Aerospace Engineering: The Pros and... Are There Really Cons? by Marin

Marin's entry into Varsity Tutor's December 2023 scholarship contest

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Aerospace Engineering: The Pros and... Are There Really Cons? by Marin - December 2023 Scholarship Essay

Let’s play a game. I’m thinking of an object in common use today. Transparent, discreet, and easier to use than its metal counterpart, I would not be surprised if you’re wearing a pair right now. Did you guess it? I’m thinking of Invisalign. In my opinion, Invisalign is an impressive invention, but it’s interesting to me that NASA actually engineered the material used to make it. Originally, this material, called translucent polycrystalline alumina (or TPA, since NASA loves acronyms), served to cover and protect sensitive parts of trackers which detected heat-seeking missiles. NASA then realized that TPA had many other uses, and so Invisalign came to be.
In this example, orthodontists used a material that aerospace engineers originally developed. While orthodontists used TPA simply for creating a better dental device, NASA used it for safety because it was a component of an important defense system. When it comes to aerospace engineering, which I hope to study, safety is one of the most important factors in engineering. Since aerospace engineers create designs for new aircraft and spacecraft (which will more often than not carry humans), they must always focus on safety.
While many people do not even know what constitutes aerospace engineering, it has shaped our lives far more than we realize. Many of us are probably still alive today because of a safety mechanism invented by an aerospace engineer. In the future, the effects of aerospace engineering will be tangible: humanity will live on the moon, Mars, or both, and we will always be looking for the next place we can go--and because of everything aerospace engineering has accomplished and could do, I want to be a part of that.

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