What is Engineering?

Engineering has been called the “invisible profession” because most people have no clue what engineers do. This is unfortunate, because everything in society is linked to engineering. A really broad but short definition of engineering is: “Engineering is the application of math and science to create something of value from our natural resources.” Note that engineering is not science. Engineers generally don't “do” science. Science is about discovering the natural. Engineering is creating the artificial. Theodore Von Karman, an aerospace engineer, put it nicely when he said, “Scientists discover the world that exists; engineers create the world that never was.”

Engineers are often incorrectly identified as scientists because most people have studied some science in school and are at least familiar with science. Most people have not studied or even been introduced to engineering. For example, in a 1998 poll, only 18% of respondents associated engineers most closely with working in space, while 68% associated scientists most closely. In fact, the space program is largely engineering and 72 of 107 current U.S. astronauts in 1998 (67%) have an engineering degree.

The word “create” has been used several times here in reference to engineering. Engineers as a group are probably the most creative people. They synthesize, solve problems, and innovate...all big words meaning that they make new things and make old things better. People in the arts are creative too; but their creativity deals with thoughts or emotions. Engineering creativity is directed at things—and this creativity is why engineering can be so much fun.

Engineering offers more career options than any other discipline. It’s a profession that can take you from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space, from within the microscopic structures of the human cell to the top of the tallest skyscrapers. Whether it’s cell phones, digital cameras, DVDs, or facial recognition devices that can pick out a terrorist in a crowded football stadium, engineers are behind almost all of today’s exciting technology. Engineers are problem solvers who search for quicker, better, and less expensive ways to use the forces and materials of nature to meet today’s challenges.