What is Engineer: Definition and 829 Discussions

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety and cost. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to create, generate, contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in an engineering discipline plus four to six years of peer-reviewed professional practice (culminating in a project report or thesis) and passage of engineering board examinations.
The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their subsequent applications to human and business needs and quality of life.

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  1. A

    Engineering Approaching a company or career engineer with an idea

    This will probably sound like paranoia and silly but , what would be the best way to test an idea (simulate it virtually and model on a software or otherwise) in the case where I can't do it myself because I don't have the software and the capabilities to do so. I am thinking either getting in...
  2. S

    Thermodynamics (sort of) for a non engineer

    I have a 30 by 30 shop with insulation and 10 foot ceilings. I have been reading about geothermal and it got me curious. If I were to bury 1 inch PVC type pipe and ran water and radiator fluid or water and some type of alcohol like windshield washer fluid is there a formula to determine the...
  3. MacLaddy

    Engineering Project Engineer to Design Engineer

    I’m wondering what skills are needed to go from being a project engineer (in the construction industry) to that of a mechanical design engineer? More specifically, what exactly is an employer looking for when they hire a design engineer? We all know that any good engineer should have great...
  4. I

    I am Imran, a retired Electrical Engineer with a QM question

    Hi , Could somebody explain how to DERIVE the canonical postulate [Xcap,Pcap]=ihbar ? The idea of Pcap operator's origin as -ihbar d/dx also is found puzzling .
  5. astroman707

    Programs What is the likelihood of a physics major getting an engineering job?

    I’ve been told that physics majors are looked at favorably when applying for entry-level engineering jobs. Is this true? How qualified are they when compared to engineering majors? Are applied physics majors looked at any differently? Do employers care about an undergraduate thesis?
  6. H

    I Pole Identification Using Block Diagram Reduction

    Hello I hope someone can help me, as i am kinda stuck for the moment. As you can see, the assignment states that I need to find the poles from the closed loop transfer function. I plan on doing so, by using block diagram reduction method. This is as fare as I've come, and can't come further...
  7. cookiemnstr510510

    Programs Aspiring Chemical Engineer Q's

    Hello All! I am an aspiring chemical engineer. I am currently finishing my sophomore year at community college. I live in California and will be transferring to SJSU, Berkeley or Davis this Fall. I have some questions for chemical engineers, teachers, grad students, or anyone who has more...
  8. Ricky Aguilar

    I need to interview an electrical engineer (School related)

    Good evening everyone, My name is Ricky and am in my first year in becoming an electrical engineer at Olympic College in WA. I am in a technical communications and need to write a discourse community analysis paper. Part this paper is interviewing someone with at least a BS in electrical...
  9. Silverhobbiest

    I Significant Physical/Chemical Change Found by Sign Reversal?

    We know that "plastic" and "glass" charges were arbitrarily assigned to be negative and positive respectively, and electrons and protons were given their charges based upon that assignment (According to Randall D. Knight in Physics for Scientists and Engineers). I am curious if any significant...
  10. Roy S Ramirez

    How many O-rings would a mechanical engineer use here?

    Hello everybody! Happy 2019! I'm trying to design a mechanical face seal for the part shown below, and I'm struggling with the number of o-rings I'm supposed to use. There are two cavities (rings) for two different fluids. The liquid dynamic pressure for both the internal and external fluids is...
  11. M

    Engineering What non-nuclear fields can a nuclear engineer work in?

    Hi, I am almost done with my 5 years of a bachelor of nuclear engineering, the main field I am working on is thermal-hydraulic but I am flexible with changing my whole path. for example, I am in between data science and CFD analysis. What kind of jobs do I qualify for?
  12. Jason-Li

    Harmonic waves - Fundamental voltages

    Homework Statement An ac voltage, comprises of a fundamental voltage of 100 Vrms at a frequency of 120 Hz, a 3rd harmonic which is 20% of the fundamental, a 5th harmonic which is 10% of the fundamental and at a phase angle of 1.2 radians lagging. (i) Write down an expression for the voltage...
  13. V

    Discussion about Altering Automotive Electricity Management

    I'd like to start a thread of thoughts and opinions of a topic that I am considering spending time and money on. Unfortunately, I do not have a very broad knowledge of the engineering intricacies of the topic. I'm really curious if there has been a proposal or workings of a vehicle that uses an...
  14. B

    Engineering Competency matrix for a power engineer?

    What competency matrix are suggested for power consultant engineers? My work organization has a competency matrix of different skills. The skills included different software packages and engineering practices for low/medium/high voltage power design and instrument and controls. Some of the...
  15. Greg Bernhardt

    Insights Interview with Engineer Mentor anorlunda - Comments

    Greg Bernhardt submitted a new blog post Interview with Engineer Mentor anorlunda Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
  16. H

    Engineer charged with money laundering in Germany

    hello guys I am in a tight corner... i am a currently doing a master in electrical and management engineering and i am about to be charged with 3 cases(or more) of money laundry which happened within a short period of time last year and my lawyer said it could get into my record of good...
  17. AchillesWrathfulLove

    When electronics engineer design/construct circuits?

