Women In Engineering Organization

What is Engineering?

What is the official definition of engineering?
Here, Dictionary.com offers its definition:

en·gi·neer·ing (nj-nîrng) n. Abbr. e., E., eng.

1. a. The application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes, and systems. b. The profession of or the work performed by an engineer.

2. Skillful maneuvering or direction: geopolitical engineering; social engineering.

Dictionary.com. Lexico LLC 26 April. 2001.

Though the definition may clue you in on what engineering is about, it doesn't communicate the essence or the greatness of engineering or what engineers really do. So, what's so great about engineers and engineering anyway?

The amazing thing about engineering is that it touches almost every aspect of our lives. Because of engineers, we get up in the morning thanks to those annoying alarm clocks. We eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner because engineers have designed machines for farmers to use to harvest crops and machines to produce massive amounts of food at once. If engineers didn't exist, you wouldn't be reading this on a computer because computers wouldn't exist. You would have to swim across a waterway because an engineer wouldn't have been around to build a bridge for you to cross it. And you wouldn't have a car available to you to take another route. Kids wouldn't have those cool video games to play on rainy days, or comfortable funky sneakers to play outside in. There wouldn't be amusement park rides and we would never have visited outer space or even looked closely at a star. Engineering is all about creating! Think about all the things we would be missing if engineers weren't around!

So, what does it take to be an engineer? After all, engineers aren't born; they're made. You could be a natural at certain things that would be great qualities for engineers to have. For example, mathematics and/or science may come very easily to you or maybe you enjoy solving problems and discovering how things work. If any of these hold true for you, engineering might be something you should consider pursuing.

Becoming an engineer isn't something you can accomplish without working hard, however. So, what does it take to be an engineer? An engineer needs to be well educated, good at math and/or science as well as solving problems. Also, creativity, persistence, and the desire to make the world a better place are three great qualities for engineers to have.

Just because all of the above qualities are desirable in engineers, doesn't mean that all engineers are the same, though. Check out all of the various types of engineers and what they do. Which field of engineering peaks your interest?

Find out more about engineering at www.discoverengineering.org

Type of Engineers

What They Do

Aerospace Design and build aircrafts
Agricultural Create various food production processes
Architectural Concerned with building issues
Biomedical Design medical equipment and materials
Ceramic Convert materials into ceramic products
Chemical Use chemistry to improve materials like plastics
Civil Design and build things (bridges) used by the public
Computer Design and create hardware & software
Construction Plan and build buildings
Electrical / Electronic Design electronics & work on producing electricity
Engineering Management Manage engineers and focus on r & d, operations…
Engineering Physics Incorporate math and physics into engineering
Environmental Design processes relating to environmental issues
Geological Work on recovering Earth's minerals
Geotechnical Experts on soil and the structures it will hold
Industrial Help organizations to operate efficiently
Manufacturing Design manufacturing operations and products
Marine / Ocean Design structures for use in and around the water
Materials Develop new materials to improve products
Mechanical Design and develop all things mechanical
Metallurgical Focus on the processes relating to metals
Mining Design processes relating to mining
Nuclear Focus on the processes of nuclear power plants
Petroleum Find oil and gas and design things like oil wells
Software Design and create software for computers
Structural Plan and design various structures
Surveying Determine correct locations for projects
Systems Know how to manage large groups of resources

Need some more reasons for why you should choose engineering? Come to Why Choose Engineering? and find out why others chose to enter into the exciting field of engineering.