What Defines Engineers: Personality, Politics, and Stereotypes?

[stjimmy]

What do you guys think engineers are like in personality,politics,etc
what do you think is most attrative to future engineers about the engineering field? What do you think of the nerd sterotype?

 

[brewnog]

What do you guys think engineers are like in personality,politics,etc

Silly question.

What are politicians like? What are doctors like? What are women like?

 

[cronxeh]

Dilbert.com

 

[FredGarvin]

What do you guys think engineers are like in personality,politics,etc

They vary just as the general populace does.

what do you think is most attrative to future engineers about the engineering field?

The myth that they are high paying jobs, with the respect of the management above them.

What do you think of the nerd sterotype?

If the slide rule fits...I don't mind it one bit. I never understood how the idea that if someone is considered "smart" it is taken as an insult.

 

[Clausius2]

What are women like?

That's not a silly question. Do you mind answering it to me, please?.

 

[brewnog]

Honestly Clausius, if I could, I would..!

 

[pack_rat2]

Engineers come with the full range of variations in personality, politics, attitudes, etc, as is found in the general population. But having said that, there are certain general trends that are evident. Engineers are more likely be politically conservative than say, sociologists or journalists, since they tend to place emphasis on what's been proven to work, as opposed to what might be theoretically possible. They tend to be more interested in creating something that works, than in fully figuring out the underlying principles, as would, say, a physicist. Of course, engineers, like scientists, must be highly logical in there thinking, as opposed to what's required of artists, musicians, advertising executives, etc. And engineers as a group are considerably more honorable, ethical, and decent, than lawyers...;)

 

[Pengwuino]

What do you guys think engineers are like in personality,politics,etc
what do you think is most attrative to future engineers about the engineering field? What do you think of the nerd sterotype?

99.5% of engineers are 5'11" tall, weigh 150 pounds and drive geo-metros. They also enjoy playing X-box on saturdays between 9-3am. They also have black hair.

 

[jamesrc]

Engineers are people too.

 

[Chronos]

Engineers are just about the most pleasant and agreeable creatures you could hope to meet - salt of the Earth type. I have some beach front property for sale too... I think it would be safe to say that engineers are curious by nature. They desire to know how things work interactively, not so much why as would a physicist. Engineers need breadth, as opposed to depth of knowledge. Your typical mechanical engineer [which is my species], needs a solid understanding of mechanics, chemistry, electromagnetism, material science, statistics, metrology, ergonomics, economics, etc. Most engineers have a very practical approach to problem solving. A good engineer considers many factors before suggesting a design or process. How does this translate into personality? Engineers tend to form more detailed and carefully considered opinions. But, of course, if you get them out of their elements of expertise, they can be just as guilable as anyone else.

 

[pack_rat2]

Engineers are just about the most pleasant and agreeable creatures you could hope to meet...

I agree! As they say, "Great minds think alike"...

 

[hypatia]

I'm dating one right now, and he's funny and fun to be with. Hes a very stable and honest person{so far anyways}, who enjoys travel, animals, cooking and all kinds of music. And he knows how to leave work AT work.

 

[Moonbear]

I have to agree that I've always had really good experiences in my relationships with engineers. There is no single, stereotypical engineer, but then again, it does seem that people who are attracted to engineering have certain traits in common. I can't overly generalize, but can share what those I know well have in common. They are very direct people; don't expect them to beat around the bush or to worry about being PC, they're going to tell it like it is. When younger, they have a tendency to be overly literal about things and to over-analyze everything, but as they get older, they mellow. They enjoy the challenge of solving complex problems, but also enjoy getting out in the field and getting their hands dirty to apply their knowledge to real world situations.

(And the men have a tendency to dress in khaki pants and tucked-in polo shirts. )

Generally, I think they are pretty well-grounded people who are attracted to a field with obvious applications; they aren't content with just theory.

Now the engineers can speak up and tell me if I have them pegged or not.

(Oh, and certain biologists find themselves hopelessly attracted to engineers...not sure if that's a selling point for engineering or not... )

 

[Math Is Hard]

What are engineers like?

I always thought they tasted kinda like chicken.

 

[FredGarvin]

I always thought they tasted kinda like chicken.

You've been going out with those free range engineers?

 

[cronxeh]

Depends on the engineer's specialty I'd say

I think Chemical Engineers are more into money making aspect, while Mechanical Engineers just like a lot of things, and nothing in particular. Electrical Engineers are mostly into computers or calculators or anything they can get their hands on and then make it their little slave.

I have yet to explore and understand world of Bioengineering - personally I think its a fascinating area to go into, and I'm not sure about the people but their mindset is somewhere between becoming a medical doctor and a biologist, but also a heavy duty mix of engineering problem solving.

 

[Math Is Hard]

You've been going out with those free range engineers?

well..hmm.. I guess the software engineers I've dated weren't free range.
They usually keep them penned up in cubicles like veal.

 

[Moonbear]

well..hmm.. I guess the software engineers I've dated weren't free range.
They usually keep them penned up in cubicles like veal.

The civil engineers are the free range ones.

 

[Artman]

This really isn't a bad question.

Engineers should have an inquisitive nature. Not just in wondering how things work, but asking themselves, "Okay, what could cause this to not work?" Then they would not be satisfied with the first answer, but ask themselves, "What else could cause this to not work?"

When you ask an engineer an engineering question, a good engineer will ask you if you want the best way, the cheapest way, the way that you should design the job, or the way he believes that the contractor is going to do it?

