Whats An Engineer?

A presentation brought to you by

the Education Outreach Program
at the
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division,
Patuxent River, Maryland
Engineers and scientists are often confused in the
minds of the general public.
Scientists explore nature in order to discover general
principles.
Engineers apply established principles drawn from
mathematics and science in order to develop
economical solutions to technical problems.
What is the difference between
a Scientist and an Engineer?
What Does an Engineer Do?
An Engineer uses science, technology, and mathematics
to design useful things for the benefit of people.
What Types of People Like Engineering?
! People who like to work with cutting edge
technology
! Creative people
! People who like to solve problems
! People who like teamwork
! People who want to make things better
! People who want to help humanity
Is Engineering Just About Science and
Math?
NO!!!
Engineers are good communicators they need to speak and write well
to share their ideas and designs with peers and customers.
Engineers are team players ... they understand that working with
people with different backgrounds and experiences will result in a better
design.
Engineers have broad skill sets many engineering jobs cross
engineering disciplines. For example, an aviation structural engineer may
have a civil engineering degree. Biomedical engineering combines
biology, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering skills.
What Do Engineers Look Like?
YOU!
Do You Recognize These Engineers?
Astronauts
Neil Armstrong Aerospace Engineer
Judy Resnick Electrical Engineer
Lonnie Johnson
Mechanical and Nuclear
Engineering degrees
Invented the Super Soaker
The Apprentice
Dr. Randal Pinkett
Engineering degrees from
Rutgers, Oxford and MIT
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Television personality,
Mechanical Engineer
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Improve the safety of the space shuttles and Navy
aircraft
! Build a more spacious airliner
! Create satellites that detect drought around the
world
! Design robots that collect samples on other planets,
revealing insights about our galaxy
! Develop parachutes, using new materials
to improve their performance
Aerospace Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Design environmentally friendly cleaning products
! Develop materials to prevent corrosion on Navy
ships
! Develop chemotherapy that has fewer side effects
! Turn seawater into drinking water
! Develop ways of mass producing vaccines to ward
off epidemics
! Reduce pollution by developing cleaner sources of
energy
Chemical Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Create software that detects brain tumors earlier
! Design a feather-light laptop
! Develop software for Navy airplanes
! Develop user-friendly blogging software
! Oversee the computer network for a
telecommunications company
! Predict the strength of earthquakes through
computer simulation
Computer Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Invent better MRI scanners, allowing doctors to see
even more clearly inside a patients body
! Develop better means of detecting underwater
threats to Navy ships
! Create special effects for the movies
! Design cell phones that work more reliably and have
more features
! Develop artificial retinas for the blind
! Work on satellite communications systems that
connect people around the world
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Design smart toys for kids
! Design unique prototype parts for Navy airplanes
! Develop cars that are more fuel efficient
! Produce hypoallergenic air conditioning for hospital
operating rooms
! Create prosthetic hands that allow a person to type
and write
! Build aerospace vehicles to trek across planets and
moons, collecting samples
Mechanical Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Design merchant ships, warships, drilling platforms
and pleasure boatseven cruise ships!
! Find new ways of making boats and ships do their
job better (cargo, salvage, drilling, exploration,)
! Find new ways to make places that support ships
work better (ports, docks, platforms,)
! Design more innovative and efficient power and
propulsion systems (go faster on less fuel)
! Find new materials for building ships (new metals,
composites, plastics,)
Naval Architecture Engineering
What Kinds of Engineers
are there?
! Design and build complicated systems out of many
parts (airplanes, cars, computers and software,
medical, environmental,)
! Make sure all pieces of complex systems are built
correctly so they come together in the right way at
the right time
! Solve complicated problems to make sure that
systems do what they were designed to do, are
reliable, and continue to improve
Systems Engineering
All new or modified Navy and Marine Corps aircraft are
tested at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River.
The engineers at Pax River do important work for our
country by ensuring the aircraft and equipment our
service men and women depend on will:
! Keep them safe
! And enable them to perform their mission
successfully.
Pax River hires many types of engineers.
Next is an example of the day in the life of an aerospace engineer:
What do Engineers do at
Patuxent River?
There are many other types of Engineers!
Agricultural
Architectural
Biomedical
Civil
Environmental
Industrial
Manufacturing
Materials
Mining / Geology
Nuclear
Ocean
Petroleum
Software
And Many More!!
Why Be an Engineer?
! Interesting work and job satisfaction
! Great variety electrical, biomedical,
environmental, chemical and more!
! Solid foundation for other careers such as
law and management
! Opportunity to benefit society by solving
humanitarian and environmental problems
! Financial security
Start Preparing Now!
Preparing for college begins early!
8ecommended Course Work from 1ry Lnglneerlng organlzauon
! Math (4 Years):
Algebra I and II
Geometry
Trigonometry
Calculus
! Science (4 Years):
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
(Other options include Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, Ecology, Astronomy, and
Earth Sciences.)
! Language Arts (4 Years):
English
Electives in this area includes Speech/Debate,
Communications/Media, and Journalism.)
! Foreign Language (3 Years):
Your choice, based on what your school offers.
Additional preparation for College Success
! Take AP or Honors courses when offered
! Do well on standardized tests
! Join engineering or science clubs
! Get involved in other extracurricular activities
that will help you build valuable skills for the
future
! Apply for a summer job at an engineering
facility or gain experience through a non-paid
internship
! Apply for a government fellowship at
www.asee.org
Local engineering degree pathways
College of SouLhern Maryland
! 1wo year program
! 1ransfer 60 credlLs Lo unlverslLy of
Maryland's englneerlng school
unlverslLy of Maryland aL Lhe SouLhern
Maryland Plgher Lducauon CenLer
! !unlor and Senlor ?ear Compleuon
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campus formaL
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Amerlcan SocleLy for Lnglneerlng Lducauon
hup://www.asee.org
naval Alr SysLems Command (nAvAl8)
hup://www.navalr.navy.mll/[obs
Lnglneer ?our Llfe
hup://www.englneeryourllfe.org
SocleLy of Women Lnglneers
hup://www.swe.org
hup://asplre.swe.org
Education Outreach Resources
Education Outreach Coordinator
Kathy Glockner
(301) 342-2281
Kathryn.glockner@navy.mil
Education Outreach Coordinator
Karen Lane (Calvert County only)
(301) 706-0245
Karen.lane.ctr@navy.mil
www.ndep.us/labs/patuxentriver
Higher Education and Research Partnerships
Dr. Paul Hoffman
(301) 342-9361
Paul.hoffman@navy.mil
References: American Association of Engineering Education
and Try Engineering