The Stealth Profession or The Invisible Profession

1
The Stealth ProfessionorThe Invisible Profession

• A 1998 poll indicated indicated 61 of adults
  feel not very well informed about engineering
• -- www.discoverengineering.org

2
The Stealth Profession or The Invisible
Profession (contd).

• HOWEVER, the following revolution(s) have
  greatly increased the awareness and the sense of
  wonderment about technology and engineering among
  the general public
• Semiconductors and integrated circuits
• Semiconductor Research Corporation www.src.org
• PBS www.pbs.org/transistor
• Computers (from servers, pcs and laptops, to
  DVDs and torrents of software tools and
  applications)
• www.dell.com , www.zdnt.com, www.microsoft.com,
  
• Internet and the World Wide Web (and the
  dot.com financial paradigm)
• www.anything.(com,edu,gov,org, )

3
The Stealth Profession or The Invisible
Profession (contd).

• Communication (from intelligent networks to
  wireless to ATMs and credit card verification),
• Medical advances, e.g., ultrasound, laser
  surgery, tomography,
• www.advamed.org
• Military advances, e.g., computerized firing and
  control mechanisms in the Abrams tank, stealth
  bombers, smart bombs, cruise missiles,
• www.army-technology.com
• Janes Military Journal www.janes.com
• Much, much more kids surf the web and own CD
  ROMs younger and younger (www.pbskids.org).

4
A Definition of Engineering

• Engineering is the profession in which a
  knowledge of the mathematical and natural
  sciences, gained by study, experience and
  practice, is applied with judgment to develop
  ways to utilize, economically, the materials and
  forces of nature for the benefit of mankind.
• -- ABET Handbook, 1996
• www.abet.org

5
A Definition of Technology

• Technology comes from three Greek words with the
  same root
• Tekhnetos man-made
• Tekhne (noun) skill
• Tekhnasthai to devise artificially.

6
Is there an Engineering View?

• 1.6 million American Engineers
• No one society for Engineers (like ABA, AMA,
  ADS)
• Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers
  (IEEE) is the largest professional society in the
  world

Samuel C. Florman,The Civilized Engineer, St.
Martins Griffin, 1987.
7
Is there an Engineering View?

• scientific view
• hard work
• recognition of risks
• responsibility, dependability
• certain amount of seriousness
• creativity, ingenuity, zest for change

8
Industry Perspective onSkills of Engineering
Graduates

• problem solving
• communication skills
• ethics/professionalism
• positive attitude
• math/science skills

• technical skills
• continue learning
• business/mgt
• computer skills
• world affairs

9
30 of Engineering Grads are in ECE
10
Projections for Growth
11
Types of ECECS Careers

• Our Department has four main areas, with
  significant overlap among most of them
• Electromagnetic Devices (EMD)
• Nanotechnology, lasers, photonics, semiconductors
• Computer Engineering (CompE)
• Computer Science (CS)
• Systems Engineering (SE)
• How to design and improve processes involving
  humans, computer, software, logistics (Fed Ex,
  Smart systems, manufacturing, military, ). Uses
  mathematical modeling, artificial intelligence,
  simulators,

12
Types of EE Careers

• Communications
• Telephony/data networks, wireless
• Electronics and Electromagnetics
• Solid state circuits, e.g., VLSI design
• Microelectronics
• Semiconductor manufacturing
• Lasers, optical networks, satellite dishes,
• Systems, control, measurement
• Navigational control, industrial controls,
  military/industrial/commercial logistics.
• Power engineer producing and distributing
  electricity

13
Types of Computing Careers

• systems analyst/developer/architect
• define system goals
• prepare specifications
• implement and refine systems
• computer programmer
• writing/maintaining programs
• computer engineer
• design hardware, software, networks and processes
  to solve technical problems
• database system administrator
• organize and store data efficiently, reliably,
  and securely

14
Growth in Computing Careers
15
Product/Process Phases

• feasibility study
• requirements collection
• detailed specifications
• design
• implementation
• testing
• refinement
• deployment
• maintenance

16
EE and CompE Curriculum

• handouts check sheets
• handouts pre-req charts

17
Homework 3

1. Read Ch. 1 in Patt/Patel textbook for next class
2. Browse carefully the ECECS web page, and from
   general and faculty information list your 3 most
   favorite and 3 least favorite areas of
   specialization. Explain briefly why.