Get Outside! Outdoor Adventure Surrounds You

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Student Spotlights

by Miguel Diaz

Last weekend was really great! On Friday, a good friend who graduated from Embry-Riddle came to visit and we hung out with him for a while. On Saturday, I had my Industrial Hygiene class, and we did our individual topic presentations. After that I was able to finally relax after a long week. But the highlight of the weekend was Sunday, when my friend Alex and I took a few members of the Mountain Club (check out our Facebook page) for a day of rock climbing at a nearby canyon called The Promised Land. The Mountain Club is one of the many student organizations on campus. We are a community of rock climbers and mountain bikers that enjoy one or both of these sports and like connecting with like minded people. As an officer of the club, I love bringing people out on trips and introducing them to the sport of rock climbing. Anyone is welcome regardless of experience or gear ownership. We have taken many beginners and we have plenty of gear that we can loan out to members for use. The only requirement is a sense of adventure!

The canyon is located about 10 miles northeast of Prescott, or directly east of our neighboring town to the north, Chino Valley. There was seven of us going that day. Six students from different majors and even one staff member! Even though the canyon is close in distance, we have to go through some rough dirt roads, so it took us about an hour to get to the climbing area.

We hiked in and started setting up. In rock climbing, each specific path, or line up the rock is called a route, and they vary in difficulty. So we started off by setting up some easy routes up the wall to warm up. Everyone did great and was able to finish them no problem.

We moved on to other routes as everyone was done with the first two. We tried one much harder route that only two of us were able to complete, but the challenge was a lot of fun! We continued on to two others that climbed on some jagged rock leading to a flatter face. Very fun but challenging too! This one seemed particularly enjoyable for most of us, although we were getting a little tired at this point. At this spot I took a picture of one of our members going up the route

And another one of the group as I was descending back down.

After this we moved further down the canyon to do two more routes. One of these routes involved going around a cactus growing out of the wall, and it proved to be quite entertaining to see each other trying to climb up while avoiding it.

At the end, we all had fun throughout the day and everyone enjoyed spending a day outside with beautiful weather in an awesome place with good people. We talked about climbing equipment and gear, about school and classes, joked around with each other, and made plans for future outings. It was a good day and a good weekend for us. And we look forward to more days like these!

Veterans Day Vigil by ROTC!

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Shivam

Veterans Day is a very important day for many students here at Embry-Riddle. Not only does it help students remember sacrifices given by our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines, but it also helps many of the veterans on campus reflect back to their time serving our nation. Embry-Riddle has a large Veterans population on campus and has also been named a Top Military-Friendly University for the fifth straight year.

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The Air Force ROTC Honor Corps of Detachment 028 does something special every year for Veterans Day here in Prescott, Arizona. Honor Corps is comprised of three teams; Rifle Drill Team, Sabre Drill Team, and the Honor Guard. These three teams get together 24 hours before the Veterans Day Parade and stand guard at the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Center in Prescott. Being home to one of the largest VA Centers in the nation, the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs significantly helps the Air Force ROTC community for Vigil. This 24 hour event is called Vigil. The first picture in this blog was taken by me at around 4:00 am. This goes to show the commitment and the courage of the Cadets that volunteer for this self-less event.

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Being an Alumni of the Sabre Drill Team, this year was no different. I started doing this about three years ago, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Starting at 10 am on Monday, November 10th, our Cadets held one hour shifts to guard the flag pole at the VA Center. The flag was guarded non-stop for 24 straight hours by around 30 cadets, taking multiple 4 man shifts. The Vigil ended at 10 am on Tuesday prior to the Prescott Downtown Veterans Day Parade. By doing this, personally, I have learned quite a bit about myself and what it means to be a future officer in the Air Force. When not on a shift, cadets are usually inside a building, with tons of food, either bonding with each other or spending time getting our homework done. At Embry-Riddle one thing is for sure, as our Colonel always says, “Student First, Cadet Second!”

“Mankind was born on Earth, it was never meant to die here.”

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Chelsea

If you haven’t seen Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar yet and have any idea of what’s best for you, get out there and see it! Don’t worry if you haven’t been fortunate enough to see the movie yet, this post is spoiler free. As a student in our Space Physics program, I had a countdown for the release of the movie and saw it twice in the first 48 hours (no shame). What I was really pleased about was how many people with little physics knowledge still appreciated this amazing work of cinematic art. No seriously, my pilot friends were actually really excited about physics afterwards. That never happens. The movie was scientifically solid with the help of Dr. Kip Thorne and definitely not your typical sci-fi film.

