4 answers
Ziah
Student
Saint Michael, Minnesota
2
Questions
Asked
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What roles do engineers play in society?
I am interested in engineering fields, specifically industrial, mechanical, or chemical.
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4 answers
Spencer Thiel
Software Engineer
2
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Spencer’s Answer
Look around your room; everything you see was either made or designed by an engineer. Not only the things you see, but the things you don't electricity, water, pharmaceuticals, it all comes from engineering.
Many people who are trained in traditional engineering fields like electrical and mechanical engineering end up working as software engineers. These are great fields to major in because you have a lot of career flexibility.
There are so many things that engineers create, it's useful to think about what things interest you in the world and focus on the types of engineers that work in those fields.
Find people in your town that work as engineers and ask them if you can follow them around for a day. You can probably ask teachers at your high school for help figuring out where to find local engineers and what kind of questions you can ask them.
There are lots of books that show how young people have changed the world through engineering. Try reading "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Harnessed-Wind-Electricity/dp/0061730335
Many people who are trained in traditional engineering fields like electrical and mechanical engineering end up working as software engineers. These are great fields to major in because you have a lot of career flexibility.
There are so many things that engineers create, it's useful to think about what things interest you in the world and focus on the types of engineers that work in those fields.
Spencer recommends the following next steps:
Girish S
Engineering Management
1
Answer
Kirkland, Washington
Updated
Girish’s Answer
Engineering is also a great starting point for you to develop analytical thinking and as a stepping stone to deciding other career paths.
Roberto Fernandez
Servant Leader Apprentice
44
Answers
Miami, Florida
Updated
Roberto’s Answer
Ziah,
Engineers, in general, make the possible, practical. Engineers move ideas forwards and solve problems by applying scientific knowledge in order to bring about solutions that are both practical and economical. Expanding on some of the examples: scientists may discover that a certain chemical reaction produces a new substance with the potential of solving a problem. Engineers find the way to actually devise the processes and mechanisms in order make it possible at a scale outside of the lab. Sometimes even in order to make the experiments possible engineers are called in.
A chemical engineer would ultimately be responsible for designing the larger scale processes involved in the production of common items such as fertilizers, rubber or soap and countless other processes such as extracting metals from ore and refining fuels.
A mechanical engineer is easier to imagine designing engines and machines of all kinds, putting in practice the physics behind aerodynamics and rocketry in order to come up with the mechanisms that actually make airplanes and rocket fly.
I'd say that Mechanical and Chemical engineers deal with practical aspects of processes around mater, whereas Industrial Engineers are more focused on the processes themselves from the peoples perspective and necessarily the more mechanical aspects of the other more classical engineering fields.
Al in all we do not have enough engineers, not even close so I'm excited every time some young person such as yourself is interested.
I wish you good luck !
Engineers, in general, make the possible, practical. Engineers move ideas forwards and solve problems by applying scientific knowledge in order to bring about solutions that are both practical and economical. Expanding on some of the examples: scientists may discover that a certain chemical reaction produces a new substance with the potential of solving a problem. Engineers find the way to actually devise the processes and mechanisms in order make it possible at a scale outside of the lab. Sometimes even in order to make the experiments possible engineers are called in.
A chemical engineer would ultimately be responsible for designing the larger scale processes involved in the production of common items such as fertilizers, rubber or soap and countless other processes such as extracting metals from ore and refining fuels.
A mechanical engineer is easier to imagine designing engines and machines of all kinds, putting in practice the physics behind aerodynamics and rocketry in order to come up with the mechanisms that actually make airplanes and rocket fly.
I'd say that Mechanical and Chemical engineers deal with practical aspects of processes around mater, whereas Industrial Engineers are more focused on the processes themselves from the peoples perspective and necessarily the more mechanical aspects of the other more classical engineering fields.
Al in all we do not have enough engineers, not even close so I'm excited every time some young person such as yourself is interested.
I wish you good luck !
Muhammad Waqas
System Safety Team Lead - Virgin Galactic
4
Answers
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Updated
Muhammad’s Answer
Everything you touch or see is engineered in someway shape or form mate, we facilitate quite literally every other profession. From all the medical equipments, to space ships, to brewing equipment, to kitchen appliances are all engineered products
That's a great answer, I agree 100%
Brian Swain