Careers in Engineering

What are the Different Fields in Engineering?

• Electrical and Computer • Mechanical and Civil• Aerospace • Petroleum and Chemical• Industrial• Acoustics• Biomedical• Materials• Nuclear• Agricultural• Environmental• Ocean

http://www.hku.hk/bse/about-bse.htm

What is Engineering?

• An engineer is a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems•  Engineers create new things and make old things better

What will you study as a Engineering student?

• Forces, motion, structures: statics, dynamics, kinematics, mechanics of solids, and fluids.

• Energy: thermodynamics, heat transfer, chemical reactions • Materials: materials engineering & processing, manufacturing. • Design: graphics, computer design applications.• Electronics: Circuits and electricity • Economics: engineering economic analysis, cost engineering. • Human and Social Studies: arts, humanities, social sciences, history,

government, ethics, law. • Overall foundation: math, physics, chemistry, biology, analysis skills,

communication skills, computation skills.

What Engineers Do?• Engineers cover a variety of tasks

in general. They create and fix almost everything.

• Some of the major fields in engineering are:– Mechanical– Civil– Electrical– Computer– Ocean– Agricultural– Environmental– Petroleum– Aerospace– And Chemical

http://www.fotosearch.com/DGV130/064002

Aerospace Engineering

• Design, analyze, model, simulate, and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, missiles, and rockets

• This field also focuses on electronics and computer technology rather than just physical dynamics.

Aerospace Engineering

• Includes more than just designing aircraft

• Aerospace deals with the motion of flight outside and inside the Earth’s atmosphere

• This includes motion of satellites, control systems in unmanned aircraft, and even machines and tools created specifically for the exploration of space like the Mars Rover http://aero.tamu.edu/photos/slides/s_d0d48734cc1b532b29bddb27bb28b8e8350648ad.JPG

Foundations in Aerospace• Includes the study of:

• Mathematics

• Physical dynamics

• Heat transfer

• Fluid dynamics

• Electrical circuits

• Design analysis

http://aero.tamu.edu/photos/slides/s_43f64e20904b04f3975ea83caadc79815e5440b8.JPG

Foundations in Aerospace

• Should develop the fundamental skills necessary for:– the design, – synthesis, – analysis and research development of aircraft, – spacecraft and other high technology flight

systems

Careers in Aerospace

• Design and test different technologies for space and motor vehicles

• Work with communications and• navigation systems • Design and test different types

of helicopters or other airborne technologies for governmental use

• Locations for careers are very diverse throughout united states

• Aerospace engineer at Boeing Airline company

• Engineer for NASA• Engineer for military and other

government controlled agencies• Air Traffic controller for any

airline company• Ford, Honda, Toyota, or any

other motor vehicle company• Pilot Astronaut• Professor/teacher• Working for a scientific,

professional, or technological service firm

Electrical Engineering:

• Electrical engineering is a field of study with a broad scope and significant impact on society

• Is an engineering field that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism

Foundations in Electrical

• Physics

• Mathematical analysis

• Optics

• Circuits

• Electricity flow

• Computer systems

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/HitachiJ100A.jpg/514px-HitachiJ100A.jpg

Careers in Electrical

• Design, develop, test and supervise the deployment of electrical systems and electronic devices

• Usually specialize in circuit design, communications, controls and signal processing, computer engineering, and different types of power systems

• Study in this field can branch into computer engineering and/or computer science

Patent lawyer (law degree required)Software designer for animation

software (Pixar)Artificial intelligence researcherComputer game designerSpecial effects engineer for moviesInformation security (cryptography)Race car designer (electrical components)Alternative energy systems developer

(wind power, electric cars)Electronics designerDigital assistant/cell phone/iPod

developer Optical laser scientist and developer

Chemical Engineering

• Chemical Engineers use their knowledge of chemistry to discover and manufacture better plastics, paints, fuels, fibers, medicines and all other kinds of chemicals, by carrying out chemical reactions and purifications.

http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/cheme/images/sean.jpg

Foundations in Chemical

• Study the fundamentals of:– chemistry (basis of field)– physics and mathematics – Thermodynamics– Material physics– Microelectronics– Reaction engineering

• Education in this field will allow you to use elements from all areas of engineering, science, mathematics

