NIKO BARDACKE
Blog #1 A fun summer vacation and hopefully an even better year.
This summer I took a trip to Greece. I especially enjoyed the Acropolis Museum, which not only did it have air conditioning, but it was interesting to see the different restoration projects. I then visited two islands, Milos and Crete. Milos was a more touristy island with trademark white houses and blue doors. I was so happy I wasn’t driving as the roads were narrow, steep, and unpaved. I enjoyed Crete more because it felt like its own little city and community. Although the economy was still largely supported by tourism, the island didn’t completely cater to tourists.
Right before a bout with Covid, I volunteered with a company called Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). LACI’s mission is to create an inclusive green economy for Los Angeles by unlocking innovation, market transportation, and enhancing community programs. At LACI, I updated an inventory of assets available to clean energy entrepreneurs under LACI’s guidance. During this experience, the main thing I learned was how an office functions. Presentations and meetings are under strict time constraints, while individual work is given more leeway.
Now that school is back in session, I’m looking forward to this engineering class. I enjoy classes that are interdisciplinary and thrive in them. I’m also excited to participate in the JPL Invention Challenge. We have a solid group and a chance to win. For this year in general, I can’t wait to finish college applications. The feeling of accomplishment will hopefully make up for the long months of work.