The 3 Characteristics of Colin

My name is Colin Taylor-McGrane, I currently am a senior at Science Leadership Academy and a student of the CTE Engineering Program. I hope to continue my pursuit of Engineering into college and throughout the rest of my adult life. I believe that there are three core personal attributes that make me a strong engineer. My analytical approach to solving real world problems, my knowledgeability about the issues I face, and my outspoken nature when communicating my ideas.

I believe that being analytical is the key to solving problems in all fields. In engineering, it is of particular importance. When I am first given a problem, I have a natural inclination to understand every detail about that problem. I feel that this allows me to come up with more possible solutions and not overlook major issues that I may face. Additionally, failure is inevitable in engineering, however, I always try to be thorough in my analysis of my failures in order to correct them.

However, analysis is always improved by background knowledge of the issue you are faced with. From a young age, I have always actively sought out knowledge. They say that knowledge is power and I most certainly agree. My large background knowledge has helped improve my deductive reasoning, helped me relate essential ideas. Additionally, I have a very strong memory. I can remember facts, lists of items, and moments in time very well, because of this, I have been able to retain newly acquired knowledge for much longer.

I also feel that I tend to think outside of the box when coming up with solutions to problems. I often have ideas and opinions that differ from those of my colleagues, and I am not the least bit shy when communicating them. Even under intense pressure and criticism, I am always willing to express my thoughts, and I feel that doing so is essential in group settings. It is important that all ideas be taken into account when deciding how to tackle a problem, and when I feel like I have a good one, I make sure that it is heard.

Because of these three traits, I feel that I can effectively tackle the issues faced by engineers. When I am faced with a problem, I immediately relate my previous knowledge to that issue. I then try to understand as much as possible about that issue before attempting to solve it. Once I come up with ideas, I advocate hard for them, even if they do not have much support from my peers. But, when they inevitably fail, I can always figure out why and fix the final result to fit my goal. That is why I believe I am a strong engineer.