Careers in Chemical

• Frequently specialize in a particular chemical process such as polymerization or oxidation

• Can specialize in a particular field, such as materials science, or the development of specific products such as and pesticides, fertilizers, chlorine bleach, or automotive plastics

• Professor/Teacher• Working for a scientific,

professional, or technological service firm

• Working for governmental agencies:– Military interaction

• Working for industries such as:– Pharmaceutical– Oil and Natural Gas– Nuclear energy – Minerals and metals– Textiles

Petroleum Engineering

• Petroleum engineers use their knowledge of physics to extract valuable oil and natural gas from beneath the earth.

• Petroleum engineers design, drill and operate wells and well systems, and integrate this into the management of the underground reservoirs in which the resources are found

Foundations in Petroleum

• Study the fundamentals of:– Geology– Physics– Mathematics– Fluid dynamics– Reservoir Development– Heat transfer

http://www.pe.tamu.edu/homepage/graphics/homepics/pe6.jpg

Careers in Petroleum

• Best employment opportunities are in other countries

• U.S. Careers are mostly located in the southwest such as Texas and Louisiana

• Design and construct different methods of extracting natural resources from the earth

• Reservoir engineer (working in close relation to geologists)

• Mud engineer (examines and tests oil content)

• Design engineer for companies such as ConocoPhillips and BP

• Construction engineer for contracting companies such as Trinidad, Nabors, and Grey Wolf

• Professor/Teacher

Civil Engineering• Civil engineers

design and build many systems that are central to everyday life

• Civil engineers plan, design, construct, operate, maintain, inspect and manage bridges, buildings, offshore structures, airports, seaports, railroads, highways, waterways, dams and water treatment plants, and many other public facilities.

http://sf.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/06/160593862_65cb0d993d_b-thumb.jpg

Civil Engineering

• They work to prevent or minimize damage due to natural disasters

• Civil engineers also work to reduce air, water and soil pollution, develop alternative energy sources and improve congested transportation systems.

Foundations in Civil

• Mathematics

• Physics

• Structural Analysis

• Materials Science

• Fluid dynamics

• Thermodynamics and heat transfer

Careers in Civil

• Design facilities that vary widely in nature, size, and scope and include space satellites and launching facilities, offshore structures, bridges, buildings, tunnels, highways, and many more!

• Opportunities all across the world as a civil engineer

• Bridge Design• Water-way and waste

treatment design• Traffic control• Beach Protection (coastal

civil engineering)• Tunnel design• Mining (ocean and land)• Wildlife protection

Mechanical Engineering

• Mechanical engineering is one of broadest studies in engineering

• The design and creation of mechanical technologies that benefit society

• They utilize power to work with all types of mechanical devices, and all types of manufacturing and plant designs

http://www.mengr.tamu.edu/news/articles/1.gif

Foundations in Mechanical

• Mathematics• Physics• Thermodynamics and

heat transfer• Materials science• Gears and systems• Fluid mechanics• Structural Analysis

Careers in Mechanical

• Work in a diverse range of industries from automotive to aerospace and petroleum

• Can be applied to other engineering fields as well

• Develop everyday power-using machines such as refrigerators and air conditioning units

• Design and test different types of mechanical parts such as gear systems and jet engines

• Law firm (law Degree required)• Jet engine design (General

electrics)• Mechanical gears technician• Race car design• Aircraft Design (NASA,

Boeing)• Offshore drilling and natural

gas extraction (BP, ConocoPhillips)

• Automotive transportation (General Motors, Ford, Honda)

• Professor/Teacher

Ocean Engineering

• Engineers in this field design and test different technological systems that withstand the harsh conditions of the ocean

http://oceaneng.civil.tamu.edu/Images/22_sm.jpg

Foundations in Ocean

• Mathematics• Physics• fluid mechanics• structural mechanics• ocean wave mechanics• geotechnical engineering• environmental fluid• mechanics• marine structures • naval architecture • underwater acoustics

http://oceaneng.civil.tamu.edu/Images/wave.jpg

Careers in Ocean

• Involved in:– exploration and exploitation

of offshore gas and oil fields by working in conjunction with petroleum engineers,