    Do they have to know advanced math to design and construct circuits? What kind of math goes into design and construction of a circuit? Can you let the software simulation take care of that? Do you really need to know the voltage across a capacitor? How about the time constant of an RL Circuit or...
  18. Dan Alpha

    Software engineer looking to study physics

    I'm a 25 y.o. software engineer working in ML research. I've been fascinated with physics since at least high school. I did not have a good time in university, and I gave up on doing a physics degree and did computer science to finish sooner (I would have dual majored). I am trying to decide if...
  19. A

    Engineering Associate Engineer degree -- how is it viewed around the world

    Hi, I'm Aviv, 21 years old from Israel. Currently a 2 and a half years long soldier, about to finish in a few months. Before shipping out to the military I've been in a Secondary high-school and graduated as what they call it abroad "Associate Engineer". As what they present in Israel, it's only...
  20. K

    Forex trading from engineer with good background in maths-NN

    Hi all. I am engineer with a good mathematical and neural networks background: In Mathematics I know very well all the aspects of Mathematical Analysis (including Lebesgue Measure and Integration), Numerical Analysis (including numerical methods of Differential Equations), Linear and non...
  21. K

    Engineering Can I still be a software engineer?

    I'm currently at a junior college and want to major in computer science and want to be a software engineer. The issue is that I got arrested for a misdemeanor a couple of years ago and even though I didn't get prosecuted nor convicted and I got it expunged does it affect my chances of working in...
  22. Guidestone

    Engineering From Mechatronics To Electronics

    Hello people. I recently finished studying mechatronics engineering. I decided to pursue this degree as I wanted to learn about many areas of engineering. When I chose this degree I just could not make up my mind on which side of engineering to follow so I attempted to go after everything. At...
  23. G

    Working as a nuclear engineer with M.Sc. Physics

    IS it possible to work as nuclear engineer or getting into nuclear industry with a M.Sc. in Nuclear Physics instead of Nuclear Engineering?
  24. P

    Engineering Physics dropout software engineer looking for guidance

    TL;DR: I seriously screwed up when I was in my undergrad physics program and ended up essentially dropping out. Several years (and 'careers') later, I ended up becoming a software engineer. I make very good pay, but feel an itch to return to science. I feel an urge to to return to school and...
  25. Islam Barakat

    What are the top books in physics for a freshman engineer

    I am freshman engineering student and i want to improve myself in physics specially in mechanics now i study from "Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics ( 8E 2009 ) Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett" (Serway) and i want to know if (Serway) will be enough for my study...
  26. M

    Engineering What can a nuclear engineer do in a particle accelerator ?

    Do they need a nuclear engineer in a Synchrotron ? if yes what kind of job does he do ?
  27. Quentin_alex

    Engineering Materials engineer in the military as a civilian

    What is it like to work as a materials engineer as a civilian with the Department of Defense?
  28. KAM123

    Calculating Initial & Final Enthalpy, Kinetic Energy & Power in a Turbine

    A turbine operates under steady-flow conditions. It receives steam at a pressure of 15 bar, specific volume of 0.1318 m³/kg, velocity of 30 m/s and specific internal energy of 2594.5 kJ/kg. The steam leaves the turbine at a pressure of 30 kPa, velocity of 90 m/s, specific volume of 4.25 m³/kg...
  29. Grands

    Engineering Is there a significant difference in salary between physicists and engineers?

    Hi guys, I have a short question. In the US or Australia, or UK, Physicist and engineer has almost the same salary, or the are big differences ? Thanks.
  30. D

    Engineering Electrical Engineer Seeking Career Advice

    I’m hoping that I can find some career advice that can shine some light on my situation…I served in the Navy where my primary duty was working with the ships radar and communication systems as well as providing support with other electronic warfare systems. When I discharged from the Navy I got...
  31. R

    Engineering Is it possible for me to become an engineer?

    I'm currently at a junior college and want to major in mechanical or electrical engineering. The issue is that I got arrested for a misdemeanor a couple of years ago. Even though it I didn't get prosecuted nor convicted and I got it expunged does it affect my chances of being an engineer?
  32. L

    Engineering Career advice to become a Fusion Engineer

    Hello, I am posting to get some career advice about pursuing a career in fusion physics/engineering. With the construction of ITER in France and all the worldwide research into fusion as an energy source, I am extremely interested in the field and I want to help develop fusion technology. I am...
  33. KeshavTheBest

    Engineering Become a Scientist: Engineer or Physicist?

