Chapter 2 â The Engineering Profession - Discovery Press
Chapter 2 â The Engineering Profession - Discovery Press
Chapter 2 â The Engineering Profession - Discovery Press
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<strong>Chapter</strong> 2 – <strong>The</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>Profession</strong><br />
Page 36<br />
EXERCISE<br />
Study the 21 definitions of engineering in Appendix B. <strong>The</strong>n compose your own<br />
definition. Write it down and commit it to memory. This may seem like an unnecessary<br />
exercise, but I assure you it isn’t. Aside from impressing others with a quick informed<br />
answer to the question “What is engineering?” this exercise will help clarify your personal<br />
understanding of the field.<br />
Page 40<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Before you read the next section of this chapter, reflect on the task of designing and<br />
building a human-powered helicopter. Do you think this is possible? Do you think it has<br />
ever been done? How long could a human-powered helicopter stay aloft? What altitude<br />
could it reach? Make a sketch of how you think a human-powered helicopter would look.
Page 48<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Think about “customer needs and business opportunities” for each of the engineering<br />
design ideas listed above. Could you get excited about working on any of those items?<br />
Could you add to this list by thinking of something that would improve the quality of life<br />
that is not currently available?<br />
Page 55<br />
EXERCISE<br />
Pick one of the 30 individuals listed in Appendix C among the world’s wealthiest<br />
engineers. Find out as much as you can about the person by googling his or her name.<br />
What was their engineering discipline in college? What did they do early in their career?<br />
How did they become so wealthy? What lessons can you learn from their success?<br />
Page 59<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Review my top ten list of rewards and opportunities that will come to you if you are<br />
successful in getting your engineering degree. Which item on the list is most important to<br />
you? Money? Prestige? Challenging work? Making a difference in the world? Reflect<br />
on the one you chose. Why did you choose it? Why is that one so important to you?
Page 61<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Review the “Greatest <strong>Engineering</strong> Achievements of the 20th Century.” How important are<br />
each of these achievements to the quality of our lives? Think about the role of engineers in<br />
each of these achievements. Do you think engineers get the credit they deserve for making<br />
our lives better? If you don’t think they do, why do you think that is?<br />
Page 63<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Reflect on the 25 engineering disciplines described in Appendix E. Have you already<br />
decided which one you will major in? Why did you choose it? If you haven’t yet chosen a<br />
specific engineering discipline, which one is the most appealing to you at this point? What<br />
about it do you find appealing?
Page 67<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Consider the ten engineering job functions described in this section. Which of them<br />
appeals to you? Analysis? Design? Test? Development? Sales? Research? Could you<br />
see yourself in management? Could you see yourself as a consulting engineer? How<br />
about being an engineering professor or entrepreneur?<br />
Page 70<br />
EXERCISE<br />
Go to the 2012 NAICS website at www.census.gov/naics. Conduct a search on<br />
Manufacturing (Economic Sector 33). Scroll down until you find a national industry you<br />
would be interested to work in. Click on the six-digit code for that national industry to see<br />
a listing of the products manufactured. Pick one of the products and conduct an Internet<br />
search to identify companies that compete in the marketplace for that product. Pick one of<br />
the companies and go to its website to see if you can identify job listings for engineers.
Page 73<br />
REFLECTION<br />
Review the “50 Greatest Technological Inventions of the Past 25 Years.” Which items will<br />
help you reach your goal of becoming an engineer? How so? More importantly, which<br />
ones have the potential to interfere with your goal of becoming an engineer? What can you<br />
do to ensure that they don’t keep you from achieving your goal of becoming an engineer?<br />
Page 78<br />
Reflection<br />
Review the above eight characteristics of a learned profession. Do they describe something you<br />
would like to be part of? Which characteristic would you welcome? Are there any that you<br />
would have a problem with? Do you have a desire for public service? Are you willing to share<br />
what you know to benefit others? Would you look forward to establishing a relation of<br />
confidence between you and your employer? Would you welcome the opportunity to learn<br />
about and practice codes of conduct? Would you enjoy being part of a profession that requires<br />
a great deal of discretion and judgment?
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