The Engineering Student Experience Podcast

Episode 30 - What is ABET?

In this episode, Paul provides an overview of ABET, which is the agency responsible for accrediting engineering programs. He discusses why accreditation is important for students and what an engineering program must do to receive accreditation.

During the episode, Paul mentions that all of his department's program educational objectives are listed on his department's website. You can view the program educational objectives, along with the seven student outcomes mandated by ABET, in the "ABET Accreditation" section of this website: https://www.cpp.edu/engineering/me/index.shtml

More information about ABET can be found here: https://www.abet.org/accreditation/ 

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on January 3, 2023.

Episode 29 - Engineering in the Air Pollution Control Industry

In this episode, Paul explores the field of air pollution control (or air pollution abatement) with Anoosheh Oskouian and John Von Bargen from Ship & Shore Environmental, a company based in Signal Hill, CA that specializes in designing and constructing air pollution abatement systems. Anoosheh is President and CEO of the company, and John is the Vice President and Director of Engineering.

During the interview, Anoosheh and John discuss the importance of air pollution abatement in our everyday lives, how Ship and Shore Environmental works with businesses and local air quality regulatory agencies to meet the air pollution abatement needs of businesses, the types of engineers who typically work in this field, the history of air pollution control in the US, and many other topics.

About Ship & Shore Environmental: Ship & Shore Environmental, Inc. is a Long Beach, CA-based, woman-owned business specializing in the design, evolution, manufacture, and deployment of industrial air pollution capture and control systems. S&SE helps major manufacturers and other organizations around the world meet volatile organic compounds (VOC) abatement challenges by providing customized energy-efficient air pollution abatement systems across various applications, resulting in improved operational efficiency and tailored “green” solutions. Since 2000, S&SE has advised governmental groups and leaders on the full spectrum of environmental needs. Today, S&SE offers a host of innovative engineering and manufacturing capabilities and maintains multiple offices around the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. With over 100 specialized experts spread across the globe, the company remains dedicated to delivering tailored solutions for clients on both land and sea. For more information, visit www.shipandshore.com.

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on August 2, 2022 at Ship & Shore Environmental in Signal Hill, CA.

Episode 28 - What’s it like to start a start-up?

In this episode, Paul talks with Isabel Gutierrez to learn what it's like to create and grow a company. Isabel is the CEO and founder of Vistendo, and earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona in 2019. Vistendo is a company dedicated to ending the suffering related to untreated brain dysfunctions including brain injuries and mental health disorders. The technology developed by Vistendo helps to detect concussions right on-the-field and monitors those who are injured to prevent serious injury and long-term suffering.

During the interview, Isabel describes her journey of having an idea for a product, forming a company while still in college, and growing the company for the past few years. She also discusses the time demands required to run a start-up company, the importance of people skills in the workplace and for finding investors and partners, the traits of successful leaders, and many other topics.

Vistendo's website: 
https://vistendo.com/

Isabel's LinkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelguti/ 

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on July 19, 2022 at Cal Poly Pomona. 

Episode 27 - What’s it like to be an older engineering student?

In this episode, Paul interviews two Cal Poly Pomona engineering students, Eric Belcastro (civil engineering) and John Hartman (electrical engineering), who started pursuing an engineering degrees later in life. Eric and John talk about their transition back to school, and describe their day-to-day experiences inside and outside the classroom as students who are significantly older than most of their classmates. They also provide advice for people who are older and thinking about returning to school to pursue an engineering degree.

John Hartman's songs on Spotify 

John Hartman's songs on Apple Music 

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on April 28, 2022 at Cal Poly Pomona.

Episode 26 - Engineering in the Food Retailing Industry

In this episode, Paul explores the food retailing industry by interviewing Diego Wood and Michael Gillett, who work for the Hussmann Corporation. Hussmann designs, builds, and maintains display cases in many supermarkets, convenience stores, and other places that sell temperature-controlled food products. Diego is a Specialty Engineering Leader and Michael is a Principal Engineer at Hussmann’s facility in Chino, California (just 10 miles away from Cal Poly Pomoma).

During the interview, Diego and Michael provide an overview of the food retailing industry and discuss the engineering behind display cases and refrigeration systems used in the industry. Additionally, they highlight the importance of communication with customers and in the workplace, share their thoughts on the future of the food retailing industry, and provide advice on how engineering students can succeed in any engineering workplace.

About Hussmann Corporation: 
https://www.hussmann.com/about-us/legacy-innovation

Careers at Hussmann:
https://www.hussmann.com/careers/job-openings 

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on January 10, 2022 via Zoom. 

Episode 25 - Engineering at an Air Quality Agency

In this episode, Paul explores what it's like to be an engineer at an air quality agency by interviewing Dr. Simin Mehrabani, who works at the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD). The South Coast AQMD is a government agency responsible for improving the air quality for over 15 million people in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.

