bhadra1 Sraddhanjoli Bhadra Professor Jessica Jacobs RHET 1311 November 21, 2013 Disciplinary Report Reflection Letter

Having had three years of studies in Electronics and Computer Engineering, I was certain I knew the field and I am not about to change my direction. What I lacked knowledge in was what would be job functions after graduation, what would a graduating senior say about future plan, and what are research activities in this field should I decide to pursue graduate studies. I found the answers to these lingering questions through this research paper. It has been a positive learning experience for me. While working on the profile, I learned how to draft an email asking for an appointment to interview a professor, student, and a professional. I have learned about the key points while formatting an email: subject line, opening salutation, body paragraphs, closing salutation, and professional signature. I had never conducted a formal interview with any professional before and discussing the interview questions in class was a great help for me while conducting the interview. Before each interview, I was clear in my mind about the basic questions and their sequence that I need to ask the interviewee. It was nerve wrecking at the beginning, but the mannerism of the interviewees calmed my nerves and I actually enjoyed the experience. My first interview was with Dr. Patangia. He is a professor in ECET and also the coordinator of the program. He is a very down to earth person with a vibrant and positive personality. He is well known for his research work which has brought pride and honor to the university. He believes in energy independence at individual level, and for this, solar is the natural source because its nondiscriminatory and available in abundance at no cost. With the help of an NSF Grant, he introduced a new lecture as well as a laboratory course for all students in the College in PV (Photovoltaic) Engineering. Because of the grant and his perseverance, we have solar panels at the top of the ETAS 1

bhadra2 building and he is educating high school students through summer outreach programs on the benefits of renewable energy. His focus on the enjoyment of what you do rather than the pursuit of a career for material gain made an impression on me. My second interview was with a graduating student Jon Levesque who is a senior of ECET and also my classmate in few of the courses. Although I have known Jon over a year, apart from academics, we never talked to each other about anything else. By interviewing him, I came to know more closely about his personality and also understood the reasons behind him being one of the favorite students of the professors. He is focused, hard-working, and set in his goal. He is one student who finishes all his lab assignments and projects before the due time. I am hoping to follow his time management skills. And lastly I interviewed Geoffery Lueken who is a professional and is working at the Air Force Base in Jacksonville. He graduated from UALR in Spring 2013. He is a very fun-loving kind of person. I thought he is going to speak to me as a professional as he is no longer a student. But he was same as if still a student. He is someone who is easy to talk to but at the same time serious enough to give me good and useful suggestions. He concentrated on how to look for jobs after graduation. He focused on the preparation of the resume as it is going to be your signature when you apply for jobs. He emphasized the value of extracurricular activities that prospective employers look for. I am indeed happy that I got the opportunity to work on the assignment since it has helped me to get to know myself and my field, and the viewpoints of three individuals with different life journeys and having different life experiences. Now I have a much clear view of what I should be doing in my future once I complete my bachelors degree. Either I can go for a full-time job like Geoffery, go for a job and simultaneously pursue my M.S. or I can go for an M.S. degree with an assistantship. I will make that decision as I get closer to my graduation. I also learned how to design a profile that focuses on the discipline. From the negativity of the onset (that I know my field and 2

bhadra3 dont need to do this), it has turned out to be a positive experience for me and the time invested has been all worthwhile. I enjoyed every moment while I was doing this assignment.