Best Engineers in the World

sid_galt

Who are the best engineers in the world?
In fields like mechanical, aeronautical, electrical etc.

Just curious

Shawnzyoo

Burt Rutan from Scaled Composites
he is responsible for SpaceShipOne & White Knight, Helios, GlobalFlyer and many others.

Clausius2

Burt Rutan????? Are you talking seriously? I cannot believe it.

If I had to mention the best engineers in the history, I would mention:

-Robert. H. Goddard (although he was a physicist) for inventing the first liquid propellant rocket. USA.

-Sergei Koroliev (URSS) for giving a definitive breakthrough to rocket science and designing the R-7 rocket (Sputnik launcher), in which it is based the current Soyuz TM.

-W. Von Braun (GER), for giving another breakthrough to rocket science this time in occident, and for the successfull Apollo Missions with Saturn V.

-Rudolph Diesel (GER), for inventing the Diesel Engine.

-Nicholas Otto (GER), for inventing the first 4 stroke gasoline engine.

-Juan de la Cierva (Spain), for inventing the first "Auto-Giro", in which it is based the current helicopters.

russ_watters

These days its tough to pick out a single engineer for "best" since most devices today are so complicated they require large teams of people. However, historically, Kelly Johnson or Jack Northrup for aeronautical. Pick any Lucent (Bell Labs) EE for electrical.

And though I'm a big fan of Burt Rutan, I'm not sure that he's all that great of an engineer. He's more of an airplane architect.

FredGarvin

Rutan is "technically" a designer. My designers remind me every day that there is a difference.

I say that if I am standing on a bridge, the best damned engineer in the world is the one that made sure that that bridge isn't falling down.

Historically, my nod goes to Kelly Johnson and Bessemer (there's a duo for ya)

Recently I would give top honors to Steve Wozniac (sp?)

Shawnzyoo

Rutan technically has an aeronautical engineering degree though

brewnog

Ooh Henry Bessemer, good one!

I'll throw Joseph Whitworth and Isambard Kingdom Brunel out there as far as historical figures go.

ludi_srbin

Nikola Tesla is deffinetly the best Electrical Engineer of all time, and maybe the best Engineer generally.

leright

He didn't as kfor the best engineers of all time....he asked for the best engineers in the world.

Astronuc

I guess the question needs further qualification.

There are many engineering disciplines such as mechanical, aerospace, civil, electrical, computer, chemical, metallurgical, nuclear, . . . .

and within each discpline there are numerous specialties, e.g. in mechanical, one can specialize in structures, thermodynamics, thermal-hydraulics, fluids (fluid dynamics), corrosion, . . . .

What are the criteria - number of journal articles, inventions, most important development in the field (over what period - this year, the last # years)?

National Academy of Engineering awards (primarily or exclusively US).

Clausius2

Well, although it could deviate the main purpose of this thread, I will situate this guy on the first positions of best engineers ever:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Korolev

For those who don't know him, as I said he was the counterpart of Von Braun in URSS.

Learning Curve

im suprised no one mentioned da Vinci

Kenneth Mann

I don't think you can answer this question, since most Engineers don't work in a vacuum (as Russ Watters alluded). How do you separate the conceptual ability from the design ability, from the managerial ability, from the entrepreneurial ability? Where there are teams, (even Edison worked with teams), who gets the credit?

KM

nikola-tesla

Of course it's Nikola Tesla!

Nenad

I would have to go with Nikola Tesla as well, in the field of Electrical Engineering. Thats would be my vote since I love AC devices, AC Power, Wierless Transmition of information etc...

Regards,

Nenad

Maxwell

I'd go with Tesla first and foremost.

Also, though technically physicists, I'd also like to nominate William Shockley and John Bardeen!

young e.

i highly nominate "MICHEAL FARADAY" and "NIKOLA TESLA"in the field of electrical engineering.

1. FOR MICHEAL FARADAY FOR HIS INDUCTION MOTOR.
2. NIKOLA TESLA FOR HIS TRANSFORMER