ENGINEERING

An Exciting Profession
INTRODUCTION TO THE
ENGINEERING PROFESSION
 INTRODUCTION TO THE
ENGINEERING PROFESSION
• Engineers are problem solvers.
• Successful engineers possess good communication skills and are
team players.
• They have a good grasp of fundamental physical laws and
mathematics.
• Engineers apply physical and chemical laws and mathematics to
design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of millions of
products and services.
• They consider important factors such as sustainability, efficiency,
cost, reliability, and safety when designing products.
• Engineers are dedicated to lifelong learning and service to others.
 Some Questions?
• Possibly some of you are not yet certain you want to study
engineering during the next four years in college and may have
questions similar to the following:
Do I really want to study engineering?
What is engineering and what do engineers do?
What are some of the areas of specialization in engineering?
How many different engineering disciplines are there?
Do I want to become a mechanical engineer, or should I pursue civil
engineering?
Or would I be happier becoming an electrical engineer?
How will I know that I have picked the best field for me?
Will the demand for my area of specialization be high when I
graduate, and beyond that?
Engineering Work Is All Around You
• When you get up in the morning and turn on the lights, be assured that thousands of mechanical and
electrical engineers and technicians at power plants and power stations around the country are making
certain the flow of electricity remains uninterrupted so that you have enough power to turn the lights on
or turn on your TV to watch the morning news and weather report for the day.
Engineering Work Is All Around You
• if you live out in the country on a farm, the pump you use to bring water from the well to your home was
designed by mechanical and civil engineers
• the cotton towel was made with the help of agricultural, industrial, manufacturing, chemical, petroleum,
civil, and mechanical engineers.
• Think about the machines that were used to pick the cotton, transport the cotton to a factory, clean it, and
dye it to a pretty color that is pleasing to your eyes.
• The milk was kept fresh in your refrigerator thanks to the efforts and work of mechanical engineers who
designed the refrigerator components and chemical engineers who investigated alternative refrigerant
fluids with appropriate thermal properties and other environmentally friendly properties that can be used
in your refrigerator.
• The car you are about to drive was made possible with the help and collaboration of automotive,
mechanical, electrical, electronic, industrial, material, chemical, and petroleum engineers.
 Engineers Deal with an Increasing World
Population and Sustainability Concerns
• regardless of where we live, need the following things: food, clothing, shelter, and
water for drinking or cleaning purposes. In addition, we need various modes of transportation
to get to different places, because we may live and work in different cities or wish to visit friends
and relatives who may live elsewhere.
• Future engineers are
expected to provide goods and services that increase the standard of living and advance health
care while also addressing serious environmental and sustainability concerns.
• you have decided to study to become an
engineer, you need to realize that what you do in a few years after your graduation is very important to all of us.
The world’s current economic development is not sustainable
• the world population already uses approximately 20% more of the world’s resources than the planet can
sustain
 Engineering as a Profession and
Common Traits of Good Engineers
• we will first discuss engineering in a broad sense, and then we will focus on
selected aspects of engineering.
• What is engineering and what do engineers do? What are some of the areas of specialization in
engineering? Do I really
want to study engineering? How will I know that I have picked the best field for me? Will the
demand for my area of specialization be high when I graduate, and beyond that?

• don’t worry about finding answers to all these questions right now
 Engineering as a Profession and
Common Traits of Good Engineers
• most of the coursework during the first year of engineering is similar for all engineering students,
regardless of their specific discipline. So you have at least a year to consider various possibilities.

• you should talk to your advisor early to determine how soon you must choose an area of specialization.
• Most companies assist their engineers in acquiring further training and education to
keep up with changing technologies. A good engineering education will enable you to become
a good problem solver throughout your life, regardless of the particular problem or situation.
• Sometimes your homework may seem irrelevant, trivial, or out-of-date. Rest
assured that you are learning both content information and strategies of thinking and analysis
that will equip you to face future challenges, ones that do not even exist yet.
 What Is Engineering and What Do
Engineers Do?
• Engineers apply physical and chemical laws and principles and mathematics to design millions
of products and services that we use in our everyday lives.
• health care devices, tools and machines that makes various products, and so on (see Figure 1.3).
Engineers consider important factors such as cost, efficiency, reliability, and safety when designing these
products. Engineers perform tests to make certain that the products they design withstand various loads
and conditions. They are continuously searching for ways to improve already existing products as well.
 What Is Engineering and What Do
Engineers Do?