    Hello, I would like to become a 'scientist' that can research new things and give theories but also is capable of inventing stuff. For example (just am example, don't say not possible please :( ) I research about how a kerr black hole can be made and used to travel time. I reach to a conclusion...
  34. Mayed Al-Tunaiji

    Other Senior graduation project (HS)

    Hello, PF, I am a senior in high school and my school requires me to come up with an innovative idea about science and/or engineering. After coming with an idea let's say for example it was an engine of some sort we have to request the parts from the school and build it. my problem is with the...
  35. A

    Engineering Electrical Engineer or Electrician

    I'm 24 and graduated with a masters degree in electrical engineering in the UK last year. I had it in my head that I would get a masters degree and then get a graduate training scheme position in something like power/energy and enjoy it while earning decent money, but I haven't been able to get...
  36. V

    Courses Aeronautical Engineer to Physicist?

    Hey guys, I needed some help in my course advice. I recently completed my course in Aeronautical Engineering from India. I scored not-that-great with a 67% avg and a gap year cause of sickness. I always wanted to do a masters in physics and specifically in theoretical physics in topics related...
  37. vinicius0197

    Courses Mechanical Engineer switching to CS or Electrical

    I'm on a sticky situation right here. I have almost completed my third year of a mechanical engineering degree and I'm just now realizing that I would prefer working with embedded systems/software. This happened after I start toying around with an Arduino and learned C and Python for fun's sake...
  38. R

    Studying Necessity of formal math education for Electrical Engineer?

    So, I am majoring in Electrical engineering, and probably doing a decent amount of Physics and Computer science courses until I can no longer squeeze it into my schedule. In the far future, I definitely plan to work in industry, and hopefully in R&D type engineering work. Will I ever in my...
  39. Cathr

    Engineering Can one successfully be an Engineer AND a Physicist?

    What I meant in the title is Theoretical Physicist (character limit). A year ago, when I decided to get a Physics bachelor degree, I was 100% sure I'm going to do theoretical research. Since high school, I was always searching stuff about particle physics, relativity and other topics on the...
  40. A

    Should I pursue this skill? (becoming a mechanical engineer)

    By my question I mean is this something that I should realistically consider a goal? A little about me, I'm currently a Senior in high school, well, at least I'm about to be because the school year hasn't begun yet. I'm really considering becoming a mechanical engineer because I love math and...
  41. rfranceschetti

    Engineering Job market for engineer physicists

    Hi all, Could you guys tell me how's the job market* for engineer physicists and engineer scientists? These majors seem very nice in terms of the range of the coursework, seeing many different parts of physics and chemistry. However, I'm quite skeptic about their career prospects. I see...
  42. rfranceschetti

    Engineering The relationship of a mechanical engineer with electricity

    Hi all, I have in mind that an engineering project tends to be quite "integrated", as in, it envolves different engineers. So, for instance, in order to build an aircraft, you need not only a mechanical engineer, but also an EE, Materials, managers, etc etc. So lots of teamwork. However, I'd...
  43. Rx7man

    Something every Mechanical Engineer should watch

    Here's a great video of what one guy has to say about what he learned at university.. He really hits the nail on the head.. My favourite point is with "safety factors".. If something failed under normal use, it's not because you chose a 1.2 safety factor instead of a 1.5 safety factor, it's...
  44. yecko

    Engineering Mechanical engineering or Aerospace engineer

    I am a year one student who is going to promote to year 2 in September, and I am required to choose between Mechanical engineering or Aerospace engineer within these few days (i just received the urgent message...) I believe I am better in memorization and language skill than mathematics...
  45. S

    Engineering Maximizing Your ME Degree for a Career in Robotics

    Hi all! Just recently discovered PF, loving the community. I'm a softmore Mechanical Engineering undergrad, who's been exploring careers and what comes next after I graduate. My question to you all is: What skills can I learn/focus on throughout the rest of my schooling to increase my chances of...
  46. R

    Engineering Electrician vs EE: Which Path is Right for Me?

    Hey guys I'm trying to figure out my path forward. I'm currently in an electrician apprenticeship which I enjoy a lot however I sense I have a stronger talent for engineering work. I've interviewed several EEs and it seems that my motivations for entering the fields are sound; however I don't...
  47. EEristavi

    Engineering Process Safety Engineer Job Description

    Hello everyone, I'm interested specifically what Process Safety Engineer's job is like. Like, what you must handle everyday at work, what knowledge is needed, do you find it interesting or not (and why) etc. Thank you for attention
  48. Connor

    Will I still be able to find a job as an engineer?

    I'm 21 years old and going to college for computer science. A year ago I got arrested and charged with a misdemeanor. To make a long story short when I went to court I was never convicted and the charge was dismissed and my record got expunged. I'm not looking to get a job at companies like...
  49. P

    Each day a quality engineer selects a random sample of 60 power supplies

    Homework Statement Each day a quality engineer selects a random sample of 60 power supplies from the day's production, measures their output voltages, and computes a 90% confidence interval for the mean output voltage of all the power supplies manufactured that day. What is the probability...
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