Engineer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An engineer is someone who is trained or professionally engaged in a branch of engineering.[1] Engineers use creativity, technology, and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems. People who work as engineers normally have an academic degree (or equivalent work experience) in one of the engineering disciplines.[2]
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[edit] Working as an engineer
"Every technological product has to be designed and its fabrication overseen, and this is what engineers DO."[3] Engineers and scientists are often confused in the minds of the general public. While scientists explore nature in order to discover general principles, engineers apply established principles drawn from mathematics and science in order to develop economical solutions to technical problems.[4][5] The work of engineers is the link between perceived social needs and commercial applications. Engineers consider many factors when developing a new product. For example, in developing an industrial robot, engineers precisely specify the functional requirements; design and test the robot’s components; integrate the components to produce the final design; and evaluate the design's overall effectiveness, cost, reliability, and safety. This process applies to the development of many different products, such as chemicals, computers, engines, aircraft, and toys.[5]
In addition to design and development, many engineers work in testing, production, or maintenance. These engineers supervise production in factories, determine the causes of component failure, and test manufactured products to maintain quality. They also estimate the time and cost to complete projects. Some move into engineering management or into sales. In sales, an engineering background enables them to discuss technical aspects and assist in product planning, installation, and use. Supervisory engineers are responsible for major components or entire projects.[5]
Engineers use computers extensively to produce and analyze designs; to simulate and test how a machine, structure, or system operates; and to generate specifications for parts. Many engineers also use computers to monitor product quality and control process efficiency.[5]
[edit] "Engineer" as a title
In some countries of Continental Europe and Latin America the title is limited by law to people with an engineering degree, and the use of the title by others (even persons with much work experience) is illegal. In Italy the title is limited to people who, besides holding an engineering degree, have passed a professional abilitation exam.
Laws exist in all U.S. states and in Canada which limit the use of several engineer titles, particularly the title of "Professional Engineer," and often also titles indicating a specific, regulated branch of engineering, such as "civil engineer" or "mechanical engineer." Most U.S. states do not restrict unlicensed persons from calling themselves an "engineer" or indicating branches or specialties not covered by the licensing acts, though the legal situation regarding the title of "engineer" in Canada is unsettled. (See Professional Engineer for more details).
The word "technologist" is sometimes used synonymously as it derives from the prefix techno- and the suffix -ologist, hence, someone who studies technology. This applies particularly to those European countries with laws regulating the use of the title "engineer," since the term "technologist" is not regulated. However in Canada, as well as some Latin countries, the term "technologist" is a somewhat lower certification at a level between technician and engineer.
[edit] Other meanings
In Britain, the term 'engineer' is often used to describe a technician or a person that mends and operates machinery. This in contrast to mainland Europe, where engineering is seen as comparable to other professions such as medicine and architecture. The status of "Chartered Engineer", which is a term of professional recognition for highly skilled engineers, can be gained from the Engineering Council after demonstrating the required level of competence and experience.
In the United States, the term "engineer" is also used to denote an operator of an engine of some sort, e.g., a railroad engineer denotes the operator of a locomotive, a ship's engineer denotes the operator of the steam engine on a steamship, and a stationary engineer is normally responsible for a stationary steam engine. Occasionally "title inflation" results in non-engineers holding jobs with "engineer" in the job title. For example, the term "field engineer" is often used to describe manufacturers' (or third party) supplied installers and/or maintainers of (complex) equipment at a user's site. However, they are not commonly degreed engineers.
The term "engineer" may also be used to describe holders of some forms of professional certification other than university degrees, such as (but not limited to) Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Certified Novell Engineer, Red Hat Certified Engineer and so on.
In Canada, the usage of the term "engineer" to describe holders of professional certification is not legally permitted. The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers mounted an extended campaign to get Microsoft to renounce use of the word "engineer" in the title of their certification.[6] A 2001 reader survey by Microsoft Certified Professional magazine found that over half of respondents supported changing the name of the MCSE to remove the word "engineer".[7]
[edit] Military Engineers
An Army military engineer is a member of any branch of the armed forces responsible for the design and construction and also the destruction of offensive, defensive and logistical structures for warfare. This term is used in military units throughout the world and has been used since ancient times, extended in modern terms to include the laying and disarming of minefields and booby traps.
A shipboard Navy engineer is the senior engineering officer in larger ships, and the senior engineering sailor (typically a Chief Petty Officer) is called the Chief Engineer. In smaller ships without an Engineering Officer the Chief Engineer runs the engineering department. To facilitate brevity of communication in an operational shipboard environment, the Chief Engineer on United States Navy vessels is colloquially referred to and addressed as "The CHENG", or simply "CHENG".
[edit] See also
[edit] Lists of notable engineers by discipline
- List of aerospace engineers
- List of chemical engineers
- List of civil engineers
- List of electrical engineers
- List of industrial engineers
- List of materials engineers
- List of mechanical engineers
- List of structural engineers
- List of systems engineers
[edit] Other related lists
- List of architects
- List of inventors
- List of urban planners
- List of heroic fictional scientists and engineers
[edit] Licensing and registration
[edit] References
- ^ Dictionary.com (2004). Engineer. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved on September 21, 2006.
- ^ Degrees and Occupations in Engineering: How Much Do They Diverge? Issue Brief, NSF 99-318 December 31, 1998
- ^ Samuel Florman, The Civilized Engineer ISBN 0-312-02559-9
- ^ National Society of Professional Engineers (2006). Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering. Retrieved on September 21, 2006. Science is knowledge based on observed facts and tested truths arranged in an orderly system that can be validated and communicated to other people. Engineering is the creative application of scientific principles used to plan, build, direct, guide, manage, or work on systems to maintain and improve our daily lives.
- ^ a b c d Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2006). Engineers. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition. Retrieved on September 21, 2006.
- ^ Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (July 2002). MCSE is NOT an Engineer in Canada!. CCPA News Release. Retrieved on May 13, 2006.
- ^ Schaffhauser, D.L. (August 2001). Microsoft Certified Systems Expert?. Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online. Retrieved on May 13, 2006., "Of 2,017 responses, 526 of you said, 'Don't change the name at all.' Of the 1,320 who said that only the word Engineer should change, the overwhelming majority—502 respondents—liked 'Expert' as a replacement. "
