Aerospace Aspirations Anonymous

With my parents beside me, I stepped through the door and onto the flight deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. Immediately, I was surrounded. Military aircraft from all through history glistened in the sunshine, just waiting for me. Each aircraft was unique, yet one aircraft in particular captured my attention and refused to let it go. The largest aircraft at the museum, the A-12 Blackbird stood alone in the corner of the flight deck. Its midnight color and aerodynamic fuselage captivated me. The A-12 boasted a design dissimilar to that of any plane I had seen before. Its forward fuselage made up half of its length and its stealthy profile had no protruding parts. Face to face with the aircraft, I grew hungry for knowledge. I wondered about its very existence. I wanted to know how it worked and how it was built. From that moment on, I began to feel certain that understanding these mechanical contraptions was my calling.

Carnegie Mellon is, for a future aerospace engineer, the ideal university, a place where research comes alive. For the remainder of my academic career, I hope to obtain a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis on aircraft optimization and design. I believe that it is an atrocity that quick travel...