Spring Break
Ferguson lectures after pep rally
Janhavi Purohit
Issue date: 2/20/09 Section: News
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At the rally, which was held in the Great Court of the Main Building, Ferguson spoke briefly to an audience that included Drexel University students and faculty as well as approximately 300 local high school students.
Immediately following the rally, Ferguson spoke at a lecture about his own experiences in space, the procedures and processes that space missions entail and the need for new engineers in the space program.
He showed the audience clips from the Endeavour mission, including videos of the launch itself and the view from space, as well as photos of the astronauts working on board the shuttle.
"What's magical is when the sun comes up for the first time," Ferguson said. "How's that for an office desk, with the Earth's horizon in the front window?"
He explained the structure of the space shuttle's main engine as well as "ideal rocket fraction," a calculation that determines the percentage of fuel in the mass of the entire rocket.
Ferguson discussed the procedures of the mission, including some of the problems the crew encountered, such as basic "household" problems like dust. He explained the engineering methods needed to solve a seemingly simple dust problem in space.
Relating his career to Drexel students, he stressed the importance of students in the future of these missions because of their potential to make valuable contributions.
"The Drexel label resounds loud and clear," Ferguson said. "The nation has a need for skilled engineers now, and that's where you come in."
Ferguson imparted his view on the importance of persistence to students, sharing one of his own experiences at Drexel to illustrate the point.
"My freshman year, as an engineering student, I was taking a statics exam, and I was 90 percent of the way through the time allotted, and I was done with ten percent of the exam. And, I went home that night thinking I was a dismal failure, and I said 'I'm going to be an accountant.'" Ferguson said.
He added that people become engineers because they realize there is a great deal of work to be done to deal with issues like climate change.
"People in engineering, they're in the business because they realize we have a lot to do as a country," Ferguson said.
In regard to students who wish to join NASA or work in the field of rocket science or aeronautics, Ferguson emphasized that many opportunities are available.
"We'd love to have them on board. We'd love young engineering talent," Ferguson said.
Ferguson was recognized as the 2009 Engineer of the Year and inducted into the Drexel 100, the group of Drexel alumni making highly significant achievements in their careers.
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