Introductory Portrait

Good day, sir or madam:

My name is Evan William Gretok, and I am a student of computer engineering technology at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. This digital portfolio is a collection of coursework for you to sample and peruse, primarily showcasing professional writing samples for various courses. My discipline requires highly refined skills in written and verbal communication, and I hope you will find my work from various courses in the past several years to be proof of my growing skill-set. From formal laboratory reports, to research papers, to design proposals, to thorough evaluations; the professional writing requirement for engineering is diverse and extensive.

I am deeply passionate about programming, electronics, and computer hardware. I have completed coursework in advanced mathematics, physics, and engineering principles, and programming. I have professional experience in information technology, user services, web application development, software testing, and databases. I am currently applying my knowledge and enthusiasm to data and information structures, digital electronics, advanced programming concepts, and embedded systems. I identify as a “maker,” and am deeply interested in the application of technology in solutions to everyday problems. I am detail-oriented, focusing not only on the solution, but on the presentation and refinement of that solution. I am an imaginative, hands-on forward thinker looking to continue learning and growing, wherever my career takes me.

I consider myself a student who is looking for not just a tested learning, but a knowledge and experience that is applied to reach a concrete goal and make a difference in people’s lives. I take my academic and professional pursuits very seriously, but I also acknowledge that my degree as well as any position I will serve in is not for me. I look not to boost my own prestige, but to contribute positively to a body of professionals who seek to do their best work for the sake of the customer, the public, and the world. I am committed to upholding the ethics, responsibilities, and integrity demanded by my field to the highest degree. I aim to act for the sake of others, using my experience and abilities to better my community and the lives of the people in it.

If you have any questions about myself or the material listed here, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information in my resume. Thank you for your time and consideration. Have a remarkably pleasant day.

Evan William Gretok

Student of Computer Engineering Technology

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Sunday, September 13, 2015

An Educator and an Engineer

As a beginning to my research into professional writing in my career path, I interviewed Professor Stanley Pisarski of the electrical engineering technology department at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.  I chose to interview Professor Stan partly because of the writing experience I gained under his guidance in electronics lab.  Professor Stan is also the writer behind most electrical engineering laboratory manuals in our program, making his perspective a very useful one.

If I had any doubts about the need for professional writing skills in my discipline, Professor Stan quickly expunged them.  He thoroughly outlined his use of professional writing, providing a double perspective as both a professional and an educator.  He noted that he typically expects to spend one to two hours a day on writing alone.  Much of this is rooted in the need for documentation of nearly all work that is done.  Professor Stan was very clear in his mindfulness that “communication in written form…is essential to work with others in the engineering field.”

I had written much previously for Professor Stan in terms of technical laboratory reports, so that was something I wanted to discuss more in depth with him.  My concerns were in the satisfactory realization of both professional and public level writing, as well as the balance of technicality and “creativity” in these reports.  Professor Stan was encouraging in his experience that, with time and practice, the ability to transition between writing for technical individuals and the general public will become seamless.  He confirmed that one should develop the aptitude to write with both sides in mind.  Professor Stan also commented that even fact-filled technical reports “can be made to be more enjoyable to read, without diluting the details, by adding some creative ideas or thoughts into the report.  It is always good to show how the information in these types of technical reports [is] applicable to real world situations.”

I deeply enjoyed my exchange with Professor Stan and have taken much away from it.  I have heard it said that an engineer is the bridge between theory and reality.  Engineers must balance feasibility, practicality, and the latest in technology, while effectively communicating with teams of experts at the concept and execution ends of the spectrum, to bring about the new.  This interview aided in my continued realization of how professional writing skills, whether for documentation or communication, are absolutely necessary for future success in this field.