Engineering: There is much more to it than you think!
Are your students considering a career path in Engineering?
There are many disciplines they should consider.
Engineering is the field of science concerned with the
design, building, and use of engines, structures, and machines, and modern
engineers use their skills for simple machines, computer technology, and
building satellites.
Engineering is an occupation with extremely wide reach.
Engineering covers many fields and many skills. Engineers are scientists,
designers, inventors, builders and thinkers. They work to improve the state of
the world, magnify human capability and make everyday life safer and easier.
Engineering requires a specific skill set:
Understanding and practice of the scientific method
Social, cultural and economic awareness
Exceptional mathematics skills
Awareness and competence in biology, chemistry, physics and
other areas of science
Creativity
Teamwork
The many fields of engineering give us machines and devices
that help us in our daily living, and engineers of all stripes make things work
and then improve upon the original. Engineers use creativity and invention to
design solutions for global issues.
The Many Types Of Engineers
The reason many people are attracted to engineering work is
because of the variety of tasks and environments available to them.
Originally, engineering had four disciplines: chemical,
civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and each discipline had several
branches. Now, those branches have become their own disciplines.
Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace Engineers work on aircraft, aerospace vehicles and
propulsion systems. They are in research and development for new planes,
helicopters, jets, gliders, missiles and spacecraft.
Agricultural Engineering
These engineers work on conserving and developing the
world’s natural resources including soil, land, water, forests, and rivers.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineers work with physicians, doing research
and development to improve health care and medical services.
Building Services
Building Services Engineers design HVAC systems, electric
lighting and power systems, water and gas supplies, and plumbing and drainage
systems.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering examines the ways raw materials can be
changed into useful commercial end products. Researching the properties of raw
materials, design and development of appropriate machines and ongoing
evaluation of operating processes are all duties of a Chemical Engineer.
Food Engineering
Food Engineers design and develop equipment and production
systems that increase the shelf life of food while maintaining its integrity
and nutrition.
Petroleum & Petrochemical Engineering
Engineers in this field explore, discover, harvest, use and
improve oil and natural gas. They are constantly researching and testing new,
safer, more economical methods of removing oil and gas from the earth.
Pharmaceutical
The equipment that produces our millions of life-saving
medications is designed and operated by pharmaceutical engineers.
Process Control
Process Control Engineers create and maintain computer
software and systems made to control the quality and quantity of products
during manufacturing.
Production
Production Engineers make certain equipment in production
facilities is maintained and operating at peak level.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineers design infrastructure, including dams,
pipelines, bridges, roads, towers and buildings.
Geotechnical Engineering
GEs provide information on how the rocks and soil beneath a
planned structure will behave under pressure.
Hydraulics (Water) Engineering
Hydraulics Engineers plan and organize how water is
transported and removed both for large-scale and local systems.
Structural Engineering
The stresses of nature on buildings are the concern of
Structural Engineers. They must also consider human traffic, motor vehicles,
and other creators of wind, vibrations, and instabilities.
Transport Engineering
Transport Engineers design, test and improve transportation
systems, including traffic intersections, train lines, and other veins of
transportation within populated areas.
Coastal and Ocean Engineering
Coastal and Ocean Engineers work at the border between land
and the sea, in the open ocean, and understand the dynamic natural environment.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering includes electronics, computer
systems, telecommunications, and electrical power. Electrical Engineers design
and build machines and systems that create, transport, measure, control and use
electrical energy.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineers assess the impact a project has on
the air, water, soil and noise levels in the surrounding environment.
Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineers draw upon specialized knowledge and
skills in mathematics, physics, physiological and social sciences to optimize
the use of human and material resources for the most efficient outcomes in
industry.
Marine Engineering
Marine Engineers design, test, and improve machinery and
equipment used at sea. This can include propulsion units, electrical systems,
refrigeration, air conditioning, cargo handling and domestic services
equipment.
