Lessons from the Bridge Collapse
Explore the role of failure in successful engineering. Narrate a first-person account or a journalistic investigation into a significant engineering failure (like the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse or the Challenger space shuttle disaster) and the lessons learned that shaped future practices.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
Writing essays
A mind at work, one subject at a time.
An essay collection gathers short nonfiction pieces: personal, critical, funny or all three. What ties them together is the writer's voice and way of seeing.
What readers expect
- A distinctive voice
- Personal stakes
- Surprising connections
- Pieces that stand alone
A tip before you start
Follow a question, not a thesis. The pleasure of an essay is watching someone think.
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- Engineering and Moral ResponsibilityDiscuss the ethical implications of a recent engineering advancement—such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, or renewable energy…
- Questions for a Pioneer EngineerImagine you're interviewing a pioneering engineer from the 20th century. Prepare a list of insightful questions you would ask about their greatest…
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