Engineer Definition and 849 Threads

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety and cost. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to create, generate, contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in an engineering discipline plus four to six years of peer-reviewed professional practice (culminating in a project report or thesis) and passage of engineering board examinations.
The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their subsequent applications to human and business needs and quality of life.

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  1. N

    Engineer Role in Wastewater Treatment | Civil Engineering

    Hi! I searched web but couldn't find the answer. I need to draw something like a diagram of The Role Of The Engineer in Wastewater threatment .. btw. i am studying Civil engineering.. it would really help me if you just gave me link of some page with something like this.. I searched all...
  2. T

    Once an engineer, always an engineer.

    I came home from work today and the guy who owns the apartments was outside hanging christmas lights. Above the office door he had shaped the lights into a simple, triangular christmas tree. This tree was perfectly centered, and absolutely symmetrical. I started laughing and he asked me what was...
  3. R

    Where Can I Learn About Prandtl's Theory on Aircraft Footprints?

    Does anybody know of a book that addreses/talks about how Prandtl showed that an aircraft passing overhead will leave a "footprint" on the Earth in the form of an extremely small pressure change over a huge area?
  4. Pengwuino

    Are Electrical Engineers Secretly Physicists?

    is it just me or do electrical engineers think they are physicists? I've gotten in quite a few arguments with people over the validity of special relativity, cold fusion, etc and it seems like the only people who will use their degree as backup are electrical engineers and they are fully...
  5. ranger

    Electrical engineer reference book

    I'll like to buy a reference book. The type of book that has most of the formulas and that kind of stuff. Like for example if I forget a formula, I'll just look it up to refresh my brain. ANyone know any good ones? --thank you.
  6. Lisa!

    Level of thermodynamics does an engineer needs to know

    What level of thermodynamics does an engineer(with Bachelor degree) need to know? And I'd be grateful if someone tells me what book engineering students study for their thermodynamics course?(especially nuclear eng., mechanical eng. or chemical eng.) Thanks
  7. Pengwuino

    Christmas lights + electrican engineer with too much time on his hands?

    http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/xmaslights.html freaken awesome though!
  8. J

    Can Civil Engineers and Architects Collaborate?

    Hello I am a sophmore Civil student and I was thinking about talking to some small architectural firms in my area about possible internships or workstudy options. How do you think they will react? I chose Civil Engineering because I felt like it would allow me a wide range of...
  9. M

    Part-Time Aerospace Engineer: Encouragement for Busy Professionals

    I read down in the engineering forum that aerospace engineering takes over your life. Anybody have any encouragement for someone (ie, me) who wants to go into aerospace engineering but won't be able to handle a full-time job?
  10. J

    Programs Chemical Engineer Major: Math vs Chemistry for Employment

    Hello all. I am currently in my first year of a chemical engineering program and I was talking to someone in the Chemical Engineering section of this forum and he said that partial differential equations is very important for Chem E's. He actually said that I should not even thing about...
  11. D

    Can an aerospace Engineer please complete this interview for a PLTW student?

    Please read, it's for a PLTW term paper! Hello, I am a high school student enrolled in the PLTW (Project Lead the Way: Principles of Engineering) Program, and I was instructed to do a term paper on any type of engineering. I have chosen aerospace engineering, and I am required to conduct an...
  12. ranger

    Computer Engineer: Jobs, Branches & Careers

    Is anyone here one? What kind of jobs can you get with this? Are there any branches to this. Like say after I finish my 4 years, can I branch off into a certain field?
  13. J

    Engineer - Partial Differential Equations

    Hi, my engineering degree does not require a partial differential course. However, one of my calculus professors suggested it may be important when applying for a masters. I was thinking of taking this course and maybe special functions... would it really be useful? It would be a lot of work...
  14. B

    Wildfire 2.0 (pro engineer) tutorials

    i know some stuff in solidworks. however, the place ,where i am going to work, is using wildfire 2 and they've asked me to start studying it. unfortunately, most of the tutorials that i have found using google are not clear. therefore, if you know a good tutorial or a good book, write it down here.
  15. O

    Chemical engineer how useful would FORTRAN be

    As a chemical engineer how useful would FORTRAN be to me. It is listed on the University of Florida's ChemE homepage as a good language, but I have heard it is on its way out. All Comments Welcome
  16. Ivan Seeking

