Engineering Education

Today the traditional fields of engineering are not nearly as distinct as they used to be. The increasing concentration on fundamentals in universities has highlighted large areas of overlap both in the physical principles and the mathematical and other techniques involved. As a result, many schools provide a core of courses taken by all engineers in their early years, while others have dropped the traditional labels al­together and simply offer a degree in "Engineering Science."

In application, the area of specialization shown on an engineering graduate's degree is not always a sure guide to that in which he will find employment. True, an aerospace engineer will in all likelihood end up in the aerospace industry, though even this is not certain. However, a mechanical or electrical engineer, for example, may be employed by the aerospace, chemical, or mining industries, or by many others.

Many new areas of engineering endeavor, which cut across the traditional lines, are today attracting attention. Direct energy conversion calls for a combination of mechanical, electrical and often chemical engineering. The field of bioengineering involves the application of electrical and mechanical engineering principles in understanding and repairing the human body. Environmental engineering and the study of water and air resources call for knowledge in geology, oceanography, and meteorology. Computer science, information engineering, systems engineering, and operations research are among the fields of recent interest. Doubtless this is nowhere near the end of it. In the future other new areas are sure to emerge as the engineering family grows and regroups.

It is often difficult for the beginning engineering student to acquire a feeling for the character of various branches of engineering that may be open to him. Catalogue descriptions tend to convey little beyond a listing of topics. He is better served to speak to faculty members from different technological backgrounds and, if possible, to engineers in industry. Student chapters of the various engineering societies provide a valuable forum for such purposes. Another useful source is the so-called trade journals, some of which are published by the engineering societies. These periodicals are easily readable and give a good idea not only of employment possibilities through their advertisements and articles, but also of the kinds of technological problems encountered. Several of these journals are listed below.

Astronautics and Aeronautics(AIAA)

Mechanical Engineering(ASME)

Machine Design

Spectrum (IEEE)

Industrial Engineering(AIIE)

Environmental Science & Technology (ACS)

Civil Engineering(ASCE)

Chemical Engineering Progress(AIChE)

Electronics

Computer Services

Control Engineering

Aviation Week & Space Technology

The Structural Engineer (Institute of Structural Engineers)

Nuclear Engineering International

Bio –Medical Engineering

Engineering News Record

Engineering education has changed considerably over the years as technology itself has advanced. A generation ago it was common to find universities offering engineering courses with such titles as Mining and Winding; Compressed Air; Theory of Machines; Pumps, Electric Motors and Generators. However, as understanding of the basic nature of different applied areas grew, the importance of the fundamental concepts and their universality led to courses which were more discipline than application oriented. There are a number of important consequences of this. First, an engineer who has received a thorough grounding in fundamental concepts is less likely to become obsolescent a few years after graduation. It should be easier for him to turn his hand as needed to following developments and rapid changes in his field, or even to switching to some associated field. Most industries recognize that a training period of one or two years will be needed before they can expect to realize the full potential of a new engineering graduate. Many have formal training programs to achieve this necessary orientation to and familiarity with their own areas. As with all professionals, an engineer's education does not end with graduation but continues throughout his working life.

Another result of the fundamental nature of university courses is the impact that this has on the student himself. He may have entered the engineering college because of an absorbing interest in, say, television, automobiles, or bridges. However, he may not see the connection between his basic courses and his particular interest. This requires not duly patience on his part, but an effort from his instructors to show connections with the real world. Unless this is done, students may very easily lose their motivation.

Most engineering curricula begin with the basic sciences—physics, chemistry, and mathematics - and continue with basic engineering areas such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanics and properties of solids, electrical science, transport properties and processes, systems engineering, and design. More specialized areas are offered for study in the later years. Engineering students are usually required to develop their communication skills in rhetoric and perhaps graphics courses. Also, they will have the opportunity to study economics, law, management, psychol­ogy, and other areas important to practicing engineers.

