Zack Higgs 

I started off this research project not really knowing what I would get out of doing it, I just liked learning about the topic. I started with the basics of what an electromagnetic wave is and it’s properties. From there I moved to more complex topics that lead me to explore topics such as antennas, tuning, radios, resonance, wave patterns, wifi, and other topics. I think the combination of all of these has enabled me to gain an overall better understanding of my topic. I think that some of the topics that I explored in depth, like resonance and signal processing, will come to benefit me in the future. This new interest of mine is fairly recent, but I feel that it will be a long term passion of mine. I think that my favorite part was exploring and learning about inductive and capacitive reactance, because of how many applications resonance and filtering has in electrical engineering.

As I explore more on my own, I find myself being able to apply more complex topics and understand more about the concept at hand. By ensuring my original questions very thoroughly, I have formed that there is often way more to a problem than one might realize. There are many different are many different avenues that must be understood before you can move on and solve the problem more completely. I have satisfied, for now, my want to understand electromagnetics, but it has sparked further questions of mine that may need more than some simple research. Next year I hope to learn even more about many of these topics, as I study electrical engineering. Some of the trouble I had during my capstone project was finding useful information. During my research stages, I would often find very simple or complex information. While searching I found some great sources that explained the topics I need to know in order to move on to the bigger picture. Some of the time I had to do research on what some website were talking about, but overall I was able to grasp most of the topics of electrical engineering (electromagnetics).

I think that my two favorite moves are two and three because they represent the bulk of what I have learned.  Both antenna design and resonance are crucial in radio design, which my questions were based around. These two moves are based around many key themes of electromagnetic engineering. Move one was mostly an introduction to many to terms and other key ideas for electrical engineering. Move four is an extension of two and three and shows what types of signals are radiated from antennas, versus digital signals.

On a regular day, I even watch electrical engineering YouTube videos to learn even more. I find that a lot of what I learn there is applicable to many of the videos that I watch there. So all that I have done in this is not a waste! What I like most is that what I have been studying is something of a mystery to most, like radios, waves, radios, and other wave patterns.  There still is so much out there to learn about, which is why I am excited for college. I hope to learn and be able to apply many of the things that I learn in college in some sort of job.  I have a passion for electrical engineering, and  I can’t wait to learn more about it in college.