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Humans of USU: Engineering student admires Da Vinci

The Utah Statesman interviewed Daniel Gomez, a sophomore majoring in engineering from Rigby, Idaho.

Utah Statesman: What brought you to Utah State?

Daniel Gomez: I would attend USU every summer for basketball camps and stuff like that, so I knew the campus and I’m in engineering and they have a good engineering program.


US: What’s your favorite thing about the engineering program?

DG: I like the challenge behind it because I like being challenged by the problems and different issues like that.


US: What are some of your hobbies?

DG: I like music production, working out and being fit and playing sports like basketball and football.


US: What’s your favorite TV show?

DG: I actually just finished “White Collar” and I enjoyed that a lot, and now I’m starting “House of Cards.”


US: Do you have any fun plans for spring break?

DG: I might just go visit some family in California. I haven’t seen them in a while, so that will be nice, but nothing too crazy. It’s in northern California, close to Sacramento.


US: If you could go back in time and meet anyone, who would it be and why?

DG: I would probably travel back to meet Da Vinci. I read some stuff on him recently, and I just think he was really ahead of his time with a lot of his ideas, but he didn’t have the resources, I guess, at the time to do what he wanted with them.


US: He was heavily criticized during his life as well.

DG: I think that happens with every person who is kind of ahead of their time. I mean, you look at people now that are criticized in different fields, and I think later on, looking back, we’ll be like, “Oh, he knew something.” I think that there’s a fine line between being a genius and being insane, which is pretty weird, but I really think there is a fine line between the two.


US: Who is one of the most influential people in your life?

DG: I would just have to say my parents really because ever since I was younger, they would just kind of instill me with these ideas, and I mean, I have some influence from them, but they really pushed creating your own ideas and having your own experiences with school, reading — different things like that.


US: February is Black History Month. What does that mean to us here in the U.S., especially given recent events in Ferguson and other areas?

DG: I just think that especially with things going on, it’s good that people are talking about them. You know, when people say, “What’s the answer to them?” I don’t know. I don’t think anyone really knows, but to start talking about it, to start thinking, because a lot of people want to say, “You know racism is dead,” but it’s really not, and it’s going to take time to ultimately find a solution to, but the first step is being aware and starting to talk about it.