Looking from the outside, I think the field of engineering is a pretty cool one, and I think engineers as a group are possibly the most productive members of society in terms of the actual value of their work.
It’s too bad that engineering is a field occupied mostly by geeks. A bodybuilding engineer would be a pretty impressive brawn-brains combo. There must be at least a few here. What field are you in and how do you relate to your geeky co-workers?
Also, how would you rank the various engineering fields?
Civil
Mechanical
Electrical
Aeronautical
Computer (software/hardware)
Bioengineer
Chemical
I’m working on a Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (which i’ll get this June).
I try to avoid other engineers at school (Swarthmore College) when possible… I do work in an Engineering lab, though, where the other folks are not too geeky, and we get along quite well. It is a music technology lab (in the ECE department at Drexel University), so I guess that helps to explain things to some extent (i.e. they aren’t your run of the mill engineers).
dan
Just earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering. I’m no bodybuilder, but being strong and fast is what I’m all about. Most civil engineers aren’t too weird, but I can’t speak for some of the other disciplines.
I have a lot of friends in all of the engineering fields though, and from my experience, the electrical/computer engineers usually are the geekiest, ha ha. However, to be fair, I think that stems from them having the hardest degree to obtain, i.e. homework on Friday nights.
I think my mistake was going to an engineering school. By my third year I wasn’t really going to class. I couldn’t stand it. Maybe if I had gone to a normal school…I dunno. I don’t think I could’ve done it my whole life.
It’s true though, none of the other electrical/computer guys lifted. =P
ME undergrad student here. I’m not a bodybuilder but it could happen. I’m only 20 standing 6’1’’ @ 205.
I feel like a giant in my classes because just about no one is my height or weight. I also miss seeing hot girls. Only when we venture out to the student union or some other part of campus do we see them.
I know 1 ME and 1 EE that lift regularly, the EE is only 175 pounds soaking wet though.
Here’s a question for those engineers who have a BS at least: What field do you work in, and do you like it? (i.e. manufacturing, r&d, consulting, etc)
I’m in the Masters program at UIllinois-Urbana for ECE. I have to agree with it being one of the hardest (if not the hardest) degree to obtain. My project partners and I would constantly walk home at 5am after putting in 16 hours at the lab. And that was an early night!
I wasn’t able to lift much during my undergrad, but being in grad school lets me have more time to lift. The funny thing about our powerlifting squad is that we’re actually pretty smart. Over the past four years or so, we’ve had:
4 Computer Engineers
1 Civil Engineer
2 Mechanical Engineers
1 MatSE
1 Nuclear Engineer
1 CS dood
1 Physic PhD
1 English PhD
1 Econ PhD
1 Statistics Professor
See? Not all strong people are dumb!
Edit: Oh yea, I also have to say that being 6’2 260, I am by far the biggest person in any of my classes that has any sort of muscle to them. It’s too bad I can’t impress any women with my muscles, because I’ve had a total of 5 girls in my classes in the last two years!
I don’t believe in ranking the engineering disciplines, but as far as versatility based on how interdisciplinary the particular degree is:
Materials Science Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
At least around here (Silicon Valley), I think chemical engineers have the highest average starting salary (B.S. degree). I had a prof in college tell me the same thing and I remember double checking salaries for the area.
I was a mechanical engineer (undergrad) for a few years then switched out completely. Toward the end I took a materials science course and REALLY wish I had gone down that route from the beginning, though the core classes are practically the same for all engineering disciplines. I still remember some of my physics and definitely appreciate the impact my more advanced math courses have had on my ability to problem solve.
I would’ve focused on plastics (go e. coli !) or shape memory alloys. SMAs are some sci-fi shit.
[quote]dasboi wrote:
currently pursuing my degree in materials science and engineering.
bodybuilder? not really. but wanna get as strong and hyooge. all the same.
just wondering. is it a common occurence that the engineering field is always overflowing with males with the odd one or two females showing up?[/quote]
Yes, men are better at math/science on average. Not absolutely but on average.
Final year in electrical engineering, getting my degree(hopefully!) in June. In my class there is only one other dude who is into lifting. Most of the class are quite geeky allright, to the point where they sit around and make nerd jokes about transistors or some shit. I really don’t have the mindset for some of this stuff as in it’s very very boring but I’ve made it this far cause I know it will be worth it in the end.
You forgot Petroleum, Manufacturing, and Industrial Engineering on your list. Plus, each of those degrees often have an Engineering Technology field associated with them. If you don’t like your mechanical engineering compadres then try the mechanical engineering technology department. Same math and courses are often required but the tech side has a much more hands-on approach. The difference is would you rather wear a suit to work or blue jeans. Do like getting your hands dirty or not?
Plus there is a difference between getting your degree in an engineering field and getting your professional engineering license.
I got my BS in mechanical engineering, and currently work in the offshore oil field. Currently deciding what I want to go back to school for. Texas A&M has a kick-ass multi-discipline materials science program or possibly looking at Wind/Solar power generation.
[quote]Bujo wrote:
You forgot Petroleum, Manufacturing, and Industrial Engineering on your list. Plus, each of those degrees often have an Engineering Technology field associated with them. If you don’t like your mechanical engineering compadres then try the mechanical engineering technology department.
Same math and courses are often required but the tech side has a much more hands-on approach. The difference is would you rather wear a suit to work or blue jeans. Do like getting your hands dirty or not?
Plus there is a difference between getting your degree in an engineering field and getting your professional engineering license.
I got my BS in mechanical engineering, and currently work in the offshore oil field. Currently deciding what I want to go back to school for. Texas A&M has a kick-ass multi-discipline materials science program or possibly looking at Wind/Solar power generation.
[/quote]
Do the materials science program.
And the engineering license - I hear the test is quite difficult - is a great thing to have.
[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
Bujo wrote:
You forgot Petroleum, Manufacturing, and Industrial Engineering on your list. Plus, each of those degrees often have an Engineering Technology field associated with them. If you don’t like your mechanical engineering compadres then try the mechanical engineering technology department.
Same math and courses are often required but the tech side has a much more hands-on approach. The difference is would you rather wear a suit to work or blue jeans. Do like getting your hands dirty or not?
Plus there is a difference between getting your degree in an engineering field and getting your professional engineering license.
I got my BS in mechanical engineering, and currently work in the offshore oil field. Currently deciding what I want to go back to school for. Texas A&M has a kick-ass multi-discipline materials science program or possibly looking at Wind/Solar power generation.
Do the materials science program.
And the engineering license - I hear the test is quite difficult - is a great thing to have.[/quote]
It is a great thing to have. The instant credibility is awesome. It is almost like being called doctor (and holds the same status in other countries).
The test wasn’t terribly difficult it was bout the same as the FE. If you practice engineering on a daily basis, it isn’t that bad.
I will eventually go get my PhD, but that is when I have kids and they are out of college.