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Published on Leave a comment on What Is A Structural Engineer?

Structural engineers design, evaluate and calculate the strength, stability, and rigidity of structures. Structural engineering is a specialty within the field of civil engineering. It is a structural engineer's job to make sure a structure is safe and will be able to handle the forces and loads it may encounter. Structural engineers work with architects, contractors and other engineering professionals.

What Do Structural Engineers Do?

Structural engineers design and analyze structures such as buildings, bridges, tunnels and oil rigs. They test designs for accuracy and performance with computer programs and models. Structural engineers also develop construction budgets, evaluate materials, monitor construction and make sure projects are meeting the appropriate codes and regulations. In addition, structural engineers evaluate existing structures for structural integrity and recommend repairs or changes.

A structural engineer may be involved with new or existing residential buildings, commercial projects, home purchase inspections, storm damage, and additional structural needs.

Where Do Structural Engineers Work?

Most structural engineers work for construction or engineering consulting firms or for contractors. Consultants focus on designing structures and tend to work in an office environment. Contractors spend the majority of their time on site where they oversee the construction of a structure.

Structural engineers usually specialize in a particular industry, such as buildings or bridges. This allows them to be familiar with the challenges and requirements specific to their area of expertise.

How To Become A Structural Engineer

To do this job, you will need a bachelors degree in structural or civil engineering. The college should be accredited by ABET. A PE Certification and a masters degree may be required for advanced positions in the field.

Published on Leave a comment on What is a PE in Engineering?

A Professional Engineer (PE) is an engineer who is licensed by a state board of registration to practice engineering. A PE license is the engineering profession's highest standard of competence. It is also an assurance of quality as well as a symbol of achievement.

How do you get a PE license?

According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, “To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then to retain their licenses, PE's must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers.”

The two exams are the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) and PE (Professional Engineer). There are different exams for each engineering discipline. The FE exam is often taken during the last year of college. An engineer can stamp and sign engineering drawings and calculations as a PE once the PE exam is passed and the other requirements of the state have been met and they have registered with the state.

Do you need to have attended an ABET-accredited college to get a PE?

Some states require that you have a BS degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program to take the FE exam. Other states allow you to take the exam providing you meet other degree and experience requirements. These requirements are nearly always greater for applicants without an ABET-accredited degree.

Why become a PE?

If you are a PE or on your way to become one, it will make you stand out from the competition when job hunting. You may also get to work on more interesting projects. Only a licensed engineer can submit plans and drawings and be in charge of work in the private sector. A PE license will lead to a higher salary, more respect in your field and greater career potential. 

Is a PE required?

In some engineering disciplines, such as Structural Engineering, it is necessary to obtain a PE. If you do not become a PE you can not sign off on engineering drawings and calculations. In some other engineering disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, it is not as necessary to have a PE to work in the field. Overall, obtaining a PE is a valuable designation to achieve as any engineer.

Published on Leave a comment on What is Aerospace Engineering?

Are you interested in things that fly? Choosing to study aerospace engineering in college could be for you! Aerospace engineering is the study of air and space travel. It is often referred to as “rocket science.” Aerospace engineers research, design, construct, test and maintain aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and related systems and equipment. They also are concerned with flight safety, operating costs, fuel efficiency and environmental impacts.

The field can be broken down to two major overlapping branches- aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Aeronautical engineers concentrate on aircraft that fly within the earth's atmosphere (airplanes, jets, and helicopters), while astronautical engineers focus on spacecraft and launch vehicles. 

A good background of math and physics classes in high school is important for students applying to aerospace engineering programs. There are many colleges that offer degrees in aerospace engineering. Some of these include: MIT, Georgia Institute of Technology, Caltech, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Perdue University. Check out the U.S. News list of the top ranked aerospace engineering programs.

 

Published on Leave a comment on What Is An Engineer?

According to Oxford Dictionary an engineer is, “A person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or structures.” In today's world the field of engineering encompasses so much more. Engineers are problem solvers, designers, organizers and calculators. The modern engineer is also computer savvy. They will utilize software programs to assist in design and forecasting or developing new software to make things run better. Engineering touches every aspect of life. For example, phones, bridges, appliances, machines, buildings, computers, airplanes, and the list goes on.

An engineer uses science, math and ingenuity to develop solutions to commercial, technical and societal problems. They design structures, materials, systems and processes, while taking into account regulations, safety, cost and practical limitations. Being an engineer is challenging and rewarding. An engineer can be involved in finding answers to problems that confront society.

There are 4 main disciplines that the engineering field is broken down into. They are Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical and Civil Engineering. There are numerous sub disciplines under each of those. Computer Engineering, Construction Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Biomedical Engineering are just a few of those sub disciplines.

Getting an engineering degree can open the door to other professions as well. The thinking process and skills developed as an engineer are very valuable and highly sought after. There are many engineering graduates who are currently in careers in business, law and medicine. In addition, there are a significant number of CEO's and people in other key management positions in large companies who come from engineering backgrounds. There will always be a demand for the skills of an engineer.

Overall, engineers are designers, calculators, designers, planners, tech savvy and problem solvers. If you are curious about how things work and like to apply what you learn to solve real world problems, engineering may be the right field for you.

Published on Leave a comment on Types Of Engineering

 

Just like there are different types of music, there are different types of engineering fields.  Traditionally they could be grouped into 4 primary types, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. There are  many other engineering sub disciplines that branch off or merge from there. Here are descriptions of the 4 primary engineering fields.

Chemical Engineering: Chemical engineers develop processes to make raw materials or chemicals into usable products. They apply the principles of chemistry, physics, math and biology to solve problems with the design or production of these products. Chemical engineers design processes and equipment for product manufacturing. They also direct facility operations and test and plan production methods. 

Civil Engineering:  Civil Engineering is one of the oldest types of engineering. Civil engineers work on the design, construction, analysis and maintenance of man-made and natural structures. These include buildings, roads, bridges, dams, seaports, airports, drinking water and energy systems and infrastructure for a cleaner environment. They determine the feasibility of projects including costs and safety, and are responsible for the design and implementation. Civil engineers use physics and the advanced principles of mathematics such as calculus and trigonometry in their work.

Electrical Engineering: Electrical engineers design, develop, test and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment. They work will all kinds of electronics from small pocket devices to supercomputers, telecommunications and power systems and controls. They apply the physics and math of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism to large and small scale systems to process information and transmit energy.


Mechanical Engineering: Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest of the engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design products and the machines that produce these products. They also design and construct machines, from power producing machines such as generators, turbines and engines to machines in buildings like elevators, escalators and air conditioning systems. They also maintain mechanical systems. Mechanical engineers apply physics and math to design, analyze maintain and manufacture mechanical systems.