An Introduction to Engineers and What They Do
Nov 29, 2007 Susan Kristoff
Boeing 737 - FreeFoto.com
Learn about the engineering profession, including the branches of engineering, what engineers do, and the contributions of engineers to society.
When someone mentions that they are an engineer, visions are conjured up of men in white shirts with black rimmed glasses and pocket protectors. While this may have been a description of a stereotypical engineer in the 1960s, the field of engineering has grown into a diverse and vibrant profession. Engineers touch almost all areas of life, from design and electronics, to agriculture and biotechnology. To put it simply, an engineer is a person who uses the tools of science and technology to to create new things and to understand existing things for the benefit of mankind.
Although there are many fields within the general profession of engineering, all of the fields have some things in common. Engineers have a solid grasp on technology, the fundamental theories of mathematics, and the basic scientific rules for their specific fields. People who study engineering were often, but not always, proficient in math and science in high school. Engineers are often curious people, anxious to learn as much as they can about a subject of interest.
Types of Engineers
Within the general umbrella of the engineering profession are many branches and specialties. Some of the more common types of engineers are:
- Mechanical Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Computer Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Biomedical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
Within each of these divisions are nearly infinite niches of engineering that cater to specific technology areas. For example, within mechanical engineering are such fields as mechanical design, analytical evaluation, structural engineering, fluids engineering, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and automation.
Engineering Employment
Engineers are employed by a wide range of companies in the United States, from small start up businesses focused on a new invention idea to large-scale companies that work on immense contracts. Engineers from different fields constantly work together to create successful products. When considering the design and manufacture of an aircraft, for example, the workforce behind the development will include aeronautical engineers optimizing airflow paths, analysis engineers evaluating the strength of landing gear developed by design engineers, electronics engineers developing wiring methods and pilot controls, ergonomic engineers designing comfortable seating and computer engineers programming the aircraft operation systems, including everything from the autopilot system to the cabin crew call system.
Engineering Schools
There are many colleges and universities across the country that provide degrees in engineering, from bachelor's degrees to PhDs. Some colleges, such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute primarily cater to developing engineers and scientists. Many schools, such as state universities, have a college of engineering within them. Admission to engineering schools is highly competitive, and applicants that are chosen are often in the top of their high school class with extracurricular and leadership activities that show they are capable of the rigorous workload that awaits them when they enroll.
Professional Societies
For every field of engineering, there is an engineering society available for like-minded people to get together and share information. Engineering societies, such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) or the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) have national technical meetings where people can present papers and network with other engineers. Many societies also have local branches who conduct meetings of interest to the local engineers. In addition to societies for specific fields of engineering, societies also exist for demographics within the engineering profession, such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
Engineers literally create what the world uses, from cell phones to the latest innovation in biotechnology. The image of the stereotypical engineer may have changed, but the advances in technology that they consistently create continues.
© 2007 Susan Kristoff
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