Activity 1.6 Discover Engineering

Activity 1.6 Discover Engineering

Procedure

1.      What is engineering? Based on your current perception, in a few sentences define the term “engineering”.

Engineering is creatively applying mathematical and scientific concepts in order improve or help daily life. This can be to suit a person's needs or wants.

Now investigate the engineering profession. Some websites that may be helpful in your research include the following.

·         Discover Engineering.  www.discoverengineering.org

·         Engineering Degrees 101.  http://engineeringdegrees101.com/engineering-info/why-become-an-engineer/

·         Engineer Girl. www.engineergirl.org

·         National Engineers Week. www.eweek.org

·         The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.  www.careercornerstone.org

·         Try Engineering.  www.tryengineering.org

As you perform your research, record information that will help you respond to the following. Once you have gathered sufficient information, write your responses in the spaces provided.

2.       Describe the four major disciplines of engineering and identify problems or projects that an engineer in each discipline might encounter.

·         Chemical engineering

These engineers use chemistry, physics, and math  in order to solve problems in relation with chemicals. Engineers of this discipline may work on increasing shelf life of antibiotics, new cosmetics, as well as new candy bars.

·         Civil engineering

Civil engineers are the ones to design and supervise during construction of building and infrastructures. They could be working on buildings such as skyscrapers and infrastructure such as dams, airports and highways.

·         Electrical engineering

Electrical engineers work with the flow of electricity in order to solve problems. They could be designing new products, operating or maintaining electrical equipment.  Projects they may design on include power grids, robotics, and wireless communications.

·         Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineers research, design, manufacture mechanical objects. As well as test them. Projects they may work on includes developing more fuel efficient cars, building prosthetic hands and constructing aerospace vehicles. 

3.      Choose a discipline of engineering (other than chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical) that is of interest to you. Describe this engineering field and explain how it is an extension of, specialization within, or combination of one or more of the four major engineering disciplines. (Optional – create a PowerPoint slide to describe your chosen engineering discipline.)

Aerospace Engineering revolves around aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. These people design aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. It's dependent on mechanical engineering due to combination of many mechanical components of the product. As well as  involving electrical engineering due to electronics, especially parts of spacecrafts and aircraft. Moreover chemical engineering is included when designing new materials especially for space travel.

Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20^th Century at http://www.greatachievements.org/. Choose one of the achievements listed and read the information provided about your selected achievement. Then, based on what you learn, respond to the following.

4.      Describe your selected achievement in a few sentences.

Airplanes allowed humans to travel farther and quicker. These machines host passengers traveling halfway around the world. Furthermore, air travel was new.

5.      Which major discipline of engineering do you think was most involved in the development of this achievement? Justify your answer.

Airplanes requires many mechanical engineering the most. There are machinery involved in relation with physics of traveling through fluid. Moreover, older airplanes doesn't have electronics. 

Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Grand Engineering Challenges at http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/. Review your choice of an engineering discipline in number 3 and consider how an engineer within this discipline could contribute to the solution of one or more of the grand challenges.

6.      If you were an engineer within the discipline that you chose in number 3, which engineering grand challenge would you like to work on?

I would like to work on providing energy from fusion.

7.      Describe your selected grand challenge.

Fusion is a clean and sustainable energy source that derives from by joining two hydrogen at high speeds ending up with helium while releasing tremendous amounts of energy. Humans can design a fusion reactor in a small scale. However the problem is to be able to preform the same task on a larger scale while in a efficient, economical and environmental method.

8.      Why is a solution to this challenge important to the world?

Fusion reactors will be able to meet the energy demand of the future as well in clean and sustainable method. 

9.      How could you, as an engineer in your chosen discipline, contribute to a solution to this challenge?

I could contribute by inventing a solution that deals with proper containment of radioactive particles. Since fusion involves nuclear physics. 

Conclusion

1.      What is it about “engineering” that is common to all disciplines of engineering?  That is, what makes an “engineer” an “engineer” regardless of the work one does?

All engineers apply science and math to design creative solutions to solve problems.

2.      Why do you think engineering has been called the stealth profession? (Hint: there are many internet resources that address this question.)

It's called stealth profession due to fact that many people are clueless about what the occupation does, considering it's an integral part of society.

3.      How is an engineer different from a scientist?

Scientists are the ones who would discover theories and laws while engineers apply them to solve problems.

4.      What interpersonal characteristics do you think are important to the success of an engineer of any discipline?
An engineer needs to be determined to not give up hope when their first prototype fails. He or she needs to be a critical thinker to be able to solve issues creatively while considering the criteria and constraints. In addition an engineer needs to be strong analytic to be able to define problems for the design and during the design process.