The APSC_O 169 course changed how I think about engineering design. I used to see it as coming up with an idea and then building it, but now I see how important it is to clearly define the problem, consider stakeholders, and move through cycles of prototyping, testing, and refining. I learned that it’s normal for early versions not to work perfectly and that iteration is part of good design, not a sign of failure. Another key attribute I noticed is attention to detail. Small things like electrode spacing or sealing the chamber ended up having huge impacts on performance.

From my experience in this course, I think the most important attributes of an engineer are curiosity, responsibility, and communication. Curiosity helps you keep asking “why” and looking for better solutions, responsibility reminds you that your work affects real people and environments, and communication is essential for working in teams and explaining your ideas to others. This project also helped me see the professional engineer’s role in society more clearly: engineers aren’t just solving technical problems, they are making decisions that shape safety, sustainability, and quality of life.

Through this process, I noticed that some of my strengths are creativity, persistence, and a willingness to try new approaches. I found that I work well when I’m troubleshooting hands-on problems, and I enjoy figuring out why something isn’t working and how to improve it. At the same time, I want to improve my organization, documentation, and technical depth, especially when justifying design choices. To support that growth, I plan to practice keeping clearer records of my work, ask more questions in lectures and labs, and seek feedback earlier in future projects. Additionally, I plan to keep exploring hands-on projects outside of class because building things in the real world helps me understand theory more deeply.