Definition of an Engineer 26

[Ashereng]

I recently brought my little ones to my office, to see where I work.

They have only seen me "colour" my drawing, and working on my computer at home, and seem to think that engineering consists of:
1) drinking a lot of coffee (yes, I am cutting back)
2) colouring (I do a lot of back checking and review)
3) surfing the web (I do a lot of design and sizing on my computer)

However, this descripton aside, how would you describe/define engineering to a group of Grade 10s? I don't mean the specific type of engineers, like a piping engineer works on a project to bring oil from Alaska to Texas, but more generic

What does an "engineer" do?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[0707]

Engineer is the one who designs dreams and nightmares

 

[VeryPicky]

>>Two weeks ago I didn't even know how to spell "enjenir", and now I are ONE!<<

Putting Human Factor Back in Engineering

 

[VeryPicky]

And this one, which I can not take credit for:

Engineer (en je 'nir) n. An individual who is able to produce, with prolific abandon, streams of incomprehensible formulae based upon extremely vague assumptions and theories based on debatable figures acquired from inconclusive tests and incomplete experiments, carried out with instruments of problematic accuracyby persons of doubtful reliability and rather dubious mentality with the particular anticipation of disconcerting and annoying everyone outside of their own profession.

Putting Human Factor Back in Engineering

 

[VeryPicky]

If it exist as a thought - it is philosophy.
If it is proven by practice - it is science.
If it is built - it is engineering.
If it works - it is probably good engineering.

Putting Human Factor Back in Engineering

 

[jagad5]

Engineering is science tempered by judgement. Fresh-out engineers tend to be more scientific. Because they have no experience, they have nothing on which to base their judgement.

Just my humble opinion.



Doug

 

[satchmo]

I've heard "Applied Physicist".

I know the general public has a hard time explaining what we do, but it sounds like we have a hard time as well!

In my time, I've seen engineers doing work of accountants, managers, mechanics, etc., not to mention accross engineering disciplines (e.g. ME's doing the work of EE's, ChE's doing ME work, etc., etc.) However, I never see this process in reverse, at least not successfully. I think "professional problem solver" is good.

If you have an engineering problem, you get an engineer. An accounting problem, get an accountant. A medical problem, get a doctor. But if you have to pick just one to solve any type of problem, an engineer is your best bet (not that there's any bias here ).

 

[KENAT]

One of our interns may disagree regarding engineers as doctors. He had an infected cut on his hand. I said if it were me I'd probably just soak it in hot salt water and keep it clean. He decided to go to hospital with it. He's now had two procedures on it!

You're right though engineers end up picking up a lot of other business duties, we actually got rid of our sales team at my last place and the engineers & project managers (most of whome were engineers) took most of it on with input from the MD.

 

[satchmo]

Kenat,

True enough about the doctor thing. Maybe not the best analogy. My wife was an ER nurse and that job requires an urgent decisiveness not often associated w/ engineers.

I guess one reason it's so hard to put a simple paragraph down to describe engineering is the breadth of knowledge and experiences that it encompasses. Also, one of the reasons that it is so rewarding.

 

[HgTX]

Applied physics is its own thing.

Hg


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[productengin]

What is an Engineer?

An Engineer is a person who passes as an exacting expert on the basis of being able to turn out with prolific fortitude infinite strings of incomprehensible formulas calculated with microscopic precision from vague assumptions which are based on debatable figures taken from inconclusive experiments carried out with instruments of problematic accuracy by persons of questionable mentality and doubtful reliability for the avowed purpose of annoying and harassing a hopelessly ignorant group of esoteric fanatics referred to as lawyers.

 

[dcasto]

Civil Engineers create targets, Mechanical Engineers destroy them.

 

[KENAT]

That's weapons engineers,

Back when working on aircraft weapons systems we'd sometimes refer to other peoples products as targets to annoy them. Not just things designed by civvies but mechanical things like tanks and nautical like ships.

 

[kenvlach]

One has to watch out for engineers - they begin with the sewing machine and end up with the atomic bomb.

Accident is the name of the greatest of all inventors.

A few sources for quotes, maxims, etc. re engineering:
Requirements Engineering Proverbs, Sayings, Maxims, & Quotations --

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~iany/consultancy/proverbs.htm

A Selection of Engineering Quotes -- collected by Andy Vann

http://members.tripod.com/~mcleon/engquotes.htm

And finally, one that's perhaps too relevant to many Eng-Tips threads:

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.

Ken

 

[Shaw169]

Around here it goes,

Engineers: Those who takes R&D's ideas and turns them into a product that can by manufactured cheap enough for Sales, good enough for Quality and Marketing, and do so quick enough for Management, in a documented manner to cya for when the unknown occurs.

Not perfect but it dipicts those around me at least.

 

[eliou]

Scientists discover what already is, while engineers create what has never been.

 

[rltw]

I tell folks who ask that I work with applied physics.

 

[whyun]

Chicken or the egg?
Scientists or the engineers?
Engineers or the Marketing?

 

[ktfuller]

A scientist is someone who develops the theory or law.

An engineer is one who applies that theory or law and has to sign off on the drawing.

 

[bwforbes]

I see this thread has been inactive for a while, but here is the way that I define an engineer:

The single skill that engineers (and scientist) have that is unique to thier proffesion is the ability to quantify physical phenomena. This allows the actions/reactions of systems to be accuratly predicted. Without that ability all systems would have to be designed with a trial-and-error approach; complex, large, expensive, or potentially dangerous systems would not be feasable.

In my mind engineers and scientists have a similar core skill set, they just have different applications.

 

[YoungTurk]

"A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible."

-Freeman Dyson

I guess thats why I'm and engineer, few original ideas but a hell of a problem finder/solver.