I am an engineering technology student attending ODU in the hopes of expanding my career opportunities.  For the last 14 years, I have been a Journeyman tool and die maker, completing a 4 year apprenticeship followed by a decade working in a large custom tool and die shop.  During that time, I worked directly with many engineers, making the parts they designed to exacting specifications to ensure the success of their products.  Now, I have returned to school to gain the skills necessary to design my own products, and hope to use those skills in conference with my many years of production experience to find new and exciting career paths.

Having a clear understanding of fluid mechanics is crucial to any engineer, as every system interacts in some way with a fluid, whether it be air, water or oil, there are always considerations which must be made regarding the how the design interfaces with a fluid.  My studies in this field will have an impact on my future career no matter where I will work or what I will create.