They ae problem solvers, but it makes them look like they are causing problems because they point them out in an effort to eliminate as many possibilities of failure as possible.

Engineers can be daring, but they know the risks. Or Engineers can be cautious to the point of infuriating others.

Just a few aspects of some that i know.

 

[Evo]

well..hmm.. I guess the software engineers I've dated weren't free range.
They usually keep them penned up in cubicles like veal.

Living next to NASA I dated a ton of Aerospace Engineers. I think for 10 years the only guys I met were engineers. My dad was an engineer.

 

[hitssquad]

http://www.bbcmagazines.com/girltalk

 

[cronxeh]

software engineer? what the hell is that

(sorry Evo - no pun intended, but seriously.. what's next.. a 'financial engineer' -- my school offers Masters in that too)

 

[Moonbear]

http://www.bbcmagazines.com/girltalk

You always have a link for everything!

So, where are the actual engineers around here? We've put forth our theories, and we're waiting for refutation. Or does everyone just run away frightened when the PF sisters all descend upon an engineering thread at once?

 

[Chronos]

Engineers do not 'run', they strategically reposition... Ok, I ran one time when this hydraulic hose burst.

 

[cronxeh]

haha... watch the pyrotechnic if he starts running and try to keep up

 

[Math Is Hard]

software engineer? what the hell is that

I just always thought of it as a euphemism for applications developer, but wiki had a few more things to say:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_engineering#Software_engineer

Software engineering is the practice of creating software, productively and with quality.

Members of this profession are called software engineers, programmers, developers, or practitioners.

People who write code and do not follow the doctrines of software engineering are more accurately called programmers, developers, or software artists.

 

[Moonbear]

I just always thought of it as a euphemism for applications developer, but wiki had a few more things to say:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_engineering#Software_engineer

Software engineering is the practice of creating software, productively and with quality.

Members of this profession are called software engineers, programmers, developers, or practitioners.

People who write code and do not follow the doctrines of software engineering are more accurately called programmers, developers, or software artists.

So it's engineering if done productively and with quality? Does that mean programmers and developers are supposed to do shoddy work and write in lots of bugs? Who knew?! They're just doing their job!

 

[cronxeh]

* Chemical Engineers do it in fluidized beds.
* Chemical Engineers have free energy to react in beds.
* Chemical Engineers make better heat exchangers.
* Polymer engineers do it with chains.
* Nuclear engineers have rod control.
* Chemical engineers don't spurt, they have plug flow.
* Chemical Engineers have big pipes.
* Chemical Engineers: More refined than the rest.
* Chemical Engineers: We Will Refine Your Crudities.
* Chemical Engineers: We Will Filter Out the Scum.
* Chemical Engineers do it in packed beds!
* All we think about is mass in packed beds.
* Alcohol IS the ideal solution.
* Bo Doesn't know Bernoulli.
* Engineers do it with precision.
* Go ahead, Make my tray.
* Just the Fick's ma'am.
* Sometimes you got to stop and smell the chemicals.
* Hasta la Viscosita, Baby.


* And 10 Reasons For Becoming Chemical Engineers (in random order): In pursuit of the perfect beer...
* I thought I registered for "comical engineering."
* Fugacity sounds like an Irish liquor.
* We like to "pump it up."
* I thought Perry's Handbook was a new murder mystery.
* My doctor said that I should learn more about "waist treatment."
* Chemical Engineering has a better Amy Fisher story.
* I like Math and Chemistry when I was in High School ...
* We like staying up until the "distill" of the night to do our work.
* A hard hat makes a great fashion statement.

 

[russ_watters]

This really isn't a bad question.

Engineers should have an inquisitive nature. Not just in wondering how things work, but asking themselves, "Okay, what could cause this to not work?" Then they would not be satisfied with the first answer, but ask themselves, "What else could cause this to not work?"

Sometimes it gets weird - walking in a casino recently, I found myself staring up at the building support structure (it was all exposed) wondering if all of it was load-bearing or just decorative (I decided it was half and half). Friends get annoyed because I pick apart the science/engineering in movies. And I own very few mechanical or electrical devices that I haven't dis-assembled.

But it has its practical pros - I can build or fix a lot of things. I once had a camera break and after figuring out why, I sent a two-page letter to the company in engineer-ese discussing the design flaw. They fixed it for free.

When you ask an engineer an engineering question, a good engineer will ask you if you want the best way, the cheapest way, the way that you should design the job, or the way he believes that the contractor is going to do it?

Boy, ain't that the truth. Trouble is (in my line of work, designing HVAC systems), the client almost always wants it designed right, then when the bids come in and it costs too much, he has us redesign it cheaper, then the contractor does it the way he wants to anyway. There is no winning that game.

Engineers can be daring, but they know the risks. Or Engineers can be cautious to the point of infuriating others.

Interesting dichotomy, but true. It affects what branch of engineering you go into. In a branch of engineering like structural, where you use a safety factor 2.5, it makes you conservative.

software engineer? what the hell is that

(sorry Evo - no pun intended, but seriously.. what's next.. a 'financial engineer' -- my school offers Masters in that too)

We've had the "financial engineering" discussion before, but software engineering really is engineering. Its different from programming: programming is akin to AutoCAD drafting, while the software engineer is the one who designs the program. Its a very similar skillset to the traditional engineering disciplines.

 

[rittz]

What do you guys think engineers are like in personality,politics,etc
what do you think is most attrative to future engineers about the engineering field? What do you think of the nerd sterotype?

I have been an engineer for over 50 years.. You can seldom see any difference between them and the general population of relatively well educated persons ... John