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Submission Number: 479
Submission ID: 1616
Submission UUID: 6ac79605-5543-4351-9646-2d57dd020a17
Submission URI:/center/mortenson/form/webform-1367
Created: Sat, 03/15/2025 - 20:29
Completed: Sat, 03/15/2025 - 20:31
Changed: Sun, 04/13/2025 - 22:24
Remote IP address: 2600:4040:9833:ab00:2952:6918:ebdb:bfc8
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Flagged: Yes
{Empty}
Eero
Galbraith
he/him
Brooklyn
New York
U.S.A.
11218
Aerospace Engineering
English (5), Spanish (4)
It’s 2:30 AM. Rain steadily patters against the outside of our tent as lightning periodically illuminates the interior in stark detail. Thunder booms as my brother and I pack our things, the musty smell of everything having long since permeated the tent interior. I change the dressing on my infected toe, don a pair of damp socks, and slide on my boots.
Soon, we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu.
Physically, hiking the Inca trail was the hardest thing I have ever done. I struggled with severe chest pain at altitudes of upwards of 13,000 feet, and dealt with problems in my toes.
The trip was also my most in-depth immersion in another culture I have ever had. Before this, I had gone to Panama on a school trip, visiting places from Boquete to Panama City and the Panama Canal. We were with EF (Education First) tours, however, so the experience was fairly insulated and we didn’t interact with many people outside of our tour group. In Peru, however, it was only my family and I was the only person with enough Spanish comprehension to hold a conversation. Whenever we were in a restaurant or at the airport or communicating with local people on the Inca trail, my parents and brother would point to me to handle it. I negotiated with taxi drivers for extra time on our rushed pack-out of our final hotel, held a phone conversation with a different driver to come pick us up off a mountain while we were acclimating in Cusco, and even helped get us on the right plane home.
While the trip reinforced my Spanish speaking skills, I was also exposed to the cultures of the region we were in. Many of the porters working on the Inca trail are farmers who are looking to supplement their income. Their backpacks were several times heavier than ours, and after long days of hiking they still set up camp and prepared food for the whole group.
Soon, we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu.
Physically, hiking the Inca trail was the hardest thing I have ever done. I struggled with severe chest pain at altitudes of upwards of 13,000 feet, and dealt with problems in my toes.
The trip was also my most in-depth immersion in another culture I have ever had. Before this, I had gone to Panama on a school trip, visiting places from Boquete to Panama City and the Panama Canal. We were with EF (Education First) tours, however, so the experience was fairly insulated and we didn’t interact with many people outside of our tour group. In Peru, however, it was only my family and I was the only person with enough Spanish comprehension to hold a conversation. Whenever we were in a restaurant or at the airport or communicating with local people on the Inca trail, my parents and brother would point to me to handle it. I negotiated with taxi drivers for extra time on our rushed pack-out of our final hotel, held a phone conversation with a different driver to come pick us up off a mountain while we were acclimating in Cusco, and even helped get us on the right plane home.
While the trip reinforced my Spanish speaking skills, I was also exposed to the cultures of the region we were in. Many of the porters working on the Inca trail are farmers who are looking to supplement their income. Their backpacks were several times heavier than ours, and after long days of hiking they still set up camp and prepared food for the whole group.
Global experiences and perspective improve the field of engineering by fostering innovation through diverse problem-solving approaches and cultural insights. I have seen this in action during my time at the ACE (architecture, construction, engineering) mentorship program in which I learned civil engineering principles from real civil engineers at STV Inc. My group consisted of people from all different backgrounds and interests, like some people interested in civil engineering, others interested in architecture, and some who didn’t want to go into this field at all, but just wanted to check it out and expand their horizons. We collaborated on a final museum design project, combining our very different ideas into a unique end product. Exposure to global perspectives enriches the engineering design process by introducing new materials, technologies, and methodologies from different regions. This global mindset aligns with my goal of contributing to innovative and sustainable engineering solutions.
I want to join the Global Engineering RAP at 91´«Ã½ because it aligns with my passion for engineering and my desire to make a meaningful impact on a global scale. By engaging in coursework and extracurricular activities that emphasize global awareness, cultural fluency, and collaborative problem-solving, I believe I will gain the skills and perspective necessary to become an engineer who can work effectively in diverse, international contexts. As a member of this residential community, I plan to contribute by sharing my varied experiences from my aerospace interests, landscape architecture internship, and ACE mentorship program, encouraging discussions on how engineering can address global issues. I can’t wait to learn from and grow alongside like-minded peers while contributing to a supportive and innovative community.
Eero_Galbraith_Resume_Mar2025.pdf(30.99 KB)