content of the Fine-Silty Sand for the File CEP Applied for Oceanographic Engineering under Vertical Tensile by Jilin Jianzhu University. Despite these lab reports having many differences; upon closer examination, these reports actually have many similarities as well.
Upon analyzing the first report, the Jilin Jianzhu University report shows an image of a research foundation which they worked with/for when working on the report. Additionally it is organized in such a matter where things aren’t messy but everything is neat and distinguishable. Right after the abstract – a form of summary that introduces the issue, how that issue is going to be explored in order to find the best solution for the issue or just gather more information about it
– , they provided us with “Additional Index Terms” which are very helpful to have a better insight of terms to know that will play a pivotal role in understanding the issue at hand. In addition to the abstract, there is also a title which helps in the way in which the author(s) help assert credibility and helps engage others in the reading. At first glance you can see right away that the piece has subtitles which helps further organize the information into sections. Not only that but there are a lot of pictures and diagrams which seem quite complex. However, upon taking a closer look at these pictures and diagrams we could see that they are actually being well explained within the report. Each diagram and picture is labeled as a figure and are briefly explained under each illustration which helps better understand the context. After all the research is done, it is followed by the conclusion which is simply a short explanation of the findings after the tests had been completed. Interesting enough however, the piece does not end there since Acknowledgments and Cited Sources are also included in the piece which really helps show that this piece is in fact reliable and it humbles up the piece which I personally like very much.
In the second report about the AutoDesk labs, it had a cover which was different from the other 2, however this cover seems to be poorly executed. It may be more of a personal thing but I believe the color scheme and the image used takes away from the sense of professionalism in the piece. Other than that, on the first page it is just straight to the point by explaining the purpose behind AutoDesks and what they really are. One of the highlights of this report is the subtitles since they are posed as questions. This came to be very helpful because some of the subtitles where questions I myself had, so seeing them there felt as if the writer knew what was going on in my head which made me feel more in touch with the piece. In comparison to the previous one this one didn’t have a citation so its credibility is debatable. I honestly was not the biggest fan of this lab report because I felt it was missing a lot of components that add to it’s professionalism, since it seemed like a magazine more than a report. On the bright side, the images were very entertaining and gave a nice technical illustration of the parts.
Finally when it comes to the last report from the Pondicherry University, at a first look it looks very professional, very credible, and it gives a very welcoming atmosphere to the reader. As all other reports, this one had an “abstract” with keywords right below it which is very good in providing clearer and more concise information. The length of this lab is 10+ pages which gives the impression that a lot of hard work and time went into this piece. Not only that, but within those pages there are diagrams. These diagrams are very well done because not only do they have a title to explain what the figures are about but also include references as to where the information on the charts came from. One must also take note that in this lab report there were not only subsections but also sub subsections that dwell deeper into the topic. While skimming through it, I also noticed that there were a lot of words that were very scientific and hard to pronounce but they were italicized which I don’t know exactly what italics do but it really helped to say “hey, this isn’t something you should know how to pronounce”. Similar to the first one they also have an “Acknowledgment” section as well as a “Work Cited Section”. In terms of vocabulary it’s very advanced, but not too advanced to where it sounds like a dictionary. Overall, it was a pretty good lab report, if I were to say anything it would include more color but then again that is just a personal thing.
What I have noticed is that lab reports usually include the same information although it may be structured differently. Firstly, they all have an abstract to serve as a summary/introduction of what the lab report will consist of. Not only that but a nice and clear title and if possible any outside groups you may have worked with to complete the task. This helps add to the aesthetics of the piece, helps add to its credibility and makes the paper actually seem more interesting to read. Subtitles would also be greatly necessary to include in order to separate different sections. Other key things I saw that are needed are an “Acknowledgement” and “Work Cited” Section. Other more minor points that could strengthen the paper however would definitely have to be the use of higher vocabulary, as well as the use of color to make it more interesting. As can be seen many of these lab reports, despite being about different topics and having many differences between them; many of them have a lot of similarities.
REFERENCE:
- Satish Kumar, R., et al, (2013), Traditional Indian fermented foods: a rich source of lactic acid bacteria, by the Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry-605014, India
- Moltenbrey, K., (2010), A Look Inside Autodesk Labs, where technologies are put through their paces, Trends and Technologies
- Qian, Y., (2019), Computer Analysis of Influence of Moisture Content of the Fine-Silty Sand for the File CEP Applied for Oceanographic Engineering under Vertical Tensile, Jilin Jianzhu University
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