The Mechanical Engineering Field

"I am an Engineering student."  Common responses to this phrase is "I don't know how you do that," or "That's so much math.  You must be really smart."  While yes, you do need a level of academic know how, I tend to argue that almost everyone has the ability to be an Undergraduate Engineering student, and that circumstances, priorities, and interests are the main reasons for a particular student to decide one way or the other.  In respect to many majors, it is a higher work load, and many concepts are difficult to master.  This takes working at it and practicing to become an expert on the subject.  In respect to many majors, it is also a highly technical field.  An engineer may find her or himself designing new, useful products and infrastructure, or ways to improve existing products and infrastructure.  An engineer may have to get into the mud, and make the key decisions on, for example, how to build a pipeline, or turning a wrench on a new car to consider ease of repairs.  In a world of machines and electricity, advances and repairs are needed constantly.  Someone has to be the first to jump into these situations, figure out the correct way of doing it, and then teaching others how to do the same thing.

I am a Mechanical Engineering student.  Within the North Dakota State University College of Engineering, my degree tends to be the broad-interest approach to engineering.  My degree overlaps with the other branches of engineering often, and in interesting ways.  For example, a mechanical engineer may be a material engineer, studying material stress and strain.  This is information that would be useful for a civil engineer designing a bridge, or an industrial engineering deciding what materials to include into parts of a factory.  For another example, a mechanical engineer may be a systems engineer, considering everything from electrical systems, plumbing systems, material flow systems, hydraulic systems, and more.  These systems include concepts and methods that are found in electrical engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, and agricultural engineering.

Over the past year, I have been employed by the US Government working for the US Navy.  The opportunity has been extremely beneficial, mostly in confirming that engineering is in fact the career path I want to pursue.  With the nature of my work, I am able to support the US warfighter, particularly sailors.  The different machines I have worked with are incredibly interesting, and complex beyond imagination.  These systems give sailors the tools they need to defend the country's interests.

I also have a relative who works as an engineer with aircraft manufacturer.  This past summer, I was able to spend time with him, discussing different technologies and concepts I had never encountered before.  Between my employment and talking with him, I have begun to see that engineers have the opportunity to work with technologies and concepts that most of the general public does not have access to, and an understanding of the underlying reasons of how the products, buildings, and other man-made objects work.

Engineering can be extremely difficult, yet very rewarding in what an individual may be exposed to.  Nearly every industry, study, or service may benefit from engineering.  individuals may work some time in any part of the world, including possibilities in the deep ocean or third world countries.  Engineering will allow me to help people in a supporting role, hopefully allowing them to improve their lives, using the tools and strategies I come up with.  I am an Engineering Student.

-The Blue Peep Engineer