Example Cambridge Engineering Interview

Trinity College, Cambridge

8 Oct 201844:14

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe transcript details an interview process at Trinity, where candidates are assessed through interviews, grades, school statements, and personal statements. The interview involves a math test and a half-hour discussion on the answers. A unique aspect is a problem-solving interview, where the candidate, Ellie, a first-year natural scientist, is asked to estimate the power usage of a toy that hovers and moves rapidly. The interviewer emphasizes the importance of the thought process and interaction over the exact answer. Ellie initially takes a wrong approach but, with guidance, correctly applies physics concepts to estimate power usage. The interviewer appreciates Ellie's flexibility, problem-solving skills, and algebraic competence, despite a minor numerical mistake. The discussion highlights the value of simplifying complex problems and the importance of understanding fundamental concepts in engineering and physics.

Takeaways

📚 The interview is one part of a multi-faceted assessment process which includes grades, school statements, personal statements, and educational background.
🗣️ Interviews are interactive, with questions asked and discussions evolving, leading each interview to take a unique direction.
📊 Trinity College includes a math test where students answer questions, some of which may cover topics not yet encountered in school.
⏱️ A good student might answer about half of the ten math test questions, which are designed to challenge and not necessarily expect a perfect score.
🎓 The interview process consists of a specialized interview (math interview) followed by a general interview focusing on problem-solving skills.
🔍 The interviewer is interested in the student's thought process and approach to finding answers rather than just the correct answer itself.
👩‍🔬 Ellie, a first-year natural scientist, is being interviewed by someone unfamiliar to her, which introduces an element of novelty and challenge.
🧪 Ellie's personal statement discussed her high-level project work, including methods to measure the electron's mass and charge, and her exploration of the chemistry behind paint colors.
🤔 The problem-solving question involves estimating the power usage of a toy, which requires a step-by-step logical approach and consideration of various physical principles.
💡 The importance of simplifying complex problems, using diagrams, and algebraic manipulation is highlighted as key to solving the problem at hand.
📉 A slight numerical mistake in the final calculation does not detract from the overall understanding and correct approach to the problem.
👍 Ellie's flexibility, receptiveness to guidance, and ability to work through the problem methodically were seen as strengths in the interview.

Q & A

What are the components of the assessment process described in the transcript?
-The assessment process includes interviews, grades, school statements, personal statements, and an educational background check. Additionally, there's a math test and a general interview.
What is the purpose of the math test before the interview?
-The math test consists of about ten questions that students answer before the interview. It is designed to see how students approach problems they may not have encountered before, with an expectation that a good student will answer around five of those questions.
How does the interview process begin and evolve?
-The interview starts with a typical question, but it is designed to be interactive, so the discussion evolves and takes its own direction. It is a two-way interaction that assesses how the candidate works within such a dynamic.
What is Ellie's background, and how does it relate to the interview?
-Ellie is a first-year natural scientist, related to engineering but not having done the engineering course yet. This makes her a suitable candidate to react to new types of questions during the interview.
What was the high-level project Ellie mentioned in her personal statement about?
-Ellie's high-level project involved methods to measure the electron's mass and charge. She used a method involving oil spray and radiation to ionize droplets and measured their terminal velocity in an electric field to determine the charge.
How did Ellie approach the error analysis in her project?
-Ellie focused on significant error analysis by adding up all identifiable errors, including reading errors and human errors associated with the equipment used. She also used Excel to calculate the error in the gradient when plotting a graph.
What was the second part of Ellie's project about?
-The second part involved using diffraction gratings and the Bragg equation to determine the mass of electrons by measuring the deflection angle of accelerated electrons passing through the grating.
What was the problem-solving question asked during the interview?
-The problem-solving question was about estimating the power usage of a toy that hovers and moves around the room. The focus was on understanding how the student approaches the problem rather than the exact answer.
null
-null
How did Ellie approach the problem-solving question?
-Ellie initially went in the wrong direction but was receptive to guidance. She started to make progress by writing down her thoughts, drawing a diagram, and simplifying the situation to a model that could be visualized and solved step by step.
What was the significance of the toy in the problem-solving question?
-The toy was used as a practical example to prompt a discussion about power usage. It served as a tool to engage Ellie in a problem-solving exercise that required her to apply physics concepts to a real-world scenario.
What was the final step in solving the problem-solving question?
-The final step involved calculating the velocity of the air being pushed down by the toy's blades and using the principles of conservation of momentum to relate the force exerted by the toy to the rate of change in momentum, which could then be used to estimate power.
What was the interviewer's assessment of Ellie's performance?
-The interviewer found Ellie's responses to be good, particularly noting her truthfulness regarding her personal statement and her ability to be receptive to guidance when nudged in the right direction during the problem-solving exercise. There were minor numerical errors, but the overall approach and understanding were commendable.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Interview Process and Student Assessment

