Great Opportunity – the NASA Intern Program

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Cherie

Hey everybody I just got back from an awesome NASA Symposium in Tucson where my research partner and I presented on the topic we have been investigated this past year. The conference was a lot of fun and it was cool to see tons of other projects that interns from all over the state have been working on.

My Research Partner and I at the Symposium

Our research looked into annular wings and devices which can be used to control the aerodynamic forces acting on them. The experience working with NASA’s intern program was super cool and I highly recommend that any ERAU student interested in doing research to get involved with the program. Here’s where you can find out more.

After the symposium ended we got to check out one of the largest mineral collections in the world which was housed on ASU’s campus. The exhibit is incredible and it was so interesting to see so many rare specimens.

We then headed off to the Pima Air Museum and checked out the hundreds of aircraft stored there. It was breath taking to see so many aircraft all in one place, all perfectly restored to their original condition.

If you ever have a chance to stop in Tuscon there are tons of awesome things to see and do. The best time to check them out is at a research symposium so get involved here during your time at Embry-Riddle. If you have any questions about our research on annular wings or on the fun stuff we were able to see and do please feel free to ask!

AFROTC – Answers to Your Questions

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Cherie

Hey there everyone per request I am dedicating this post to answering some important questions about AFROTC at Embry-Riddle Prescott!

This is a major question: How do I join ROTC?

There are a few ways to join. You can apply for a scholarship at the AFROTC website and if you get the scholarship you will bring that here to Embry-Riddle OR you can simply sign up! I recommend signing up with the detachment well before you arrive on campus. However, if you are not sure about it until the last minute or even part way through a semester you can probably still join.
When you join I highly encourage you to attend “zero week” it starts a few days before the “normal” students arrive on campus. Being at “zero week” allows you to get an edge on all the other cadets as you receive uniforms, basic training on marching/customs/courtesies, and you can get all your in processing paper work done. It saves you a lot of time and stress later.

2. Is everyone who joins guaranteed a scholarship?

Unfortunately, no. If you do not come in with a scholarship you compete against your classmates to receive one. So keep in mind that you must perform well during your first semester, this includes keeping your GPA up! With that said Detachment 028 is well known for getting tons of scholarships and awards so this is definitely the best detachment to join!

3. How should I prepare?

The best way to prepare is to exercise!!!!!!!!!!! We take a physical fitness assessment known as the PFA. It consists of a 1.5 mi run 1 minute of pushups and 1 minute of situps. If you can’t pass a PFA you can’t stay in the Detachment so please come prepared! We want to help you succeed as a cadet and fitness is the one factor that you have ABSOLUTE control of.
If you can join a JROTC unit to prepare then you will already have a basic knowledge of AF drill, customs, and courtesies. If not, don’t worry about it. We will teach you when you arrive 🙂

If you have additional questions please feel free to ask them below or give us a call at 928-777-6600 you will directed to the AFROTC office where you can get all the info you need!!!! Thanks for reading!

One Month Left!

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Cherie

Classes are finished on April 29th and as it stands we are a month away from Summer break!!! We are all really excited to be finishing up this semester but, I wanted to give y’all a brief update on what I’ve been doing this past few months.

The major project I’ve been working on this semester is the Detail Design of the aircraft that my team conceptualized last semester. The detail work began with building a 1/48 scale model of the full size aircraft and testing it in the closed circuit wind tunnel in the Tracy Dorlyand Wind Tunnel Lab. Testing was not only super fun but, informative too. We tested parametric variations of the model to determine the maximum and minimum aerodynamic loads it would receive. Our test results came out just as we had expected and we are happily feeding them back into the design right now to see what improvements to the original design we can make.

The 3D Printers used for making our model parts!

Once we finish that we will be working on our final presentation which will take place on April 29! If you are visiting the University on that day make sure to have a look at all the interesting Senior Capstone Presentations. If you are looking into engineering you may be working on a similar project in the future 🙂

Other than that I have just been doing regular school work, AFROTC, Space Grant Research, and volunteering. It has been a fun, crazy, and somewhat relaxed semester all at the same time. If you have any questions about what the average day in the life of a senior at ERAU is like feel free to ask! Thanks for reading everyone!

Explore Sedona – The Weekend Getaway

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Colton

Sedona, one of the most iconic cities in Arizona, lies just 1.5 hours north of Prescott. With it’s towering red rock formations, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and bustling village Sedona is the perfect weekend getaway or day trip for Embry Riddle students. Check out the video below as Colton show’s off some of Sedona’s beauty!

https://youtu.be/NXgFORv2w7U

Buying a Car as a College Student

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Cherie

If you are one of those poor college kids suddenly faced with the need to purchase a car then here are some really good questions to ask yourself:

How long do you need the car?
How will you pay for the car?
What type of car suits your needs?
Will you buy new or used?
What type of insurance will you need?
Vehicle Registration on Campus ($80)

These are the most important aspects that you need to think about before you make such a big decision. Before you even start looking for cars you need to have a plan so, figure out your finances before you start looking and find an insurance company that will work well for you.

Another factor to consider is finding a car you need not one you want. When you graduate and get a real job you will have to start paying off student loans so don’t get a ridiculous sports car that will drain your finances. If you can’t pay off your car and you can’t pay off your student loans you will wind up in big trouble. Be smart, get an affordable and reliable car which will allow you to travel with your belongings if need be.