So you’re interested in knowing a little bit more about what-the-Hubble went on in that movie huh? We have amazing professors at ERAU that are here to help. With courses like Relativity, Astrophysics, Space Propulsion, and Particle/Cosmology students are able to explore concepts that were so elegantly displayed in this film and much more. Personally, I felt proud and somewhat accomplished for understanding the entirety of the movie and encourage anyone with the slightest interest in space to get educated! Who knows, with all this information, you might be able to make the next greatest sci-fi movie.

If you’re interested in some of the courses available not just for Physics students but for anyone, check it out here!

What has surprised me about ERAU — I Matter to My Faculty

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Vishra

ERAU is a small community, therefore you will be surprised to how fast the faculty and staff learn your name on campus. The professors get to know you within the first week of classes and professor to student ratio on average is 1:18. At Riddle, the professor and the students will know when you miss classes.

At Riddle, a professors’ number one priority is to teach, not research, even though there is plenty of that going on too. The professors put in more effort into preparing their classes and, often, into developing new classes. They even have open door policy along with at least ten office hours per week. All the professors have to grade their own homework, exams and finals, they always read your work and offer detailed comments. In short, I was surprised to see how the professors treated me as an adult and made me feel that I mattered.

It’s true that Embry-Riddle has a lot more men than women. Some may consider it a disadvantage but not me. It took me out of surprise to see how much I am respected by my male peers. Riddle men are incredibly nice and are gentlemen; they bring back etiquette and forgotten gesture! Ladies, you will be surprised at how often the door is being held open for you. I always remember to appreciate the timeless gesture of courtesy they show us.

Between the great faculty and the respect for each other on campus, I’m so glad I chose Embry-Riddle.

Summer Camps Helped Me Choose My Degree

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Student Spotlights

Hi Everyone! I’m a current student at Embry-Riddle that went to two different summer camps before choosing Riddle. The Embry Riddle Summer Program really helped me to decide my future.

It all started in middle school when I decided that I would love to be an aeronautical engineer. When I found out about the Aeronautical Engineering Summer Program I immediately signed up. I wanted to see what being an engineer was really all about.

June came and I arrived at the first day of Aero Camp. That evening I met my first friends who I would hang out with for the rest of the week. I loved camp! I had a blast making Balsa Wood Planes and designing, printing, and testing bridges. I met faculty who teach the real classes because they were the ones teaching me. After camp I could not wait to go to Embry Riddle for real.

The following summer my friends and I decided to go back to camp. We decided on the Spy Camp because one of my friends was planning to join that program the following fall. I was beyond excited to return to Embry Riddle for summer camp.

From day one Spy Camp was awesome. I loved it! We got to learn some of the basic codes used for cryptography and also we got the chance to uncover a spy at an embassy reception! I learned so much about what the program would prepare me to do. Spy Camp was a great introduction to the Global Security Intelligence Studies. By the time the camp ended it had completely changed my mind. I no longer wanted to be an Aeronautical Engineer but rather a security professional and now I’m a student at Embry-Riddle.

You should definitely come to camp at Embry-Riddle!

Sin Cera,
Seraphina

Keeping up With all Your Work

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Adam

For some students it may be easy just to attend class and ace all the exams and for others like myself, this would lead into a down fall with grades. So today I will go into a few personal tips on keeping up with all the course work in order to maintain good grades.

When it comes to engineering courses at Embry-Riddle there is work to do outside of the classroom. Most of the time it will take more then just attending class to pass with good grades. The most significant tool I use to study and keep on track is homework. When you keep up with homework it becomes easier to stay on top of everything. It also helps retain the information for when the exam comes around.

The next step is to be sure you attend class and… pay ATTENTION… it isn’t enough to not skip class but to attention is the key. Sometimes teachers may be less than exciting but the knowledge they hold is essential to the learning process.

The last thing I would say is to take a break when you feel like you need one, even if its barely Tuesday and you’re feeling way too stressed or unfocused to do anything. It’s okay to relax for a bit, in fact, it’s crucial to improving your performance when you’re tired or not focused.

So keep your head in the game and remember why you are doing all this hard work. Stay motivated! Thanks for reading.