– designing fixed and floating offshore structures,

– searching for economical methods for extracting energy from the oceans,

• Research Firms

• Professor/Teacher

• Marine navigation and other governmental agencies

• Offshore Drilling companies

• Analysis and design of deepwater and coastal structures

• Beach nourishment

• Bridge scour

Environmental Engineering

• Utilizes different techniques that improve the environment:

• Includes water and air pollution control, recycling, waste disposal, and public health issues

• Environmental engineers also work in conjunction with civil engineers to evaluate impact of construction on the environment

http://cagesun.nmsu.edu/programs/environment/front.jpg

Foundations in Environmental

• Most environmental engineers begin as Mechanical, civil, or chemical engineers

• Mathematics• Physics• Chemistry• Thermodynamics and heat transfer• Materials science• Gears and systems• Fluid mechanics• Structural Analysis• Reaction engineering

Careers in Environmental

• Involved in water and air pollution control, recycling, waste disposal, and public health issues

• Study and attempt to minimize the effects of acid rain, global warming, automobile emissions, and ozone depletion

• Also involved in the protection of wildlife

• Environmental engineers help to comply with environmental regulations and to clean up hazardous sites

• Wildlife protection• Water treatment plants• Beach restoration• Pollution control• Government and military

interaction• Containment engineering

Agricultural Engineering

• Applies engineering technology to agricultural production and processing, and to the management of natural resources

• Agricultural engineers design agricultural structures, equipment, and agricultural machinery, that benefit the production of natural resources

http://www.unb.ca/civil/hydro/standre.JPG

Foundations in Agricultural

• Mathematics

• Physics

• Fluid Dynamics

• Biology

• Thermodynamics

• Biological materials

Careers in Agricultural

• Designing and managing food production systems

• Protecting surface and ground water quality

• designing natural resource management systems

• Designing animal production facilities and environmental control systems

• Can work anywhere in the United States

• Food safety research• Soil restoration• Crop Production• Design irrigation systems• Design controlled farm

structures (housed livestock, greenhouses, silos)

• Flood and water control

Other titles and careers in Engineering:

• SALES ENGINEER • RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER• ARRANGEMENT ENGINEER (M/F) POWER PLANT ENGINEERING • PIPING ENGINEER/CALCULATION SPECIALIST (M/F)• SPECIALIST (M/F) FOR VALVE TECHNOLOGY• MARKETING ENGINEER• TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER 3• SR. QUALITY ENGINEER FOR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT SR. SUPPLIER QUALITY

MANAGEMENT (SQM) • CIVIL ENGINEER/STRUCTURAL• REGISTERED CIVIL ENGINEER/STRUCTURAL PROJECT DESIGN ENGINEERING

PLANNER-SCHEDULER• TEACHER/PROFESSOR• SECURITY SYSTEMS ENGINEER IV• VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS ENGINEER REGIONAL SALES ENGINEER/SALES

EXECUTIVE • PROCESS ENGINEER MODELING ENGINEER I• ASSOCIATE INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER MECHANICAL ENGINEER• STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SOLIDWORKS DESIGNER • APPLICATIONS ENGINEER

Career Paths in General• Industry• Teaching/Education• Graduate School• Entrepreneur/Business Owner• Research Labs• Military• Government• Preparation for other Professions (law, medicine,

etc.)

Skills associated with engineering:• Strong interest in math and science• Strong social awareness and concern for quality of

life• Desire to put ideas into action• Strong academic background• Ability and determination to succeed; continuing

education• Good communication skills• Teamwork

Conclusion

• Engineering is a field that requires dedication and focus.

• If you enjoy math and science, this is a great field to pursue.

• It is a challenging but also exciting and highly satisfying career

References• http://www.me.utexas.edu/~me302/classnotes/ME-intro_files/frame.htm

• http://www.kids.net.au/encyclopedia-wiki/me/Mechanical_Engineering

• http://www.discoverengineering.org/cool_things/cd/index.asp

• http://www.discoverengineering.org/Engineers

• http://www.engcen.com/

• http://thinkbig.tamu.edu/

• http://www.wikepedia.com

• http://www.abe.iastate.edu

• http://www.collegegrad.com

• http://careerservices.rutgers.edu/

Questions and Discussion