Confessions of an Engineering Washout

Tech Central Station ^ | 9/21/05 | Douglas Kern

[Fierce Allegiance]

I would agree for elec, computer, and some mechanical and maybe CE design, but boots-on-the-ground Civils are still in big demand. I can't see that going away any time soon.

[The SISU kid]

Scandihoovian Engineers, Ole and Sven, were standing at the base of a

flagpole, looking up. A blonde woman walked by and asked what they were

doing.

"Ve're supposed to find the height of the flagpole," said Ole, "but ve don't

have a ladder."

The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a few bolts, and laid the

pole down. Then she took a tape measure from her pocket, took a measurement,

announced, "eighteen feet, six inches;" and walked away.

Sven shook his head and laughed. "Ain't that just like a dumb blonde! Ve ask

for 'da height, and she gives us 'da length

[Fierce Allegiance]

Anthony, my summer intern who won't go away, would not understand that.

[sionnsar]

Any of our freeper engineers care to comment on this man's experience? What was your experience at school?

I had an abymsal teacher or two at the junior college level, but for the most part my teachers ranged from good to excellent. (This was a long time ago...) But even then some of my fellow engineering students washed out.

[sionnsar]

Find a way to teach engineering to verbally oriented students who can't learn math by sense of smell.

I was always poor (but adequate) at math -- except 2nd quarter calculus where I had a teacher who could make it all obvious. I compensated with a dual major and finding Boolean algebra a snap. (which it is...)

[sionnsar]

Geezer Geek ping.

This is a very low-volume ping list (typically days to weeks between pings).
FReepmail me if you want on or off this list.

[null and void]

Sounds pretty close to mine. I lasted five years before dropping out.

We were made of sterner stuff in those days...

[Richard Kimball]

I was a fine arts major in college, my daughter teaches math, and I work at a college. Your post confirms what I have believed for quite a while. People in mathematics and the hard sciences tend to be more creative and original thinkers than people in the fine arts. In the fine arts there's a rigidity of thought, and an imposed political thought process. Because art is subjective (you couldn't sell a Jackson Pollack for fifty bucks if he wasn't famous), appointments are almost entirely political. In engineering and the hard sciences, if you don't do it correctly, the bridge falls down.

I do agree with the author that many lower division courses are taught by assistants, and many of these grad students are sadists who take their anger out on the poor lower division students.

By the way, your post was brilliant. The passion you obviously have for your field is evident.

[Ichneumon]

I think Mr. Kern here suffers from an inflated sense of self-esteem. He may have gotten great grades in high school so he thinks he's a genius and his teachers and parents told him was. So he goes into the real world where the rubber hits the road and he's just chopped liver.

Heh -- that's a common discovery. I went to a pretty exclusive college, and on the first day of orientation the president of the university warned us, "Most of you were in the top 5% of your class in high school. Just remember that fully 50% of you will now find yourself in the bottom half of your class..." It's quite an adjustment.

[anymouse]

Imagine if the World allowed slacker engineers. Bridges would collapse, buildings would crumble and airplanes would fall from the sky - routinely, just because the responsible engineer had a bad day and didn't feel like giving it his all.

Of course this theory falls apart when you talk about software. ;)

[N. Theknow]

My dreams were dashed at age 12 when I found out all the math requirements for an engineering degree from Georgia Tech.

All I wanted to do was learn how to drive a choo-choo train.

[Professional Engineer]

I nearly fainted when I learned that I received a 43% on the Physics final. I nearly fainted again when I learned that the class average was 38%.

That sounds familiar. I receieved a similar mark for Diff Eq 2, and received a "B". Turns out the professor routinely gave such scores. When he reported grades, he just multipied each student's score by 2.

[Professional Engineer]

Though I might point out to the young man that while the legal profession doesn't seem to have many lay-offs,

Or time off. But hey, it's only life right.

[Professional Engineer]

Someone set you up the test.

All your protractor are belong to us.

[Professional Engineer]

I received this from an Architect client of mine

---

Only a “Few Good Men” will get this.

CAST:
MEP Engineer: Jack Nicholson
Architect: Tom Cruise

MEP Engineer: You want answers?

Architect: I think I'm entitled to them.

MEP Engineer: You want answers?!

Architect: I want the truth!

MEP Engineer: You can't HANDLE the truth!!

Son, we live in a world that has CHILLERS, BOILERS AND SWITCHGEAR. And those PIECES OF EQUIPMENT have to be LOCATED IN ROOMS. Who's gonna DESIGN THEM? You? You, MR. ARCHITECT? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom.

You weep for LOST PARKING SPACES and you curse the SIZE OF MY GENERATOR. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that THOSE MEP SYSTEMS, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you WANT me on that DESIGN TEAM. You NEED me on that DESIGN TEAM. We use words like DESIGN, CODE, ANALYSIS...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent PROVIDING OWNER COMFORT AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. You use 'em as a punchline.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain my DESIGN to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very ENVIRONMENT I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a DUCTULATOR and DESIGN a BUILDING SYSTEM. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!

Architect : Did you OVERSIZE THE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOMS?

MEP Engineer : (quietly) I did the job you HIRED me to do.

Architect : Did you OVERSIZE THE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ROOMS?!!

MEP Engineer : You're goddamn right I did!!

[Professional Engineer]

But you have to understand and sense inside your head to movement of the steel, the flow of a current ina wire network, the compression of a screw thread inside a bolt, or the twist of an airflow in an HVAC duct as you design circuits and dams and buildings.

Or they break.

Well stated.

[NicknamedBob]

"But you have to understand and sense
inside your head to movement of the steel,
the flow of a current in a wire network,
the compression of a screw thread inside a bolt,
or the twist of an airflow in an HVAC duct
as you design circuits and dams and buildings.

Or they break.

Beautiful, Robert! Just beautiful. *sniff* I love your poetry.

[NicknamedBob]

"Not that you can exactly "see" neutrons too good."

Be thankful you're not as near-sighted as I am.

[Kenny Bunk]

I am an engineer by early training. The academic system for engineers is set up for nerds and dweebs who are unable to explain to anyone, least of all themselves, why the bridge collapsed, or the airplane fell from the sky, which they do with some, but hopefully rare, regularity.

Our politically correct writer of the article posted also failed to mention that today, most of the teaching assistants who make the nerds' and dweebs' lives living hell are from points east where speek Engrish is unkown aht foam.

However, you cannot beat the mental discipline and internal logic of scientific and mathematical study. Kern's Komplaint about the math teacher is ridiculous. It's math dude. You learn it in the wee hours of the morning working the problems.

Now there is absolutely nothing to preclude the study of the liberal arts (of which mathematics is one) by engineers. In fact, with our powers of study, logic, and concentration, I dare say we could complete the classwork of the average lackadaisacal 4-year liberal arts dolt in two semesters.

In my day, and at my school, certain liberal arts courses were required of everyone. Fooey! Nowadays, nobody knows nothing.

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

There is a difference in going to an engineering college in the 1950's than in the 90's or later.

Big difference!

I had a prof who was a lead engineer in the design of B-52 fuselage. Another who was in the Space Program. And another who designed a Breeder Reactor.

The today's profs don't seem to have any contacts with the kids.