Ethical Issues in My Profession: One of the major themes of this trip was the use of big data. As a computer engineer, I will have to be careful in considering how I collect and share this data. If data is taken or distributed without the customer’s knowledge, it could erode trust in my profession, or, at the worst, be a violation of privacy. Considering how widespread the collection and use of big data is becoming in today’s technological landscape, this issue is more relevant than ever.
Education Breadth as Professional Development: I learned a lot about the direction computer science and engineering is on at the moment, and what skills companies are looking for. For instance, almost every company we visited was investing heavily in machine learning and artificial intelligence, because they see it as having the power to shape the future.
Lifelong Learning, Continuing Education as Professional Development: One of the lessons I learned on this trip was to always be learning new things. The world is changing very rapidly, and to keep up with the demands of the ever-evolving field of computer technology, one must constantly be improving and adding to their skill set. Also, the business man from the freight forwarding industry that showed us Yangshan Port said to “always be reading”, that way you have a general knowledge of the world that allows you to stand out in your field.
Social Environment of Professional Life: This experience has really opened my eyes to what it can be like to work as a software developer for a major company. For instance, at Cheetah Mobile, the employees were treated with many amenities, and the environment was so relaxed and welcoming. I hadn’t before realized that such great work conditions really existed, and it’s something I will strive for in my professional career.
Functions of Multidisciplinary Teams: No individual has knowledge that outweighs that of a multidisciplinary team. Working in a team with business students made me realize a lot of considerations that go into starting a company and designing a product. Having a second opinion on any sort of business or engineering problem almost always leads to insights you would not have noticed yourself.