Simin received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California, and currently is a Senior Air Quality Engineer for the South Coast AQMD. In this role she supervises a team of air quality engineers who review engineering evaluation reports and issues permits to industries involved in coating and printing operations.

In the interview, Simin discusses the various divisions within the South Coast AQMD, how the South Coast AQMD works with state and federal agencies to improve air quality, the types of jobs available to engineers at air quality agencies, and how engineering students can gain a foothold in this field.

South Coast AQMD website:
http://www.aqmd.gov/

South Coast AQMD air quality mobile app:
https://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/news-archive/2020/enhanced-mobile-app-dec10-2020.pdf

South Coast AQMD Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP):
http://www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/clean-air-plans/air-quality-mgt-plan

West Coast Section of Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) website:
https://wcsawma.org/

Rule 219 for equipment not requiring a written permit:
http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/rule-book/reg-ii/rule-219.pdf

Rule 1401 on toxic air contaminants:
http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/rule-book/reg-xiv/rule-1401.pdf

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on December 28, 2021 via Zoom. 

Episode 24 - Engineers at an Electric Utility Agency

In this episode, Paul explores what it's like to be an engineer at an electric utility agency by interviewing Everett Aragon and Moein Lak, both of whom work at the Southern California Edison. SoCal Edison is a large electric utility transmitting and distributing power throughout much of Southern and Eastern California. Everett Aragon is a Senior Engineering Manager in the Technology Integration Group, with a B.S. in Computer Engineering and Electric Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona (Class of 2008), and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from USC. Moein is an Engineering Manager who focuses on distribution, and has a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering.

In the interview, Everett and Moein discuss the structure of SoCal Edison, the different types of engineers who work for the organization, the importance of advanced degrees and getting professional licensure in their field, and the importance of communication both with the public and with their colleagues. We also discuss the long-term challenges and opportunities facing electric utilities around the world, such as modernizing electrical grids that are becoming more and more complex every year.

SoCal Edison internships: https://www.edisoncareers.com/page/show/early_career/

SoCal Edison's Distribution Resources Plan External Portal:  https://ltmdrpep.sce.com/drpep/

Pathway 2045: https://www.edison.com/home/our-perspective/pathway-2045.html

Reimagining the Grid: https://www.edison.com/home/our-perspective/reimagining-the-grid.html

Moein mentioned IEEE a couple times: https://www.ieee.org/

Everett and Moein wanted to mention, “The guests share their experiences and do not represent SCE.”

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on August 25, 2021 via Zoom. 

Episode 23 - What‘s it like to be an engineering transfer student?

In this episode, Paul interviews Andrew Diamond and Jonny Yi, both of whom are aerospace engineering students (and amateur podcasters) at Cal Poly Pomona. Andrew and Jonny transferred to Cal Poly Pomona from a community college back in Fall 2019. In the interview, Andrew and Jonny discuss why they went to community college, how they prepared to transfer to a university and what the transition was like, the differences between their community college and Cal Poly Pomona, and they provide advice for engineering students who are at a community college and hope to one day transfer to a university to finish their degree.

Andrew and Jonny's "Aeroholics Anonymous" podcast can be found on all podcast platforms. Here is the RSS feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/aeroholicsanonymous/  

Andrew mentioned the atrium of building 17 at Cal Poly Pomona with large models of planes and satellites. Here is a picture of the atrium. 

Here is the amazing caricature of Paul and Dwayne (the rock). 

All college students should complete the FAFSA every year: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on September 1, 2021 via Zencastr. 

Episode 22 - Engineers at a Water Utility Agency

In this episode, Paul explores what it's like to be an engineer at a water utility agency by interviewing Steve Johnson and Gerardo Maldonado, both of whom work at the Desert Water Agency (DWA). The DWA is responsible for importing water and managing groundwater in the Palm Spring and Cathedral City area (desert communities a couple hours east of Los Angeles). Steve is the Assistant Manager with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona (1993) and Gerardo is a Staff Engineer with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona (2019). In the interview, Steve and Gerardo discuss various projects they've worked on, they compare working for a public agency like DWA versus working for a private company, and they provide tips for engineering students who want to enter the field of water management.  

Website for the DWA: https://dwa.org/ 

Internship opportunities at the DWA are occasionally posted here: www.dwa.org/careers    

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on June 11, 2021 via Zoom. 

Episode 21 - Engineering in Large Warehouses

In this episode, Paul explores a critically important (but underappreciated) component of our economy -- large warehouses -- by interviewing Mark Wry, who is a Senior Engineering Manager at Under Armour. Mark has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and M.S. in Systems Engineering, both from Cal Poly Pomona. Mark describes what it's like to be an engineer in a large warehouse, the various types of jobs performed by engineers in these facilities, tips for gaining a foothold in this field, and future trends in warehouses and supply chains.

Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email.

Episode edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on April 9, 2021 via Zoom.