Alexander Benjamin - Study Abroad SU10
Part I: Looking back on the Israel Trip
Recently, I went on a trip to Israel and the Technion, the top technical school in Israel and an institution respected around the world. As a rising junior studying electrical engineering, computer science, and business, I went with other students from the Electrical and Systems Engineering department at Washington University in St. Louis.
The trip to Israel held particular importance for me for both cultural and academic reasons. All of my family comes from a Jewish background, but before this trip I had never been to Israel. Therefore, the opportunity to visit the cultural center of my religion is an experience that means an a lot to me.
From the other perspective, it was a unique chance to learn from and exchange ideas with one of the top departments in my field in the world. I was very impressed at the amount the group was able to accomplish in the allotted time. We toured and conducted experiments in many labs at the Technion while also finding the time to visit a lot of the most important and historically significant sites in Israel.
The most striking aspect of the Technion was the scale of research. The electrical engineering department is many times the size of ours at Wash U. It seemed that research was integrated into the undergraduate curriculum in different ways there, which gave us ideas to pursue at Wash U. Because of the mandatory military service in Israel, most college-age students are several years older than in the U.S. Thus, it isn’t uncommon for students to be married while in college, which I found to be an interesting contrast. Certainly, it leads to a different, more mature, social atmosphere.
The time that we spent touring the sites around Israel will be an unforgettable experience. Some of the sites we visited are places I have been hearing about from family and friends for my entire life. It was edifying to see Israeli customs and culture firsthand since I had always held certain notions from what I had heard from others. In particular, it was very meaningful to walk around the old city of Jerusalem. Standing before the Western Wall was an awing experience and one which I will always carry with me.
The experience will aid me immensely in my growth as a person and as a student. It was a great opportunity to learn about a culture and a country with an ancient and very rich history, and also to encourage the exchange of ideas between our institutions. I would also like to thank the donor who made the trip possible. We are all grateful for his support and that there are people like him who take it in hand to broaden the horizons of young scholars.
Part II: Design Considerations for Audio Compression
Testing.