    What happens when you give an engineer a well

    Okay, my degree is really in physics but I took a minor in hydraulic engineering, so it sort of applies. Anyway, we live miles from the nearest town so we and everyone around has a private well. In this particular area we also have problems with iron in the water - which means iron bacteria - as...
  17. R

    Engineer vs. Math: Solving the Calculus Conundrum

    Should every electrical engineer be able to figure every calculus problem out?
  18. R

    Mechanical engineer and car engine

    Does every mechanical engineer need to be able to repair Automobile engine?
  19. B

    Is Mechanical Engineering Right for Me Despite Struggles in Math?

    p prefer mechanical i think ill enjoy that more then the other engineering fields. thing is i never knew i was going to be taking courses this hard( okay that's a lie) but i guess its the college life that's getting to me. right now I am taking physics with cal 1 which is pretty damn hard, if...
  20. J

    Can a Former Felon Succeed as an Engineer?

    I've been to prison twice in my life, both times for robbery. The first time i did about 15 months, the last time i did 10 years! I was a drug abuser from a very young age.I started smoking pot at 14 or 15 and doing cocaine at 18. Iamb in my 30's now. going to prison for ten years has change my...
  21. S

    Engineer becomes physicist? help me.

    I have enegineering background (aerospace) and now about to embark on master degree in physics(if i can pass the qualifying test). I learn electromagnetisms, quantum mech, etc .. etc by myself. Is there anyone out there with the same kind of situation? How do you do it? What is the best...
  22. S

    Engineer becomes physicist? help me.

    I have engineering background (aerospace), and now about to embark on master degree in physics (if I pass the qualifying test). I learn electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, etc .. etc ...myself for the last 1.5 yrs. Is there anyone out there with the same kind of my situation before? What...
  23. R

    Chance for a foreign-born engineer

    Does a foreign-born aerospace engineer have a difficulty in finding a position in aerospace industry or federal government organizations in U.S?
  24. T

    Engineer and physics ,which is a right choice to me?

    hi everyone, i am a junior nuclear engineer at A&M. After taking engineer classes, i feel engineering only focus on specific problems, and doesn't make me understand the subject clearly and deeply as Physics does. Furthermore i like theoretical works than design reactors and so on. I am not...
  25. S

    What Skills Do I need to Be an Engineer?

    Hi, I was wondering what skills I need to be an engineer.You see I am very curious and like to know how things work.I am very good at math and also at science. I can grasp concepts quite quickly and am very analytical I am also very good at creative thinking.Yet I am not very linear in...
  26. T

    Avoiding electronics as a photonical engineer

    I've just been browsing the courses I'm going to get here in Ghent if I apply for photonics next year. There's one major subject at least that revolves around electronics, sensors, actuators etc. Now: I really really hate electronics. Really. I'm not really practical with them, probably...
  27. G

    Aspiring Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineer

    Hey guys, I’m currently in the military, and about to get out in July. During my time in the Army, I was in aviation, as an AH-64D Longbow weapon system/avionics/electrical repairer. In August, I will be starting college as an Aerospace Engineer. What I wanted was some input from industry...
  28. E

    Programs Difference between Degree of Engineer and Doctor of Philosophy

    What is the difference between Degree of Engineer and Doctor of Philosophy ( Ph.D )? How many more years does a Master Degree holder need to take one of each?
  29. Q

    I want to be a nuclear engineer

    My goal in life is to be a nuclear engineer. I'm 17, and just got a job at Mc.Donalds. When I turn 18 I'm joining the NAVY to get free colleage and to learn through a classform enviorment the mathematics and enviorment I need to know to be a submarine nuclear engineer. As long as I don't have to...
  30. S

    How Can I Transition from Software Engineering to a Physics PhD?

