At the Kunsthalle Museum, the engineering aspects that I observed were mainly in the structure and technical elements of the building. We observed these features from below-ground levels that housed different types of features to help protect the art that is stored and displayed. They have a mechanical room on the first sub level that controls the temperature and emergency fail systems throughout the galleries. On the lowest level, they house the temperature-controlled storage unit, where they keep their collections for safekeeping until they are put on display. Additionally, they have generators in case of power outages and handheld fire extinguishers in case of a fire in the galleries because water sprinklers would jeopardize the safety of the art.
As a computer engineer, being able to add creativity to my career was a major reason why I chose this degree. I would love to do video game design, whether that is the actual game itself or the hardware components for the console. So many aspects of that path would involve creativity and innovation, and I love using my imagination to build worlds and design. The art of the gallery did not really stimulate my creative senses, given that is was 90% under construction, but I definitely have a goal of having a job that involves creativity in some way.
In all honesty, the alumni dinner was lackluster. It seemed as if the dinner was pitched more as just a dinner than a networking event. I found most of the professionals as uninterested in talking, and when I did manage to spark conversation, it was met with minimal effort and attitude. I completely understand the demeanor of Europeans being colder at first having been to several other countries, but these professionals were just mingling with themselves. I felt looked down upon in many cases, and when I asked questions about their careers, they did not really try to find the connections between their business and engineering principles. If this were to happen again, I would emphasize establishing connections through a speed-dating style that is used in sorority recruitment. I would also try to have more engineers there instead of business people.
Swanson School of Engineering 