Activity 1.6 Discover Engineering
1. What is engineering? Based on your current perception, in a few sentences define the term “engineering.”
Now investigate the engineering profession. Some websites that may be helpful in your research include the following.
2. Describe the four major disciplines of engineering and identify problems or projects that an engineer in each discipline might encounter.
Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century athttp://www.greatachievements.org/ (Links to an external site.). 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.
5. Which major discipline of engineering do you think was most involved in the development of this achievement? Justify your answer.
Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Grand Engineering Challenges at http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/ (Links to an external site.). Review your choice of an engineering discipline in item 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 item 3, which engineering grand challenge would you like to work on?
7. Describe your selected grand challenge.
8. Why is a solution to this challenge important to the world?
9. How could you, as an engineer in your chosen discipline, contribute to a solution to this challenge?
Now investigate the engineering profession. Some websites that may be helpful in your research include the following.
- Discover Engineering www.discoverengineering.org (Links to an external site.)
- Engineer Girl www.engineergirl.org (Links to an external site.)
- The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center www.careercornerstone.org (Links to an external site.)
- Try Engineering www.tryengineering.org (Links to an external site.)
2. Describe the four major disciplines of engineering and identify problems or projects that an engineer in each discipline might encounter.
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century athttp://www.greatachievements.org/ (Links to an external site.). 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.
5. Which major discipline of engineering do you think was most involved in the development of this achievement? Justify your answer.
Visit the National Academy of Engineering website on the Grand Engineering Challenges at http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/ (Links to an external site.). Review your choice of an engineering discipline in item 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 item 3, which engineering grand challenge would you like to work on?
7. Describe your selected grand challenge.
8. Why is a solution to this challenge important to the world?
9. How could you, as an engineer in your chosen discipline, contribute to a solution to this challenge?
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
2. Why do you think engineering has been called the stealth profession? (Hint: there are many Internet resources that address this question.)
3. How is an engineer different from a scientist?
4. What interpersonal characteristics do you think are important to the success of an engineer of any discipline?
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
2. Why do you think engineering has been called the stealth profession? (Hint: there are many Internet resources that address this question.)
3. How is an engineer different from a scientist?
4. What interpersonal characteristics do you think are important to the success of an engineer of any discipline?