    Help Needed in changing career from being a Software Engineer to Physicist Hi Everybody, I did a bachelors in engineering (Electrical and Electronics) and Masters (Msc) in Physics. Both I did in India in BITS Pilani. After I did my masters in India, I have been in software industry for the...
  31. E

    NASA Aerospace Engineer Positions at NASA: Challenges and Opportunities

    Is it very difficult for an aerospace engineer to get a position at NASA?
  32. Loren Booda

    Extraterrestrials to clone Voyager engineer

    The first human to surpass our galaxy may be in the form of DNA panspermia - either accidentally or on purpose - from those who worked on Voyager. What outcome would such a clone bring aliens: disease, science, savior, slave or peer?
  33. E

    Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Engineer

    What is the difference between Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Engineering for an engineering student? What shall I choose?
  34. N

    What do I know I'm a lowly engineer

    Greetings. I am not a physicist by training I'm an engineer so please bare witht he glaring gaps in my understanding and descriptions of the principles I'm concieving. I had a quick a question that could resolve a conflict I've been having. If the answers to a few basic questions are...
  35. N

    Engineer Vs Physicist (DEATHMATCH )

    Engineer Vs Physicist (DEATHMATCH!) OK...i've seen some friendly comments on the similarities and differences between Engineering and Physics. I would like to hear from people in these fields and studying these fields to get defensive, get personal, but be serious (why not witty and funny...
  36. B

    Anyone an electromechanical engineer?

    Is anyone here an electromechanical engineer? I think this is the field that I want to get into. If there is anyone, what kind of projects do you get to work on? What's your usual day at work like? I would imagine that you'd get quite a bit of control over the project, is this true...
  37. A

    I want to be an aerospace engineer

    I want to become an aerospace engineer, and at the local universities, they offer mechanical, electrical, physics, and systems, but not aerospace.. I'd like to know what I could be taking that would be as close to aerospace engineering. Thanks
  38. S

    Questions for a Robotic Engineer

    I am looking for some information about becoming a robotic engineer, but all the people I have contacted have been too busy or not replied. This includes other forums. So could some people answer the questions below. It does not matter if all of them are not answer but in the end I am hoping to...
  39. P

    How do I become a Nuclear Engineer? (Split from Canadian Engineering Thread)

    can anyone guide me my way to become an nuclear engineer
  40. FZ+

    Is Daniel Dennett's Vision of a Secular World Desirable?

    A review of a biography of Dennett, no less. Has some stuff on his life, and some on his philosophy. Quite interesting, in my opinion. http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1192975,00.html
  41. russ_watters

    Other Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

    At the suggestion of Shahil, I'm starting this thread as a general guidance thread for prospective engineers. Some typical questions: -Should I become an engineer? -What engineering discipline should I study? -Is engineering difficult? I encourage people to post personal experiences in...
  42. S

    Finding an Aerospace Engineer for Research Paper

    I have to interview an aerospace engineer for a research paper. I can't find anyone anywhere and I don't know how to find someone. Can anyone help me, please?
  43. P

    Answer to 'What is a Civil Engineer?'

    Just wanted to share this tidbit since the Civil Eng forum died of loneliness. (quote by Patricia Galloway, from her acceptance speech in becoming the 1st woman president of ASCE at the 2003 Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition held in Nashville Tennessee, 11/15/03) The "most...
  44. H

    Become a Robotic Engineer: What it Takes

    Can anyone please tell me what it takes to become a robotic engineer. Any suggestion is appreciated.
  45. Moni

    Engineer vs Scientist: What's the Difference?

    Hi, What is the difference between an Engineer and Scientist? I can say that, An Engineer is a technologist who uses the science and a scientist is one who picks truth from the nature. What do you think?
  46. C

    How Can a High School Senior Prepare for a Career in Aerospace Engineering?

    I am a high school senior and plan to attend a FL college majoring in aerospace engineering. My ultimate dream is to work for a company around me like lockheed or raytheon. My question is what steps should one in my postition take to achieve this? What is some good advice to surivive college...
  47. russ_watters

    Meet the New Moderator: Who is Greg and What Are His Qualifications?

    Figured this forum was as good as any for making a formal introduction since I'm a mechanical engineer with some aerospace background and a computer science/engineering hobby. I'm happy Greg gave me the opportunity to moderate this forum. Its something I've never done before but always had...
  48. K

    The Ultimate Engineer Joke (18+ only)

    Well, my friends.. if I get banned, know that it was fun (and I'll be back with a different name) So a Physicist, a Mathematician, and an Engineer are all asked to prove that all odd numbers are prime The Physicist says "1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, 7 is prime.. Given the...
  49. Ivan Seeking

    How would you engineer the perfect human?

    If you had complete control over the design of future humans, what would your design be? [no jokes about the perfect woman please] Assume that you have mastered genetic engineering.
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