Design Summary (DRAFT 2)

According to the article “Seabin Using Plastic to Fight Plastics” (2019), The Seabin Project highlights the consequences of microplastics (2-5mm) in the ecosystem and discusses the benefits of the Seabins as a holistic solution to the pollutants in the sea. The article mentions that many sea-creatures ingest microplastics as it resembles their food source with its size and appearance. Microplastics also gather organic waste at an accelerated rate compared to other inorganic particles which have acute detrimental effects on the marine environment. The article explains that Seabins function by ingesting water within its vicinity and traps any detritus through its filtration system to counter pollution. The article also claims that by integrating sensors onto the Seabin, it is able to double up as a monitoring device, allowing more comprehensive studies on its effectiveness and potential improvements. Because of the accessibility, simplicity and dynamic functions of the Seabin, it is a favorable method of marine pollution countermeasures used by governments all around the world.

Design Summary (DRAFT 1)

According to the article “Seabin Using Plastic to Fight Plastics” (2019), The Seabin Project highlights the consequences of microplastics (2-5mm) in the ecosystem. It also discusses the benefits of the Seabins as a holistic solution to the pollutants in the sea. The article mentions that many sea-creatures ingest microplastics as it resembles their food source with its size and appearance. Microplastics also gather organic waste at an accelerated rate compared to other inorganic particles which have acute detrimental effects on the marine environment. As a countermeasure, Seabins function by ingesting water within its vicinity and traps any detritus through its filtration system. By integrating sensors onto the Seabin, it is able to double up as a monitoring device, allowing the Seabin Project to conduct comprehensive studies on its effectiveness and potential improvements. Because of the accessibility, simplicity and dynamic functions of the Seabin, it is a favorable method of marine pollution countermeasures used by governments all around the world.

INTRODUCTION

Subject: Self-introduction letter

Dear Professor Brad,

My name is Jonathan Chan. The purpose of this email is to briefly introduce myself and give some background behind my ever so common name. I graduated from Singapore Polytechnic with a diploma in aeronautical engineering. Thereafter, enlisted in the army and now studying mechanical engineering under SIT/UofG.

I chose to pursue a degree in engineering as I have always been a “numbers guy” as far as I can remember and apart from the technical skills that I will acquire, I greatly appreciate and admire the systematic and problem-solving mindset of engineers. One notable interest of mine is the passion for mechanical watches, the workmanship and craftsmanship that goes into each timepiece has always intrigued my curiosity. This also added to my decision to study engineering at university.

I believe that communication is one of the key components of our society. It is also one of the greatest achievements of mankind. From day to day conversations to more extreme cases like convincing a suicide bomber to stand-down. The choice of words, tone and mood can significantly affect the outcome at any instance.

For myself, speaking publicly in front of big crowds has always been a challenge. To overcome this, I constantly force myself to speak up and step out of my comfort zone. However, I have the habit of hiding my nervousness behind jokes and laughter which I wish to overcome in time to come.

My goal for this semester is not only to polish up my technical writing/presentations skills but also to cultivate the habit of spotting mistakes within all of my work in the future. With all this in mind, I look forward to learning more about communication under your tutelage. Lastly, as quoted by Ralph Marston, “Excellence is not a skill. It is an Attitude.”

Best regards,

Jonathan Chan