• Engineers play a significant role in the design and maintenance of a nation’s infrastructure, including
communication systems, public utilities, and transportation. Engineers continuously develop new,
advanced materials to make products lighter and stronger for different applications.
• Some engineers work as sales representatives for products, while others provide technical support and
troubleshooting for customers of their products. Many engineers decide to become involved in
sales and customer support, because their engineering background enables them to explain and
discuss technical information and to assist with installation, operation, and maintenance of various
products and machines. Not all engineers work for private industries; some work for federal, state, and
local governments in various capacities.
• Some engineers work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As you can see, there
are many satisfying and challenging jobs for engineers.
 Common Traits of Good Engineers
• Engineers are problem solvers. Good engineers have a firm grasp of the fundamental principles of
engineering, which they can use to solve many different problems.

• Good engineers are analytical, detailed oriented, and creative.

• Good engineers have a desire to be lifelong learners. For example, they take continuing education classes,
seminars, and workshops to stay abreast of innovations and new technologies. This is particularly important in
today’s world because the rapid changes in technology will
require you as an engineer to keep pace with new technologies. Moreover, you will risk being
laid off or denied promotion if you are not continually improving your engineering education.

• Good engineers, regardless of their area of specialization, have a core knowledge that can be
applied to many areas. Therefore, well-trained engineers are able to work outside their area
of specialization in other related fields. For example, a good mechanical engineer with a wellrounded
knowledge base can work as an automotive engineer, an aerospace engineer, or as a
chemical engineer.
 Common Traits of Good Engineers
Good engineers have written and oral communication skills that equip them to work well
with their colleagues and to convey their expertise to a wide range of clients.
• Good engineers have time-management skills that enable them to work productively and
efficiently.

• Good engineers have good “people skills” that allow them to interact and communicate
effectively with various people in their organization. For example, they are able to communicate equally well
with the sales and marketing experts and their own colleagues.

• Engineers are required to write reports. These reports might be lengthy, detailed technical
reports containing graphs, charts, and engineering drawings, or they may take the form of
brief memoranda or executive summaries.

• Engineers are adept at using computers in many different ways to model and analyze various
practical problems.
• Good engineers actively participate in local and national discipline-specific organizations by attending
seminars, workshops, and meetings. Many even make presentations at professional
meetings.
• Engineers generally work in a team environment where they consult each other to solve complex problems.
They divide up the task into smaller, manageable problems among themselves; consequently, productive
engineers must be good team player
Common Traits of Good Engineers
 Engineering Disciplines
• the various branches or specialties in engineering.
American Society of Civil Engineers
www.asce.org

