Introduction

As this is my first ever blog post and as almost no one has any idea that this blog exists, I don't know whether this post will ever be read. However, for those of you who, like me, go back and read all of the old post whenever you find a new blog, I'll try and make this intorductory post somewhat informative. My name is Jacob Morrise. My wife's name is Cassanda, and we have one son named Steven who is 9 months old. I recently returned to school as a graduate student after spending a year working as a mechanical engineer at a goverment contractor in Salt Lake City, Utah. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University - Idaho in December of 2008. As of the end of last month, April 2010, I am attending Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah. Coincidentally, I am originally from Provo, Utah. I am working to get a master's degree in mechanical engineering as well as an MBA, and I am currently working on my thesis project. Although I have not selected a specific thesis project yet, the research is directed at discovering the methods needed to design products for the poor in third world countries that will help them increase their incomes significantly. It is because of this research that this blog has been created, and it is the topic of poverty alleviation that will be the focus of this blog. However, I will be adding some personal personality to the blog try and help make it more interesting. The main purposes of this blog is to try and get information out about poverty alleviation as well as to give me a place to put my thoughts on the subject. I understand that this blog may only ever be read by my wife and a few others, but if it is successful in winning over even one person to the cause of helping to alleviate poverty throughout the world, then I feel that it will have been completely successful.