Design Project Advice

So I’ve finally reached the point where I can ask this famous question, here is my situation: I just got an approval for a Thermoelectric Generator project (I was originally denied because it was already filled but the prof was able to squeeze me in), but then there is also another project to build a Super Sonic Wind Tunnel that is still open that I was going to sign up for tomorrow.

I’m MechE with Aerospace concentration, so clearly the wind tunnel would be a better fit. However, doing some cross-learning with a thermoelectric generator would be a bit more interesting to me and I feel like it might diversify me a bit.

What do you guys think?

Well, I know what I would pick, but that doesn’t make it the right choice for you. In reality, they will both probably be just as useful to you. Do you have any sense of what you want to do after school? If so, is one project more relevant to that than the other?

Thanks for the quick reply. Ideally, working for an aerospace company that deals with space craft/satellites. I’m not sure if that will be possible right after graduation (though I will be applying to aerospace companies), that’s just the ideal scenario. That’s also not to say that I don’t find other areas interesting (such as energy generating applications).

The way I see it: a super sonic wind tunnel has obvious applications to aerospace, while power generation has general applications in many fields, including aerospace. Both are interesting to me, I feel like I could sell the generator at different kinds of interviews, but I feel like the wind tunnel would sell itself better at an aerospace interview but only aerospace.

Do you ever wonder how basically all of NASA’s deep space probes are powered? I’ll give you a hint: it is related to one of these two projects, and there is no air in space.

I realize you may not know exactly what part of satellites/spacecraft you would like to eventually work on, but the thermoelectric generator project is, in general, more relevant to spacecraft than a supersonic wind tunnel, plus it has the bonus of being the project that interests you more. I don’t see why you wouldn’t do that one.

(For me, I’d pick the wind tunnel. Then again, I also got a PhD working in a supersonic wind tunnel, so it is oddly relevant to my interests.)

Yeah, I figured it would be something I could sell at an interview for aero or other fields, plus power generation is something I’m interested in as well. I signed up for it (the thermoelectric generator), so I’m good to go. Thanks for the advice!