Activity1.

6DiscoverEngineering

Introduction
Whatisengineering?Manypeoplehavedifficultyansweringthisquestion.Infact,
engineeringisadiversefieldtherearemanydisciplineswithinengineeringthatcan
involvetheapplicationofaverydifferentbodyofknowledgeandskills.Nearly
everythingthatisnotnatural(i.e.,createdbyMotherNature)mostlikelywasdesigned
andcreatedwithinputfromengineers.Theshampooyouusedthismorningtowash
yourhair,thetechnologythatcleansthewateryoudrink,thebuildingsinwhichyoulive,
work,andattendschool,andtheiPhoneyouusetocommunicateallinvolvedthe
expertiseofengineersintheinitialdesign,buildingandtesting,andfinalproduction.

Allengineersareproblemssolvers.Thedifferencesamongengineersinvarying
disciplinesaredependentonthetypesofproblemsthattheysolve.Ingeneralthereare
fourmajordisciplineswithintheengineeringfield:chemical,civil,electrical,and
mechanical.Manyotherengineeringdisciplinesarederivedasanextensionofor
specializationwithinoneofthesemajordisciplines.Forexample,environmental
engineeringisasubcategoryofcivilengineering.Otherengineeringdisciplineshave
resultedfromthecombinationofaspectsoftwoormoreofthemajordisciplines.
Mechatronicsisarelativelynewbranchofengineeringthatincorporatesboth
mechanicalandelectricalengineeringprinciples.

Inthisactivityyouwillinvestigatethefourmajordisciplinesofengineeringandconsider
theirimpactonyouandtheworld.

Equipment
Engineeringnotebook
Pencil
Computerwithinternetaccess

Procedure
1. Whatisengineering?Basedonyourcurrentperception,inafewsentencesdefine
thetermengineering.

Nowinvestigatetheengineeringprofession.Somewebsitesthatmaybehelpfulinyour
researchincludethefollowing.
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DiscoverEngineering.www.discoverengineering.org
EngineeringDegrees101.
http://engineeringdegrees101.com/engineeringinfo/whybecomeaneng
ineer/
EngineerGirl.www.engineergirl.org
NationalEngineersWeek.www.eweek.org
TheSloanCareerCornerstoneCenter.www.careercornerstone.org
TryEngineering.www.tryengineering.org

Asyouperformyourresearch,recordinformationthatwillhelpyourespondtothefollowing.
Onceyouhavegatheredsufficientinformation,writeyourresponsesinthespaces
provided.

2. Describethefourmajordisciplinesofengineeringandidentifyproblemsorprojects
thatanengineerineachdisciplinemightencounter.

Chemicalengineering

Civilengineering

Electricalengineering

Mechanicalengineering

3. Chooseadisciplineofengineering(otherthanchemical,civil,electricaland
mechanical)thatisofinteresttoyou.Describethisengineeringfieldandexplain
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howitisanextensionof,specializationwithin,orcombinationofoneormoreofthe
fourmajorengineeringdisciplines.(OptionalcreateaPowerPointslideto
describeyourchosenengineeringdiscipline.)

VisittheNationalAcademyofEngineeringwebsiteontheGreatestEngineering
Achievementsofthe20
th
Centuryathttp://www.greatachievements.org/.
Chooseoneoftheachievementslistedandreadtheinformationprovidedabout
yourselectedachievement.Then,basedonwhatyoulearn,respondtothefollowing.

4. Describeyourselectedachievementinafewsentences.

5. Whichmajordisciplineofengineeringdoyouthinkwasmostinvolvedinthe
developmentofthisachievement?Justifyyouranswer.

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VisittheNationalAcademyofEngineeringwebsiteontheGrandEngineering
Challengesathttp://www.engineeringchallenges.org/.Reviewyourchoiceofan
engineeringdisciplineinnumber3andconsiderhowanengineerwithinthis
disciplinecouldcontributetothesolutionofoneormoreofthegrandchallenges.

6. Ifyouwereanengineerwithinthedisciplinethatyouchoseinnumber3,which
engineeringgrandchallengewouldyouliketoworkon?

7. Describeyourselectedgrandchallenge.

8. Whyisasolutiontothischallengeimportanttotheworld?

9. Howcouldyou,asanengineerinyourchosendiscipline,contributetoasolutionto
thischallenge?

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Conclusion
1. Whatisitaboutengineeringthatiscommontoalldisciplinesofengineering?That
is,whatmakesanengineeranengineerregardlessoftheworkonedoes?

2. Whydoyouthinkengineeringhasbeencalledthestealthprofession?(Hint:there
aremanyinternetresourcesthataddressthisquestion.)

3. Howisanengineerdifferentfromascientist?

4. Whatinterpersonalcharacteristicsdoyouthinkareimportanttothesuccessofan
engineerofanydiscipline?
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