Perhaps the most difficult part of the education of an engineering student is the illustration of how all the knowledge he acquires is integrated in coping with an engineering problem. This aspect should be covered in courses on design. In this text the word "design" is used in the broadest sense to denote the entire process involved in solving an engineering problem.

The undergraduate student acquires a tremendous amount of know­ledge and technique concerned with the application of engineering principles. Hopefully, too during these early years his abilities to think creatively and judge intelligently will be developed rather than stifled.

After completing his undergraduate education the student may have the choice of continuing his studies to a higher degree, involving further specialization. The rate of growth of technology is placing an increasing accent on graduate education, and the opinion has been expressed that the Master's degree should he recognized as the first

Vocabulary

astheyusedtobe- как было когда-то (в прошлом);

toincrease- возрастать, увеличивать(ся), повышать(ся);

fundamentals- основы;

tohighlight- выдвигать на первый план, придавать большое значение;

tooverlap- частично перекрывать(ся), пересекать(ся);

toprovide- предоставлять, обеспечивать;

core- суть, сущность; ядро;

to drop altogether - здесь: объединять;

label- ярлык;

degree- ученая степень;

sure- верный, надежный;

guide- руководство; советчик;

employment- здесь: работа;

likelyhood- сходство, подобие;

certain- определенный;

endeavor- попытка, старание;

to attract - привлекать;

to call for - призывать к..;

toinvolve- включать, вовлекать;

torepair- здесь: восстанавливать;

environmental- экологический;

recent- недавний;

doubtless- несомненный;

toemerge- появляться, возникать;

toacquire- (при)обретать;

branch- отрасль;

totend- иметь тенденцию, склонность;

toconvey- здесь: сообщать;

beyond- за; вне; сверх, свыше;

listing- перечисление;

topic- тема;

faculty- профессорско-преподавательский состав; преподаватели;

background- опыт;

chapter- глава (книги);

society- общество;

toprovide- предоставлять, обеспечивать;

valuable- ценный;

trade- здесь: профессиональный;

toencounter- сталкиваться, (неожиданно) встречаться;

below - ниже;

professional degree.

nuclear - ядерный;

considerably- значительно;

toadvance- продвигаться (вперед), развиваться;

generation- поколение;

common- общепринятый;

winding- эл. обмотка;

tocompress- сжимать;

nature- природа, суть, характер;

applied- прикладной;

consequence- последствие;

thorough- основательный, тщательный;

grounding(in) - образование (в);

obsolescent- выходящий из употребления, отживающий;

rapid- быстрый;

toswitch(to) - переключиться, переменить (направление), перейти (к);

to recognize - признавать;

training - обучение;

familiarity- знакомство;

impact- воздействие, влияние;

absorbing- (все)поглощающий;

connection- связь;

particular- определенный, специфический;

patience- терпение;

effort- усилие, попытка;

curricula- (мн.ч.) учебные планы, программы;

fluid- жидкость;

property- свойство;

solid- твердое тело;

communicationskills- навыки общения;

toacquire- приобретать, получать, овладевать;

tointegrate- составлять целое; соединять;

tocope(with) - справлять(ся); бороть(ся);

tocover- здесь: включать;

sense- чувство;

to denote - обозначать;

entire - целый, весь;

to solve - решать;

tremendous- огромный;

amount- количество, число;

concernedwith- связанный с..;

ability- способность;

creativity- творческий;

tostifle- подавлять, гасить;

tocomplete- выполнять, завершать;

choice- выбор;

rate - темп, скорость.

Comprehension Check:

Ex. Answer the following questions.

1. Why aren't the traditional fields of engineering as distinct as they used to be?

2. Is the graduate's degree enough for the rest of the engineer's life?

3. What are the new areas of engineering and what does each of them involve?

4. What data do engineering catalogues mostly include?

5. What information do professional periodicals provide?

6. Has engineering education changed over the years?

7. Does the engineer's education end with the college graduation?

8. What is resulted from the fundamental nature of the university courses?

9. What subjects/courses do most engineering curricula include?

10. What is the most difficult part of the engineering education?

11. What choices does the student have after completing his undergraduate education?