Independent Study 1

1. Log

10/14/10- 1pm-5pm
10/15/10- 1pm-5pm
10/21/10- 1pm-5pm
10/22/10- 1pm-5pm
1/26/11- 10:30am-4:30pm
1/27/11- 10:30am-4:30 pm

2. Evidence: Pictures of my log

The dates with my hours

I had the person I was interning sign off on all of my dates and hours each day that I was done interning

 My total of 30 hours.

3. LIA
Literal: For my independent task I was able to complete 30 hours of interning ours with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation in the ATSAC center. At my internship I was able to learn many different aspects of traffic engineering. The main difference between the ATSAC center and many other traffic engineering center is that ATSAC is an underground center 4 feet below ground level. Here there are 5 big screen TVs where the engineers are able to look at traffic. It is the engineer's job to make sure traffic runs smoothly. They do this by manipulating traffic street signal times and by making sure all of the lights that they control run smoothly. All 500 of the city street lights are wired to the center. Other traffic engineering companies do not have the ability to manipulate traffic from their desks, they have to physically move to all of the lights. Here I had the opportunity to learn a different side of trafficking. I had the opportunity to learn how the traffic light manipulating software works. Part of an engineer's job also is to man different events. For example while I was interning, I had an opportunity to watch a half marathon and a police city walk be controlled by the engineers. If you have ever ran a half marathon, you will have noticed that as you run, the lights are all flashing red and the roads are blocked off to keep cars from disturbing the race. That is because engineers are watching the race go on from the traffic center and making sure traffic is moving smoothly on the outside areas. Engineers keep track of the first runner down to the last. The whole race is divided in sections that each engineer controls. This is a very busy job that last the entire day. During my internship I helped worked different events. There are on site engineers that are at the race and they come in contact with the ATSAC engineers by means of walkies talkies. I was the one who controlled the walkies talkies and spoke to the engineers as the engineers in the center worked the computers. I was able to learn everything that goes into working an event.

Interpretive: My project illustrates 30 hours of work because I was literally volunteering 30 hours by means of my log. Each day I was able to learn a new concept that will help me gain much knowledge of my field. Most people when they think of an event such as a marathon, they only think it to last 8 hours. However this isn't true because engineers have to prep for the marathon. Meaning they have to make sure ALL of the streetlight, cameras, and traffic software is working correctly. I was able to help the engineers do this as well as learn about the whole field of traffic engineering as a whole. I was able to see another branch associated with Civil Engineering.

Applied: EQ: What is most important to becoming a successful traffic engineer? My independent task helped me answer my essential question because I was able to come in contact with a different side of traffic engineering. The benefits of interning in Los Angeles is that because it is a huge city, the type of traffic engineering needed to work the city is more specialized than supposedly engineering in Glendora or Covina. You have to be able to control the lights at your desk because you are not able to run around the city like they do in Glendora. Also mostly part of traffic engineering is not only working street lights but street markings and signs. This area is a more common asset of traffic engineering and is mainly focused on. The engineers at ATSAC are more specialized with what they do. Being a successful traffic engineer entails not only being familiar with common aspects of traffic engineering, but also knowing the specialized fields, such as the things that go on with ATSAC.