Submission Number: 510
Submission ID: 1656
Submission UUID: cef522c7-05f5-442b-9c41-df6343281633

Created: Tue, 04/01/2025 - 21:50
Completed: Tue, 04/01/2025 - 21:50
Changed: Sat, 04/19/2025 - 07:21

Remote IP address: 64.189.243.4
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No

Flagged: Yes
Locked: Yes
Yes
Benjamin
Phipps
he/him
Parker
TX
United States
75094
Computer Science
English (5), Spanish (1)
I鈥檝e always loved traveling鈥攁nd I love it so much that I found a way to get free flight benefits through a friend who works for American Airlines. Using those, I went on a budget trip to Japan with a few friends, which was one of the most meaningful experiences I鈥檝e had. Since we couldn鈥檛 afford to stay in tourist-heavy areas, we rented a place in a quiet residential neighborhood. That limitation ended up being a blessing; instead of doing the typical sightseeing circuit, we found ourselves navigating local grocery stores, riding less-trafficked trains, and communicating with people who didn鈥檛 speak English. It gave me a more grounded, realistic view of everyday Japanese life鈥攁nd made me appreciate how culture, language, and community shape the world differently outside the U.S. That experience really deepened my interest in engaging with other cultures, which is something I鈥檓 excited to continue through the Global Engineering RAP.
Global experiences and perspectives are essential in engineering because the challenges we face鈥攍ike climate change, energy access, and sustainable development鈥攁re deeply interconnected and affect communities differently around the world. As a computer science student passionate about sustainability, I鈥檝e come to see how culture can shape innovation. My strong ties to Hawaiian culture have grounded me in values of respect for the land (m膩lama 驶膩ina) and community-centered responsibility. These values influence the way I think about engineering鈥攏ot just as a way to build things but as a way to care for people and the planet.

When I traveled to Japan on a budget trip, I noticed similar themes: resourcefulness, minimalism, and environmental awareness were built into daily life. Living in a residential neighborhood rather than a tourist zone gave me a more realistic perspective on how another society handles space, technology, and sustainability. That experience, combined with my cultural roots, has shaped my belief that engineers need a global lens鈥攐ne that values cultural wisdom, local context, and long-term impact. Through the Global Engineering RAP, I hope to grow as a developer who can create sustainable, culturally responsive technologies for a world that needs them.
I want to be part of the Global Engineering RAP because I believe engineering is as much about people and perspectives as it is about equations and code. Being surrounded by a community that values international experience, cultural exchange, and sustainability aligns perfectly with who I am and what I want to do. I鈥檓 studying computer science with a focus on sustainability, and I know that solving the world鈥檚 biggest challenges鈥攅specially climate-related ones鈥攔equires global thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Through my travels, like living in a residential neighborhood in Japan and being deeply connected to Hawaiian culture, I鈥檝e learned how much we can gain by listening to different communities and seeing the world through their eyes. The RAP community offers a space where those conversations are normal, even expected鈥攁nd I want to be part of that. It鈥檚 the kind of environment where I can grow not just as a developer, but as someone who leads with empathy and awareness.

Personally, I hope to contribute a strong sense of curiosity, collaboration, and cultural respect. Whether it鈥檚 organizing community dinners with food from different cultures or collaborating on sustainable design projects, I want to help make our space inclusive, inspiring, and deeply connected to the world outside our walls.