The paragraph discusses the multi-faceted assessment process at Trinity, which includes interviews, grades, school statements, personal statements, and educational background. Interviews are designed to be interactive, with a math test preceding the actual interview. The focus is on how students approach problem-solving rather than the exact answer. The interviewee, Ellie, is a first-year natural scientist new to engineering, and the interviewer aims to assess her problem-solving skills with a novel question.

05:00

🧐 Ellie's Scientific Projects and the Interview

Ellie discusses her high-level project work involving measuring the electron's mass and charge, using oil spray and radiation to ionize droplets and determine their terminal velocity under an electric field. She also talks about her work on pigments and the chemistry behind paint colors, including precipitation reactions and creating glass for color. The interviewer transitions to a problem-solving question about a toy's power consumption, emphasizing the importance of the thought process over the exact answer.

10:01

🤔 Estimating Power Consumption of a Toy

The conversation shifts to estimating the power used by a toy that hovers and moves around. The focus is on understanding the forces at play, such as air resistance and the need to maintain the propellers' rotation. The discussion involves estimating the speed of the propellers, using a light gate to measure revolutions, and considering the force required to maintain rotation. The interviewer guides Ellie through the problem, encouraging her to think aloud and estimate various parameters.

15:08

🚁 Relating Forces and Power in Hovering Objects

The paragraph explores the concept of power in relation to a hovering object, like a helicopter. It discusses the forces acting on the air and how the helicopter's blades displace air to create lift. The conversation involves calculating the force pushing upwards, relating it to the power, and considering the torque at the ends of the blades. The interviewer helps Ellie simplify the problem by focusing on the hovering state and the forces involved.

20:10

📐 Diagramming the Problem for Clarity

Ellie and the interviewer use a diagram to visualize the problem, considering the forces acting on the air and the hovering toy. They discuss the volume of air moved by the blades per second and the mass of this air column. The focus is on calculating the change in momentum of the air to find the force exerted by the toy, which is then related to power. The process involves algebraic manipulation and dimensional analysis to ensure the correctness of the approach.

25:13

🔢 Estimating and Calculating Power

The paragraph involves estimating various parameters such as the weight of the toy, the area of the blades, and the density of air. Using these estimates, Ellie and the interviewer calculate the velocity of the air moved by the blades and then use this to find the power consumed by the toy. The process includes algebraic calculations and a recheck of the dimensions to confirm the approach's validity. Despite a minor numerical mistake, the overall method and understanding are praised.

30:15

📝 Reflecting on the Interview Experience

The interviewer reflects on Ellie's performance during the interview. He notes that while she initially went in the wrong direction with the problem-solving question, she was receptive to guidance and corrected her approach. The interviewer appreciates Ellie's ability to create a simplified model of the problem, her algebra skills, and her flexibility in adjusting her thought process. He also mentions that minor numerical errors are not a concern as long as the underlying equation and approach are correct.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Interview

An interview is a conversation where questions are asked about someone's knowledge, skills, or experiences. In the context of the video, it is a crucial part of the assessment process, alongside grades and personal statements, to evaluate a candidate's suitability for a program. The video emphasizes the interactive nature of the interview, where the discussion evolves based on the candidate's responses.

💡Problem-Solving

Problem-solving refers to the ability to analyze a difficult situation and come up with effective solutions. It is a key concept in the video, as the interviewer poses a question to the candidate to observe how they approach and work towards an answer. The candidate's process of thinking and the steps taken to solve the problem are more important than the exact answer.

💡Educational Background

Educational background refers to the academic history and qualifications of an individual. In the script, it is mentioned as one of the factors considered in the assessment process. The candidate's educational background provides context for their knowledge and skills, which are then further explored during the interview.

