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Engineering career

#23
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#24
metallicafan18 said:
I was watching that Howe and Howe tech the other day on Discovery channel, and the work the guys did that designed the computers and software in the vehicles seemed like something I would want to do.
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That's basically what I do. It's called Control Systems Engineering. It's basically a combination of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

As others have said, get serious about math. I remember someone once said that they found higher level math useless. I couldn't disagree more. Not a day goes by that I don't use Calculus. Learn math, and learn it well.
 
#25
TrooperFarva said:
That's basically what I do. It's called Control Systems Engineering. It's basically a combination of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

As others have said, get serious about math. I remember someone once said that they found higher level math useless. I couldn't disagree more. Not a day goes by that I don't use Calculus. Learn math, and learn it well.
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This is the info I need. A big thank you to you!
 
#29
metallicafan18 said:
What are some high school sciences I should be looking at?
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Depends what kind of engineering you want to do. For advanced students, my high school had a curriculum of Biology during Freshman year, Chemistry during Sophomore year, Physics during Junior year, and then your choice of an honors or AP class in any of the 3 for your senior year.

I did AP Physics B my Junior year and AP Physics C my senior. I knew I wasn't interested in chemical engineering or anything that would involve biology, like biomedical engineering.
 
#31
tycobb73 said:
Once you get out of college very little math is used in engineering. My dad forgot his calculus years ago. It is more applied science that you will be using.
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I think it might be more accurate to say that many engineers use math, and many don't. Math is like music, in that it can't be justified in purely practical terms. Either you enjoy it or you don't. If you enjoy it, you will find a way to use it.

I use math every day too. In fact, I don't have an engineering degree. My background is in math and physics. I rose through the engineering ranks by doing the tricky math & theory problems for the engineers, and by specializing in the particularly theory-laden field of optical engineering. In turn, the engineers do my CAD for me. It's a fair trade.

Many technologies are basically physical embodiments of mathematical structures: Cell phones, GPS, and so forth. In some fields, extensive math & theory are needed because there is no room for over-design or trial-and-error.
 
#33
To the OP:
As mentioned, load up on Math and Physics. The more you get done now, and keep with it, the better off you'll be. Also, if you want to see a glimpse of the stuff you'll be getting into, do a google search for the NEETS Modules and download them; they're in PDF format, and there are 23 (I think) of them. Read through them, study them, etc. This will give you a head-start on the stuff you'll learn in college when you start the degree program. Plus, if you knock out the AP Calculus and Physics classes, those are a few less classes you'll have to take in college.

You'll also want to start tinkering a little with computer programming; C, C++, Java, etc. Even if your degree is strictly Electrical Engineering (or electronics), you'll be required to take some computer programming classes.

I'm in the process of getting my Electronics Engineering degree now, plus I spent 10 years in the Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician. I didn't figure out that I wanted to do the engineering thing until a year before I got out, but once I did...the one thing I did regret was stopping at Algebra 2 in High School....lol. Going through Algebra again was a royal pain, but once I got to calculus, it got easier -- if you already have that knowledge when you hit college, you'll be SO MUCH better off.
 
#34
metallicafan18 said:
What are some high school sciences I should be looking at?
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Im doing a degree in Civil Engineering, Maths (as advanced as you can handle) and Physics are the main ones, depends on what you want to Major in, but i believe maths and physics are rather universal to the field. Anything to do with computers is a plus, Biology and chem are both useful if you are going into certain specialisations, id also reccomend taking something like woodwork or auto, as it will help you to think of things in a practical way, as wells as from a design perspective.
 
#36
Raven2k360 said:
It depends on the engineering I'm sure. I'm sure fluid dynamics formulas are calculus-based, and I know for a fact that electronics formulas are as well.
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Of course formulas are math based. My point is many engineers don't use the formulas they learned.

I once had an engineer tell me he used calculas once in 5 years and that was to make the problem fun. He said engineering is the 3 Bs;

Build it
Break it
Beef it up
 
#37
I am a registered professional mechanical engineer. I learned on a slide rule. My first computer was an Apple IIE. Obviously I have been around a while. I use higher math and formulas every day.

edit: if you build it right the first time it won't break.
 
#38
etoncrow said:
I am a registered professional mechanical engineer. I learned on a slide rule. My first computer was an Apple IIE. Obviously I have been around a while. I use higher math and formulas every day.

edit: if you build it right the first time it won't break.
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Spoken by someone who is not a manufacturing engineer. You want things to break. My dad's an engineer for Steelcase furniture. Hann almsot overtook them as the #1 seller a few years back because Hann was selling stuff cheaper that was less quality. But it still lasted for years. Not everyone wants their furniture to last a lifetime becasue styles and features change. The bigget bright spot for Steelcase is their cheapest line.
 

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