In the midst of the recent hustle and bustle, our team relished a comparatively tranquil week. Perhaps this was due to the energy from the lunar eclipse or the stressful past weeks. Nevertheless, this was a welcomed respite from the intensity of previous weeks. This period was dedicated to forging essential connections with professors, vendors, and external experts, propelling our project forward. Adding a personal touch, we explored our zodiac signs, revealing an intriguing balance of elemental energies. The steadfast Tauruses, Karim, and Camila, alongside the meticulous Virgo, Morgen, laid a robust foundation for our collective efforts. Complemented by the empathetic Pisces, James, the driven Aries, Manuel, and the diplomatic Libra, Alex, our team embodies a harmonious blend of perspectives, fueling our creativity and problem-solving abilities. As we venture further into our project, this diverse array of strengths and energies proves invaluable, setting the stage for continued progress and discover

Looking into the future, we have been discussing another site visit now that we have been working on the solutions for the problem.

This week was an exhilarating one for Crystal Clear Waters as we conducted our PDR presentation with our liaison. Due to unforeseen obstacles, our team had to swiftly transition from an in-person meeting to a conference call. Nevertheless, nothing can thwart our determination to succeed! The meeting proceeded as smoothly as possible.

In addition, there were several professional development workshops that each of us had the opportunity to attend. The “Divergent Thinking and Empathic Listening” workshop was a delightful experience for Karim, Morgen, and Camila. Karim described it as follows: “We began by jotting down ideas on envisioning ourselves inside a whale. It seemed odd at first, but it served as a warm-up for the second activity where we were tasked with thinking of ways to personalize Engineering Education… This workshop underscored the significance of reflecting on my ideas, even the most audacious ones, and transforming them into a pivotal starting point for solving any problem.” Morgen relished the chance to momentarily set aside her engineering mindset and embrace a bit of whimsy in the creativity workshop. Alexander and Manuel participated in the Agile workshop, where Manuel found great value in learning about the methodology, while Alex appreciated how Agile was applied, as the professor was the sole educator to introduce and teach Agile to students. He noted how beneficial it is to employ this program in the industry. Lastly, James attended the Rohde and Schwarz workshop, gaining valuable insights into various equipment and its limitations. Collectively, we all emerged from these workshops enriched with newfound perspectives.

As the full moon loomed in the night sky, our dedicated team toiled tirelessly over cauldrons of ideas, concocting a bewitching brew for the upcoming peer-review preliminary design report (PDR) presentation on a fateful Tuesday. Unfortunately, we ran out of time for a crucial run-through. As we stood before our class, we quickly realized our presentation had exceeded the allocated 15 minutes as our TA quickly informed us but was kind enough to let us finish. Subsequently, our audience provided invaluable feedback, pinpointing the main issues and weaknesses. These encompassed minor errors in equations and a tendency to confuse them with the technical background of the presentation. Armed with this constructive criticism, we resolved to overhaul certain aspects of our teamwork, ensuring ample time for thorough preparation. We have been meeting nearly every day this week. This endeavor, however, came at the somber cost of our precious sleep which isn’t anything new as we’re all engineering students.  

In the shadowy corners of our minds, we are brewing and concocting, restructuring and refining. With newfound vigor, we will emerge from the darkness, ready to present a spellbinding PDR that will send shivers down the spines of our liaisons. 

Winds in the east! The cold’s coming in, and so are we! 

This week, the team worked on developing rough drafts of process flow diagrams for the various technologies we have been researching. Rest assured, I won’t delve into the intricate details… at least not for legal reasons. I can tell you that we have been working diligently to compose our Preliminary Design Report presentation for next week’s peer review. We decided to divide our work to research various components of the project to ensure that we get a holistic view of the technologies and solutions relevant to our project. As a team, we are both very excited and, to be honest, a tad nervous for our peers to critique our presentation. However, we would prefer they do it before our sponsors get their hands on it to save us some professional embarrassment! 

In light of the solar eclipse this weekend, we’re putting in extra effort to ensure that our dedication doesn’t get eclipsed by our individual external responsibilities. As a team, we’re making commendable progress in teamwork. We’re holding more frequent meetings ahead of our coach and liaison sessions, and communication within the team’s channel has markedly improved. 

Beep beep!! Here comes Crystal Clear Waters cruising through highway IPPD! This past week, our team revved up our car salesmanship skills at the IPPD FPL Six Sigma White Belt certification, hosted by the dynamic Florida Power Line Company (FPL). Teaming up with Solar Safe, our newfound sister squad, we set out to sell theoretical cars at throwback prices from 2010. Together, we fine-tuned the system to drive more sales and ensure high customer satisfaction.

In the classroom, our team put the pedal to the metal and crafted a practice pitch (emphasis on “practice”) that Camila presented. Admittedly, our pitch still has miles to go before we reach a concrete solution for this project, let alone a detailed one. But hey, we’re not in a getaway car—slow and steady wins the race! With determination in our engines, we’re poised to shift into high gear and steer this project toward success.

This week, Crystal Clear Waters embarked on an aquatic adventure to the Crystal River North water treatment plant!  

We got the opportunity to tour the facility and talk to both engineers and plant operators to uncover what the main issues were as well as their expectations. It was a long day, to say the least, as we drove back to Gainesville just in time to make it to class on time! In class, our team got the opportunity to present our customer needs, specifications, and requirements, which changed after meeting with our liaisons. We also shared our experiences of doing a site visit.  

Overall, it was a successful week where we got a lot accomplished. Our team finally finalized weekly meeting dates with our liaison, coach, and ourselves. We also got started on the product design specifications and project roadmap. Nevertheless, there’s still a tidal wave of work ahead, so brace yourselves for a team study session picture very soon – cue the waterworks!