💡Personal Statement

A personal statement is a written document where an individual expresses their interests, experiences, and goals, often as part of an application process. In the video, the personal statement is used to gain insight into the candidate's extracurricular activities, such as their project work on measuring the electron's mass and charge, which is later discussed in the interview.

💡Math Test

A math test is an examination that assesses a student's knowledge and skills in mathematics. In the context of the video, the math test is administered before the interview, with the candidate required to answer a set of questions. The performance on this test, particularly the ability to answer questions on topics not yet covered in school, is used as an indicator of the student's potential.

💡Engineering

Engineering is a professional discipline that involves the application of scientific principles to design, build, and maintain structures, machines, or systems. The candidate in the video is described as a first-year natural scientist related to engineering, indicating that the interview and assessment process is relevant to fields that involve technical and analytical skills.

💡Experimental Errors

Experimental errors refer to the deviations between the actual and predicted values in a scientific experiment. The candidate discusses these errors in the context of their project work, mentioning both reading errors and human errors, as well as the process of error analysis which is crucial for obtaining accurate and reliable results.

💡Conservation of Momentum

The conservation of momentum is a fundamental principle in physics, stating that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if no external forces act on it. In the video, this principle is applied to understand the hovering toy's operation, where the candidate uses it to relate the force exerted by the toy's blades to the air with the power consumption.

💡Torque

Torque is a measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. It is defined as the product of the force applied and the distance from the axis at which the force is applied. In the script, the concept of torque is discussed in the context of calculating the power used by the hovering toy, where the rotational force of the blades is considered.

💡Power Calculation

Power calculation involves determining the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. In the video, the candidate is tasked with estimating the power used by the toy. The process involves understanding and calculating various factors such as force, velocity, and momentum, which are then integrated to estimate the power consumption.

💡Density of Air

The density of air refers to the mass of air per unit volume and is a key factor in fluid dynamics and aerodynamics. In the context of the video, the candidate is expected to have a general understanding of the air's density, which is used in the power calculation for the hovering toy. The candidate's estimation of the air's density is part of the problem-solving process.

Highlights

Interviews are an integral part of the assessment process alongside grades, school statements, and personal statements.

The interview is designed to be an interactive event where the discussion evolves from a starting question.

Trinity College conducts a math test where students answer about ten questions before the interview.

High-performing students often tackle questions on topics not yet covered in school.

The interview process includes a half-hour discussion about the math test questions and the student's approach to finding answers.

Interviewers are looking for the student's problem-solving process rather than just the correct answer.

Ellie, a first-year natural scientist, is interviewed by someone outside of her field, introducing novel questions.

Ellie's personal statement discussed her high-level project work on measuring the electron's mass and charge.

She used experimental methods involving oil spray, radiation sources, and electric fields to ionize droplets.

Ellie's project involved significant error analysis, including both human and systematic errors.

She also explored the chemistry behind paint colors through pigment creation and precipitation reactions.

The interview included a problem-solving exercise about calculating the power usage of a toy that hovers and moves rapidly.

Ellie demonstrated flexibility and receptivity to guidance when redirected during the problem-solving process.

The problem-solving exercise involved estimating the speed of the toy's propellers and calculating the force and power required.

Ellie's approach to the problem improved significantly when she started to write down equations and draw diagrams.

The final answer involved relating the force on the air to the change in momentum and calculating the power from that relationship.

Ellie's performance was marked by good algebra skills and a methodical approach to simplifying the problem.

The interviewer emphasized the importance of the student's thought process and ability to work through a problem interactively.

Ellie's interview concluded with positive feedback on her truthfulness, impressive project work, and problem-solving skills.

Transcripts

Browse More Related Video

Oxford University Engineering Interview

Chemistry Demonstration Interview

Lyft/Uber Metric Interview Question and Answer: Tips for Data Science Interview Success!

Software Engineering Job Interview – Full Mock Interview

Oxford University Mathematician takes Admissions Interview (with @AnotherRoof)

Physics Demonstration Interview

Related Tags

Interview Process Problem Solving Critical Thinking Physics Application Educational Assessment Student Interaction Engineering Concepts Cambridge Exams Maths Test Natural Sciences Project Work