Young Engineering Bag Lunch - Topics for Conversation 2

[sticksandtriangles]

Hello fellow eng-tip browsers,

I come to you today asking for topics that you think would be good for younger engineers to know better.

A little background, my company has asked me to lead a young engineer bag lunch forum about every other month with the goal of having an open form of communication and to share tough engineering problems that young engineers are faced with once the guy in charge says analyze this. The goal is to expose young engineers on how to problem solve/solve unique design challenges.

For my first forum, I was going to present on the direct analysis method and do some design examples out of the steel manual worked solutions. The goal here is to show the potential pitfalls of the associated software we have and to show how to properly do a direct analysis method per AISC (P delta affects, reduced AE, notional loads, etc).

Can you think of any other topics that I should add to my list to present on? Is there something that is often difficult for younger engineers to grasp that you like everyone to have a basic understanding of (I'm thinking potentially a forum on diaphragm design and lateral load paths)?

Your thoughts and opinions are welcome!
Thanks,
S&T

 

[Teguci]

Old guys can't delegate experience. They need to share it. And, for the future success of the company and engineering field they should make time at these luncheons to present their experience to the next generation. Delegating this to young engineers is a missed opportunity.

 

[Settingsun]

Perhaps a session on being a design engineer as opposed to technical discussions about designing. Topics like:

Keeping proper calculations. I've seen many examples where another engineer would have no chance of plucking up a project, and a couple where young engineers couldn't follow their own calcs a few months after the fact.

What a QA review is and isn't. The importance of self-checking and methods to do so.

Division of responsibility between engineers and drafters at your company. What can/should be put onto the builder to detail.

Safety in design responsibilities.

Protecting the company from client changes-of-mind having to be redone for no additional fee. Eg getting concept/schematic designs approved in writing before spending the budget on detailed design.