Today, we had an eventful day attending company visits at Titan Cement and Athens Airport. I had never previously looked into companies that deal with cement and airways, so having this experience allowed me to gain valuable insight that I can use in my career that will positively impact society. At Titan Cement, we discussed details about how they have vertically integrated their cement development process to serve the U.S., UK, and Greece. The biggest takeaway was related to how they have committed themselves to sustainability. Learning how they rehabilitate the land that a limestone quarry was on after it has been depleted represents their care for utilizing the space in the most effective and least wasteful way possible. They also use 50% coal and 50% alternative fuel methods like old tires, sewage etc. They are working to improve these percentages. Seeing how they have committed themselves to sustainability in a difficult industry to do so shows me that if I am committed to the same, I can make it happen. The world is constantly improving and becoming more developed, so if I am committed to helping society through sustainability, I can do this in my bioengineering practices in a professional environment. 

At the Athens airport, all of the representatives we spoke to stressed the importance of customer service and streamlining the travel experience for travelers of all backgrounds. This includes people who have language barriers, children, or elderly. Their commitment to making the travel process as comfortable as possible is inspiring and makes me want to ensure that any technology that I may ever work on, develop, or research will be beneficial to society. I want to ensure that anyone who ever touches my product feels comfortable and does not feel confused handling it. Overall, my experiences today have shown me that if I commit myself to making the world a better place for others and streamlining the effectiveness, usability, and efficiency of my products or research, I can better serve people. I am excited to make more memories on my last day in Athens before we depart early Friday morning.