Submission Number: 512
Submission ID: 1658
Submission UUID: 3ed869e0-d722-43fe-936b-5c74cf0328bd

Created: Tue, 04/01/2025 - 23:13
Completed: Tue, 04/01/2025 - 23:19
Changed: Mon, 04/21/2025 - 16:10

Remote IP address: 2600:6c40:4c00:71:cc90:be0b:5162:e5b8
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No

Flagged: Yes
Yes
Lauren
Clay
she/her
St. Louis
Missouri/ St. Louis
United States of America
63141
Civil Engineering
English (5) Spanish (3)
This year, I had the privilege of traveling to Spain, and it opened my eyes to a new culture. One thing that caught my attention was the difference in paces of life. In Spain, people go home for lunch, and the city's shops close down for a few hours in the afternoon. The atmosphere of the country feels less rushed, yet still maintains a sense of punctuality.
Additionally, I was surrounded by a language I wasn’t fluent in. I struggled to get out of my comfort zone when ordering food by myself or talking to a taxi driver. However, I received advice that changed my perspective:“When someone from a different country is trying to speak English to you, they might mess up, but you're not annoyed with them. You’re just happy that they’re trying.” This mentality allowed me to try my best to connect and communicate with others in Spanish, even if it wasn’t perfect.
These experiences have prepared me for the Global Engineering RAP because they taught me humility, adaptability, and being comfortable with discomfort. Engineers are often required to take a step outside of their comfort zones to solve problems, collaborate with diverse groups, and immerse themselves in several environments. With the lessons I learned in Spain, I will continue my drive towards solutions to social and environmental challenges in the global engineering field.


Global experiences improve the field of engineering because they foster innovative ideas that address diverse needs. Iwas particularly intrigued by the thoughtful architecture in Spain, specifically in transportation hubs like airports and train stations. One design includes the inclined moving walkways. The walkway allows you to easily wheel your luggage to the next floor of the transportation hubs. On the other hand, traditional escalators can be difficult to navigate with rolling luggage because there are steps. This is a solution that improves accessibility in the environment.

This experience taught me that civil engineering is important for not only the functionality of spaces but also inclusivity. Being exposed to the world and the diverse designs that they incorporate into everyday life is crucial for creating the best solution possible. In the future I want to be a civil engineer with a focus on a global mindset because I want my designs to be inclusive, creative, and thoughtful.
I want to be a member of the Global Engineering RAP at CU Boulder because I believe it offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who want to make the world a more inclusive place. The field of engineering as a whole is finding solutions that positively impact the local and global environment. This program will allow me to strengthen my collaboration skills when working with a diverse group of people. On a personal level, I have traveled to many different places and have been introduced to several cultures that have sparked my interest in inclusivity. I also have a unique perspective for engineering because I am in the minority of the civil engineers community being an African American woman. I look forward to sharing my experiences and hearing about my peers so that in the future we can engineer a suitable world.