Internships

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Cherie

All those applications!!!!

It’s almost that time of year again when internship applications are coming out so preparation of the perfect resume must begin!! Many of our first year students get an internship after their first year at Embry-Riddle so take heed prospective students. There are plenty of opportunities out there for amazing internship experiences. Your resume can also get a good summer job lined up for you so you can still make some cash and get a little professional experience whether or not it is at an internship or at a grocery store.

Embry-Riddle actually has a career services department for students who are preparing their resumes for potential employers. You can get some information on the department here. Please check it out and keep us in mind when you come to choosing your college, Embry-Riddle has so much to offer you in college and beyond. Thanks for reading!!!

The Ragnar Relay

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Adam

Ready to get your race on? I know I am. I am sure everyone has heard of the Tough Mudder by now and if you don’t already know the Ragnar relay race is like it but harder. Be prepared to get pumped!

Ragnar is an overnight running relay race. The Ragnar trail series consists of teams of 8 that complete 120 miles over the course of two days and one night. Yes this means you get to camp out! But camping and running is only half the fun! Not only is this relay race based on a team objective. At the race there will be live music, bonfires, food and it brings together thousands of awesome people each year.

Click on the link to check out the Ragnar page for more information.

https://www.ragnarrelay.com/ragnar

I decided to do the Ragnar trail series in November at McDowell Mountain with a buddy that is in USMC (PLC) Platoon Leaders Class with me. As a student at Embry-Riddle you will meet a lot of great people with some different and some very similar interests. This is a great scenario where you will meet people that will get you excited to reach out and push your limits! Its a great experience! I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities like this. At Embry-Riddle you will find a lot of chances like this arise which is what makes it a great place to attend college.

I will also run with my buddy who is a part of Team RWB (Red White Blue). A Veteran nonprofit organization that helps veterans across the nation in a plethora of ways including coming together and running marathons or exciting events like the Ragnar.

So check it out! Grab a couple friends and hit those trails! I can’t wait to get started next weekend! Ill keep you posted after the run and let you know how it went! Thanks for reading.

Orcad and Pspice Simulations

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Adam

As a student studying Electrical Engineering you will use many different tools to assist you in the learning and application process. So today I will go into one of the AWESOME software tools I use on a daily basis.

One thing that just about all of my professors have told me about using a computer aided design (CAD) is that if you don’t master the software, the software masters you. This may not make sense yet but it will by the time you finish reading this blog.

Although the above picture is not a schematic I have drawn, the Program, ORCAD, allows you to draw a schematic like the one you see above. This is what the interface looks like on your screen.

You need ORCAD to run a simulation with values you set and then will receive data much faster then actually setting up a circuit with discrete components. So before I enter the Electronic Devices lab every Thursday I draw a schematic similar to the one above. I set all the values of Resistors, Capacitors and Sources to receive the data I want. With this data, I have a reference point for the values I should receive when I design the Circuit with discrete components like the one below.

The software is a great tool to master and utilize! I highly suggest buying a text on the software and reading it as you learn to master it. It can be tricky! If you really want a jump start you can check out the link below, if you are a student you may download the free lite version of ORCAD with pspice simulations.

http://www.orcad.com/

Again this ORCAD is just one of many great tools you will learn to use at Embry-Riddle. Thanks for reading.

Open House!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Shivam

On Saturday, October 18th, Embry-Riddle hosted its annual Open House. Being a current student and student employee of ERAU Admissions, I was beyond ecstatic to see the turnout and talk to future Embry-Riddle students. Over 225 students plus their families were on campus that day! The Riddle experience offered was incredible, students were not only able to meet with faculty and staff, but they were also able to meet with current students, such as myself. This day started bright and early at 8:30am, and from then on students were able to socialize with other future classmates and learn more about the University. My favorite part of the day was being in charge of the Campus and Flight Line Tours.

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As a Senior Tour Guide, I managed various other student employees, and also had to make sure that all the tours went out at the correct times. I had many people approach me to ask me not only about the campus but also about student life, here at ERAU. I absolutely loved my job because not only was I able to share my experience, but it felt good knowing that my opinion was going to positively impact someone else’s life. As the day came to a close around 3:00pm, it felt good knowing that I did my job to the best of my ability, and that I helped many future students decide on attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I hope to see all of them in the near future!

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