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
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[Ashereng]

Do you think it is possible to arrive at such a definition as diverse a group as we are? Obviously we would have to find a definition that applies to all engineers and excludes all other professions.

This I see as the problem. We are a diverse group, and we each want our specialty to be included in the definition of "engineering".

Not all doctors make people well again.

I think what we need is to single out one or two aspect of engineering as our "definitive image". Everyone just live with that and promote it. Then, we can market that to the general public without confusing them.

By the way, if we define engineering as "technical designers", then we really are NOT engineers. We are technicians or designers.

I was thinking something more along the lines of of a catchy marketing slogan.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[UcfSE]

Engineers make the world go 'round.

Engineers make life as we know it today possible.

Engineers advance and support society.

 

[nate2003]

Engineers spend countless hours in Eng-Tips.

Applies to all fields of engineering.
Excludes non-engineers.
How can anyone argue with that?

"I have had my results for a long time, but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them." Karl Friedrich Gauss

 

[Ashereng]

Engineers - Society's problem solver. You break it, we fix it.

Nah, sounds a bit dorky.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[flch95]

i like nate's suggestion the best..lol!!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Excludes non-engineers.
How can anyone argue with that?

Very easily ... it' not true! There are many non-engineer members of Eng-Tips.

The criteria is "INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS" ... not Professional Engineers.


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[nate2003]

Well then, since we still haven't figured out what an engineer is/does, maybe you can explain what engineering professionals are/do.

"I have had my results for a long time, but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them." Karl Friedrich Gauss

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I am not and, short of a miracle, never will be a PE in any discipline, so I will not even attempt to offer a definition for what one does.

I don't believe it is possible to give a simple one or two line definition for what Engineering Professionals or Professional (or Licensed, or Certified) Engineers actully do. The levels and roles played within different (or even similar) disciplines are just too varied ... as per the Doctor analogies.

In the simplest terms I can think of, an EP is someone who possesses a skillset (physical and/or academic) which allows him/her to perform an engineering function as a livelihood.

Some interesting definitions are offered at

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&l...essional&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

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[nate2003]

Corey,
In my post about the Eng-Tips members, I was assuming this thread applied to the broad definition of engineers: those who are doing engineering work, degreed engineers, engineering professionals (whatever that difference may be), and licensed PE's. I was not referring to PE's only since I am not a PE either. The only "engineers" I remember being excluded from our definition were carpet installation "engineers", lawn mowing "engineers", etc.

Cheers.

"I have had my results for a long time, but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them." Karl Friedrich Gauss

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

nate ... I interpreted your post as a reference to Eng-Tips being exclusively for PEs (aka real engineers). There are some members who believe it should be that way.

My apologies to you if my interpretation was incorrect.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[2dye4]

Engineer
One who uses physics,materials science and applied
mathtematics to create and maintain assemblies of
physical materials that provide a usefull function.

 

[Sprocket59]

I agree that some branch of physics has to be involved. It can't just be problem solving (everyone does that). But then, are software engineers really "engineers"?

My neighbor (a "people person") once said that my job is easy because I only work with inanimate objects. I didn't strangle her.

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> But then, are software engineers really "engineers"?
Yes, they are. Programmers, on the other hand, are not.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[KENAT]

I don't like the 'Design & build" part in one of the definitions above. Build implies production lines etc, which for the most part wouldn't be staffed by engineers. Also maintenance is mentioned above again that implies the washing machine repair man/mechanic type thing. I know production/manufacturing & maintenance engineers will probably disagree but there you can't please everyone.

Design isn't strictly accurate either, a lot of engineers spend most of their time analyzing things (e.g. stress, cfd, reliability, safety, etc) or in either how to build them / maintain them as above more so than actually designing them in the first place. Plus from what I've seen in the US a lot of the actual designers aren't considered Engineers, as they don't have a degree/PE etc.

Plus on the topic of engineers needing to be PE or Chartered to use the title: all I can say is that most of the best 'engineers' I worked with didn't even have full degrees (mostly apprenticeships & the equivalent of trade school) let alone PE; and some of the worst engineers I've worked with were Chartered.

Whilst the principle of having to meet some minimum level of education/experience in order to use the title Engineer is good in theory, I would argue the current Chartered/PE/EIT way of doing things probably excludes too many good engineers and still allows some useless ones in.

Nate2003 effort on 6 June is better than anything I could probably come up with but as you’ll guess from what I’ve put, I wouldn’t totally agree.

 

[THEReifleman]

Good grief! You can tell this is a bunch of "engineering professionals". This is the kind of question you pose to an engineer for cheap entertainment while you listen to them turn a Gordian Knot into a Fractal.

How's this for a list of requirements (Good Lord knows we need guidelines or we'll drive off the road)?

1. Needs to be generally correct, ONLY.
2. Will hold a child's attention past the fifth word.
3. Fifteen words or less (preferably less).
4. Most listeners will not need to ask for definitions/followups explainations (provided #2 hasn't been violated .... the attention, not the child).

Of course, some of our explainations would probably meet grounds for prosecution. ;-)

Does this help?

 

[Ashereng]

Still need the definition and/or slogan.

Thanks.

"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?

 

[2dye4]

Sorry Rifleman

But precision is the engineers currency.

 

[Ashereng]

I thought "rule of thumb" was the engineer's currency.

"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?

 

[mechatronic]

Engineering means"assembling"

Production Engineer - assembles various resources to arrive at a product

Process Engineer - assembles various inputs to arrive at a system

Mechanical / Electrical / Civil etc Engineer- assembles various components to arrive at an assembly / product

Design Engineer - assembles various calculated subroutines / portions of conclusions / concepts / proved by science and technology to size a component or a product - which applies to all designs

procurement Engineer - needless to define - obvious from the above definitions

This is my understanding ...

mechatronic

 

[Ashereng]

Sorry mechatronic, disagree with your definition of Process Engineer. They actually don't assemble various inputs to arrive at a system most of the time. They modify the various inputs to achieve a desired effect/product most of the time.

What about engineers who come up with novel solutions? Do they simply "assemble" a new solution from bits and pieces of common knowledge. If yes, then that is also what scientists do - they build upon smaller building blocks.

"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?