Materials Engineering
Materials Engineers test how materials behave when under
pressure, heated, or joined with other materials.
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineers turn energy into
motion and power. Mechanical Engineers design, create and improve systems and
machinery used for domestic, industrial and public use.
Minerals and Metallurgical Engineering
These engineers turn raw material into valuable products;
for example, they turn bauxite into aluminum. These engineers use different
treatments to process materials efficiently, using physical or chemical
separations and metallurgical processes.
Mining Engineering
Mining Engineers work with geologists to plan and execute
the extraction of ore and mineral deposits, along with the extraction of
non-metals like coal and uranium. They have to find the safest and cheapest way
to remove the minerals from the earth.
Resource Engineering
Resource Engineering is about the development and use of
natural resources. This includes the development, control, and conservation of
water resources, soil conservation, and other land and pollution concerns.
Risk Engineering
Risk assessment by this type of engineer involves analysis
based on chemistry, physics and other aspects of a project. They identify
potential hazards, how likely those hazards are to occur, and what response
should be made in the event the potential hazard becomes a reality.
Software Engineering
Software Engineers design and modify software systems to
support our businesses, transportation hubs, and even our digital games and
social media.
Any one of these engineering disciplines can lead to a
successful, long-term career.
Engineering Salaries
Engineering involves many specialties and there are many
opportunities for employment. Each of the disciplines listed above needs many
specialists to work in the field effectively, like aeronautical engineers,
agricultural engineers, automotive engineers, biomedical engineers, and many
more.
Following is a snapshot of what one can earn with a career
in engineering:
Engineering Occupation Average Annual Salary
Aerospace Engineers $107,700
Architectural & Engineering Managers $138,720
Biomedical Engineers $91,760
Chemical Engineers
$103,590
Civil Engineers
$87,130
Computer Hardware Engineers $110,650
Electrical Engineers
$95,780
Environmental Engineers $86,340
Health & Safety Engineers $84,850
Industrial Engineers
$85,110
Marine Engineers
$99,160
Mechanical Engineers
$87,140
Mining & Geological Engineers $100,970
Nuclear Engineers
$104,630
Petroleum Engineers $147,520
Ship Engineers $74,600
(All data from the BLS, ABET, & NCES)
Future Engineering Challenges
Despite our society’s advancements, there are still
engineering challenges facing the engineering field. Among these challenges are
the following:
Upgrading the United States infrastructure
Educating first world engineers to solve third world
problems
Promoting green engineering to improve sustainability
Identifying viable alternative energy solutions
Rethinking how cities are designed and function
Making STEM more appealing to young students
Safeguarding data and wealth from cyberattacks
Addressing climate change through engineering
Feeding the growing world population through bio-engineering
and agricultural innovation
Improving health and well-being through life sciences,
nanotechnology, and bio-engineering
To address these challenges, we need more students to join
the varied disciplines of engineering as soon as possible.
Engineers of the future need to be good decision-makers who
protect the environment and enhance the quality of life on Earth. They must
also work well with others in making the best decisions when interdisciplinary
projects are attempted.
As a result of our changing world, new disciplines of
engineering are emerging:
Earth Systems Engineering
This type of engineering seeks to acknowledge the complexity
of world problems and encourage the use of more holistic approaches, rather
than simply seeking a single solution for a problem.
Engineering for Developing Communities
As the needs of the developing world for engineering
solutions continues to increase, engineers in the industrialized can contribute
to the relief of the hunger, injustice, exploitation, and pain of people trying
to survive around the globe.
As the population continues to expand globally, engineers
may have the keys to improving life for those who suffer in poverty, with
disease, and without basic machinery to make life easier.
Conclusion
From our first practical artists and builders, to today’s
computer geniuses, engineers have defined how we live our lives, make our
contributions to society, and utilize our innate talents and skills.
Their contributions to society can be seen all around us. It
is the future of engineering to take these machines and processes to places
where the people have never dreamed of such technologies.
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