Don’t forget that when you bring your new car on campus you have to register it with the Campus Safety Office. The fee is $80 and the parking permit is valid for a full calendar year. For more info on how to accomplish registering your vehicle check out the Safety website.

This applies to our incoming students as well, you are adults now so embrace the chance to make your first big decision. This decision should be one that makes you proud 🙂 Good luck everyone, hope the advice helped, and thanks for reading!!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Cherie

It’s the time of year again that we all anticipate or dread: Valentine’s Day! The only holiday that exists to celebrate the simplest human emotion and the relationships that bind humanity together whether it be as friends or significant others. No matter what you do this Valentine’s Day just remember to have fun! The day isn’t made for single people to mope and complain but to celebrate the friends that they have. So if you are in the single group get over it and go have some fun!!

For those people who aren’t single enjoy the company of your significant other or partner. You don’t necessarily have to go out and do something elaborate you can still have fun just watching a movie or doing something else you enjoy together.

As college students, a lot of dating happens on campus and sometimes people are lucky enough to find their life partner here at Embry-Riddle. For example, I recently heard of a couple who met day one of orientation their freshman year and became instant friends. They are still together as seniors! Sometimes you just know when you find the right person and hopefully all of our readers already have or will soon! Maybe some of our incoming freshman will be that lucky, you never know unless you take the chance.

Whether we all find that person or not, just remember that Valentine’s Day is for everyone, so no moping!!!! Thanks for reading everyone, enjoy all the candy and fun with friends 🙂

Engineering Detail Design Course – Hard Work and Very Rewarding

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Cherie

A major part of your student career at Embry-Riddle is the capstone course. For engineers the capstone course is comprised of two semesters/courses known as Preliminary and Detail Design. As a student in my freshman year I knew nothing about these two courses and towards the end of my junior year I began hearing quite abit about them. I wish I had known what the two courses entailed much earlier as I would have definitely restructured my game plan as far as fundamental courses go.

Team Daedalus on the last day of the Preliminary Design Course

The Preliminary Design course essentially forces you to use all of the resources you have learned in the past three years at college. You will work crazy hours, get frustrated but you will fall in love with what you are doing. The course teaches you how to be a leader and a member of a team, how to face problems and fix them, but, most important it teaches pride in your work. At the end of the semester you should have an outstanding product and an increased knowledge of professional engineering.

When you move into the Detail Design course you are verifying the information that you presented at the conclusion of the Preliminary Design semester. There are many options to verify assertions. The primary one is wind tunnel testing but, often students choose to fabricate a working prototype of their concept in order to prove that it works. No matter what your team chooses to do the process is extremely rewarding as you get to see how your intuition created a viable product.

I would highly recommend that every student entering these courses attempts to be a program manager or design team lead. As a PM or DTL you are the face of the team, responsible for the schedule, budget, and work produced by the team. I have been a PM for the last two semesters and although it has been very hard it has been extremely rewarding. For those ladies out there, don’t be intimidated, you are just as qualified to lead a team as any other member in your class. In my section of Preliminary and Detail Design I am the only female and I am one of two Program Managers. As long as you are a good manager you will do well but, don’t worry mistakes happen. No one is born a perfect manager and it takes alot of mistakes to figure out your management style. Just hang in there, do good work, take care of your people, and admit when you make a mistake. That’s really all it takes 🙂

I hope this information is helpful to our incoming students as well as our up and coming leaders in the Capstone courses! Thanks for reading!

All Wrapped up for the Fall Semester!

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Cherie

It’s official, the semester is finally over and our new graduates are on their way!! (check out our photos)

As everyone heads home for the holidays its a wonderful time of year here in Prescott, AZ and I’m sure we are all ready for a break. However, most students must travel quite a ways to get home so, in order to expedite the trip home and ensure that you do so safely, here are some travel tips!

Get plenty of rest the night before you leave town, especially if you are driving!
If you are driving DO NOT drive more than 6 hours without taking a break. Also remain vigilant as other drivers may not be as good of a driver as you and could cause an accident.
For our flyers, take lots of vitamin C so you don’t catch a cold on those crowded planes.
If you have a place off campus be sure to turn down your heat to 55-60 F, turn off all the lights, close all windows and doors, etc. before you leave.

Brief but, useful tips! I hope that everyone has safe travels back home this year and hopefully we will see our returning students again soon. Thanks for reading everyone!!

A Photographic Journey Through the Beauty of Prescott, Arizona

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Colton

In the following blog, Colton takes you on a visual journey through some of Prescott’s most iconic scenery. You can click on the image to view a larger version.

First we start off with Thumb Butte, one of the highest points in Prescott.

Thumb Butte and the surrounding area looks just as stunning in the Winter

Next, we take a look at the lakes near to Embry-Riddle campus (Watson and Willow Lake).

My friends and I often take our multirotors out to the lake for some aerial photos and video.

This is the back of Watson Lake dam

One of my favorite spots in Prescott is Spruce Mountain Lookout. From the top of the mountain you are rewarded with a beautiful view of Prescott below.

Another hidden gym is Prescott’s Lynx Creek system. In winter/spring the creek flows with snowmelt and produces gorgeous scenery.

Our final destination is Prescott’s Downtown Courthouse square. The square presents beautiful colors in the fall as well as spring, and in the winter the entire courthouse and surroundings are covered with Christmas lights. For more info on that see this blog -> https://riddlenationaz.erau.edu/tag/lights/