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

www.asme.org

Tau Beta Pi
(All-Engineering Honor Society)
www.tbp.org

Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers
www.ieee.org

National Society of Professional Engineers

www.nspe.org

NASA Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
www.jpl.nasa.gov
 What Are Some Areas of Engineering
Specialization?
• There are over 20 major disciplines or specialties that are recognized by professional engineering
societies. Moreover, within each discipline there exist a number of branches. For example, the
mechanical engineering program can be traditionally divided into two broad areas: (1) thermal/fluid
systems and (2) structural/solid systems
 Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology
• Over 300 colleges and universities in the United States offer bachelor’s-degree programs in
engineering that are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET).
ABET examines the credentials of the engineering program’s faculty, curricular content, facilities, and
admissions standards before granting accreditation. It may be wise for you to find out the accreditation status
of the engineering program you are planning to attend.
According to ABET, accredited engineering programs must demonstrate that their
graduates, by the time of graduations, have
• an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
• an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
• an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs;
• an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
• an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
• an ability to communicate effectively;
• the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal
context;
• a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning;
• a knowledge of contemporary issues; and
• an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
 Professional Engineer
• All 50 states and the District of Columbia require registration for engineers
whose work may
affect the safety of the public. As a first step in becoming a registered professional
engineer (PE), you must have a degree from an ABET-accredited engineering
program.
You also need to take your Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE) during your
senior year. The exam lasts about eight hours and is divided into a morning and an
afternoon section. During the morning session, you will answer multiple-choice
questions in chemistry, physics, mathematics, mechanics, thermodynamics,
electrical and electronic circuits, and materials science. During the four-hour
afternoon session, you will answer multiple-choice questions specific to your
discipline, or you may choose to take a general engineering exam.
Normally, civil, mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineers seek professional
registrations.
Civil Engineering: Civil engineering is perhaps the oldest engineering discipline.
As the name
implies, civil engineering is concerned with providing public infrastructure and
services. Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of buildings, roads
and highways, bridges,
dams, tunnels, mass transit systems, and airports. They are also involved in the
design and
supervision of municipal water supplies and sewage systems. The major branches
within the civil engineering discipline include structural, environmental,
transportation, water resources, and
geotechnical. Civil engineers work as consultants, construction supervisors, city
engineers, and
public utility and transportation engineers.
 Professional Engineer
•Electrical and Electronic Engineering Electrical and electronic engineering is the
largest
engineering discipline. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise
the manufacturing of electrical equipment, including lighting and wiring for
buildings, cars, buses, trains, ships,
and aircrafts; power generation and transmission equipment for utility
companies; electric motors
found in various products; control devices; and radar equipment. The major
branches of electrical engineering include power generation, power transmission
and distribution, and controls.
Electronic engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the production of
electronic equipment,
including computer hardware; computer network hardware; communication
devices such as cellular phones, television, and audio and video equipment; as
well as measuring instruments. Growing branches of electronic engineering
include computer and communication electronics. The
job outlook for electrical and electronic engineers is good because businesses and
government
need faster computers and better communication systems.
 Professional Engineer
• Mechanical Engineering The mechanical engineering discipline, which has
evolved over the
years as new technologies have emerged, is one of the broadest engineering
disciplines.
Mechanical engineers are involved in the design, development, testing, and
manufacturing of machines, robots, tools, power generating equipment such as
steam and gas turbines, heating,
cooling, and refrigerating equipment, and internal combustion engines. The major
branches of
mechanical engineering include thermal /fluid systems and structural /solid
systems. The job
outlook for mechanical engineers is also good, as more efficient machines and
power generating equipment and alternative energy-producing devices are
needed.
chemical engineering, environmental engineering, petroleum engineering,
nuclear engineering, and materials engineering

• Environmental Engineering Environmental engineering is another new

discipline that has grown out of our concern for the environment
• Manufacturing Engineering Manufacturing engineers develop, coordinate, and
supervise the process of manufacturing all types of products.
• Petroleum Engineering Petroleum engineers specialize in the discovery and
production of oil
and natural gas.
 Professional Engineer
• Materials Engineering There are only a few engineering colleges that offer a
formal program in
materials engineering, ceramic engineering, or metallurgical engineering.
Materials engineers
research, develop, and test new materials for various products and engineering
applications.
These new materials could be in the form of metal alloys, ceramics, plastics, or
composites.
Materials engineers study the nature, atomic structure, and thermo-physical
properties of
materials. They manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of materials in
order to create
materials that are lighter, stronger, and more durable. They create materials with
specific
mechanical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and heat-transfer properties for use in
specific applications; for example, graphite
 Engineering Technology
• For those of you who
tend to be more hands-on and less interested in theory and mathematics,
engineering technology might be the right choice for you. Engineering technology
programs typically require the
knowledge of basic mathematics up to integral and differential calculus level, and
focus more
on the application of technologies and processes. Although to a lesser degree
than engineers,
engineering technologists use the same principles of science, engineering, and
mathematics to
assist engineers in solving problems in manufacturing, construction, product
development,
inspection, maintenance, sales, and research. They may also assist engineers or
scientists in
setting up experiments, conducting tests, collecting data, and calculating some
results. In
general, the scope of an engineering technologist’s work is more application-
oriented and
requires less understanding of mathematics, engineering theories, and scientific
concepts that
are used in complex designs
 Problem
• Using the Internet, find the appropriate organization for the following list of engineering disciplines.
Depending on your personal interests, prepare a brief 5-pages report/slides about the goals and missions of the
organization you have selected:

1) Civil engineering
2) Computer engineering
3) Electrical engineering
4) Electronic engineering
5) Mechanical engineering