Origins Of Engineering

Engineering is a kind of discipline that aims to abtain and apply scientific and technical knowledge to the design analysis and construction of variety of works for practical purposes. The broad discipline of engineering encompasses a range of specialised subdisciplines that focus on the issues associated with developing a specific kind of product, or using a specific type of technology. In prehistoric times, men and women had to be ingenious in order to survive hunger, enemies, climate and, later, the tyrrany of distance. So there have always been 'engineers' around, many of whom were involved in activities we would not associate with engineering today but, rather, with hunting, farming, fishing, fighting, implement- and tool-making, transportation and many other things. Engineering can be considered as the combination of science and design in oredert o invent practical objects.In the earliest times, engineering started with the invention of the basic things such as wheel, pulley etc. At early times engineering was seperated in to two main branches (military and non- military (civil) engineering). By the rise of the industrial revolution and development of the sophisticated machines and tools during the revolution, mechanical engineering was emerged and after the nineteenth century, engineering were started to be applied to science and mathematics. In a similar manner, besides civil and military engineering mechanical engineering was added a a new branch of engineering. The new experiments and developments and revolution give rise different approaches and branches to engineering.

Beginning Of Engineering Education

Before people’s being starded to be educated as engineers to build things, inventors and engineers worked without formal education. For example James Watt (Who has an extremely important role in the development of industrial engineering) only passed one year at London as an apprentice instrument maker for the rest he gained the knowledge by reading and by his own inventions.

After the fast grown of artillery and fortifications complexity increased and officers were started to be training in mathematics and mechanics.Then this trend was gradually started to be applied for civil engineering.(Three year program School of Bridges and Highways in France was founded).Actual history of engineering education was emerged in America. BEfore the foundation of military academi, military engineering was started to be taught.Then cıontinued by taking the engineering education in France as a model.

Especially after the II. World War, and The explosion of engineering research was exploded and the importance of engineering education increased. By the help of sophisticated Technologies, engineers upgraded themselves by reforming engineering education and research.

Engineering As A Profession

The engineering profession is considered to be self-regulating because engineers themselves have been given the authority by law to set and enforce standards for licensing and practice. Actually, engineering as a profession is the occupation which means the operation of service given to people in terms of creating and inventing new things and introduce the production by planning, designing and managing.

What Engineers Do?

Engineers are both problem solvers and designers. They combine technology and science in order to solve and create. Everything around us wheather less or more visible is the product of engineering. For example the buildings around us created by civil engineers are obvious, while designing, planning and controlling a manufacturing process made by industrial engineers which does not seem so obvious are all products of engineering.The fact that engineers mostly work in teams requires engineers to be responsible for communication, understanding, planning, creating, and testing.Engineers should follow the changes both in the technology and science in order to respond the people’s need. Creativity, acedemic knowledge, efficiency are the core values of the engineerig in order to satisfy the people’s demands.

Types Of Engineers

• Aeronautical or Astronautical engineers-

Study jet engines and aircraft design. They may also work on applications for space missions.

• Agricultural engineers-

Design farm equipment, animal shelters, crop systems, and product processing systems.

• Chemical Engineers

Develop processes and products made with chemicals perhaps in the food, petroleum, or pharmaceutical industries.

• Civil engineers-

Design roads, buildings, transportation systems, and other large-scale construction projects. Categories within this area may include structural, environmental, geological, hydraulic, transportation and construction engineering.

• electrical and computer engineers-

Design, construct, and maintain electronic systems, which may include working with computer chips, circuits and electronic communications.

• Geological engineers-

Solves earth related technical problems while at the same time protecting the environment.

• Industrial engineers-

Plan and design industrial and business facilities for the best product quality and employee working conditions.

• Materials engineers-

Study metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites to design materials for applications that may involve transportation, communication or power production.

• Mechanical engineers-

Create machines and may work on transportation systems, power production or performance analysis.

• Nuclear engineers-

Work with nuclear reactors, fusion and radiation applications.

Indusrtial engineers control, plan, test many types of the manufacturing systems and service sectors.Not only procuding a product is sufficent to be named as a production but also introducing this product as a service to the people’s demand is necessary. Many of the things that are produced by the other branches of the engineering are turned into services by both engineering knowledge and business information that belong to indusrtial engineers.

References:
1-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering
2-http://www.new-sng.com/history.cfm
3-http://www.creatingtechnology.org/history3.htm
4-ace.acadiau.ca/apsc/Prospective%20students/profession_of_engineering.htm
5-http://appsci.queensu.ca/prospective/engineering/info/
6-http://www.ie.psu.edu/Academics/Undergraduate/IEIntro/Questions/Q2.htm
7http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/toki/teched/vtypes.htm