Whats An Engineer?

A presentation brought to you by

the Education Outreach Program
at the
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division,
Patuxent River, Maryland

What is the difference between

a Scientist and an Engineer?
Engineers and scientists are often confused in the
minds of the general public.
Scientists explore nature in order to discover general
principles.
Engineers apply established principles drawn from
mathematics and science in order to develop
economical solutions to technical problems.

What Does an Engineer Do?

An Engineer uses science, technology, and mathematics

to design useful things for the benefit of people.

What Types of People Like Engineering?

People who like to work with cutting edge
technology

Creative people
People who like to solve problems
People who like teamwork
People who want to make things better
People who want to help humanity

Is Engineering Just About Science and

Math?
NO!!!
Engineers are good communicators they need to speak and write well
to share their ideas and designs with peers and customers.
Engineers are team players ... they understand that working with
people with different backgrounds and experiences will result in a better
design.
Engineers have broad skill sets many engineering jobs cross
engineering disciplines. For example, an aviation structural engineer may
have a civil engineering degree. Biomedical engineering combines
biology, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering skills.

What Do Engineers Look Like?

YOU!

Do You Recognize These Engineers?

The Apprentice
Dr. Randal Pinkett
Engineering degrees from
Rutgers, Oxford and MIT

Astronauts
Neil Armstrong Aerospace Engineer
Judy Resnick Electrical Engineer

Bill Nye The Science Guy

Television personality,
Mechanical Engineer

Lonnie Johnson
Mechanical and Nuclear
Engineering degrees
Invented the Super Soaker

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Aerospace Engineering
Improve the safety of the space shuttles and Navy
aircraft
Build a more spacious airliner

Create satellites that detect drought around the

world

Design robots that collect samples on other planets,

revealing insights about our galaxy

Develop parachutes, using new materials

to improve their performance

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Chemical Engineering
Design environmentally friendly cleaning products
Develop materials to prevent corrosion on Navy
ships

Develop chemotherapy that has fewer side effects

Turn seawater into drinking water
Develop ways of mass producing vaccines to ward
off epidemics

Reduce pollution by developing cleaner sources of

energy

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Computer Engineering
Create software that detects brain tumors earlier
Design a feather-light laptop
Develop software for Navy airplanes
Develop user-friendly blogging software
Oversee the computer network for a
telecommunications company

Predict the strength of earthquakes through

computer simulation

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Invent better MRI scanners, allowing doctors to see
even more clearly inside a patients body
Develop better means of detecting underwater
threats to Navy ships
Create special effects for the movies

Design cell phones that work more reliably and have

more features

Develop artificial retinas for the blind

Work on satellite communications systems that
connect people around the world

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Mechanical Engineering
Design smart toys for kids
Design unique prototype parts for Navy airplanes
Develop cars that are more fuel efficient
Produce hypoallergenic air conditioning for hospital
operating rooms

Create prosthetic hands that allow a person to type

and write

Build aerospace vehicles to trek across planets and

moons, collecting samples

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Naval Architecture Engineering
Design merchant ships, warships, drilling platforms
and pleasure boatseven cruise ships!

Find new ways of making boats and ships do their

job better (cargo, salvage, drilling, exploration,)

Find new ways to make places that support ships

work better (ports, docks, platforms,)

Design more innovative and efficient power and

propulsion systems (go faster on less fuel)

Find new materials for building ships (new metals,

composites, plastics,)

What Kinds of Engineers

are there?
Systems Engineering
Design and build complicated systems out of many
parts (airplanes, cars, computers and software,
medical, environmental,)

Make sure all pieces of complex systems are built

correctly so they come together in the right way at

the right time

Solve complicated problems to make sure that

systems do what they were designed to do, are

reliable, and continue to improve

What do Engineers do at
Patuxent River?
All new or modified Navy and Marine Corps aircraft are
tested at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River.
The engineers at Pax River do important work for our
country by ensuring the aircraft and equipment our
service men and women depend on will:

Keep them safe

And enable them to perform their mission
successfully.

Pax River hires many types of engineers.

Next is an example of the day in the life of an aerospace engineer:

There are many other types of Engineers!

Agricultural

Industrial

Ocean

Architectural

Manufacturing

Petroleum

Biomedical

Materials

Software

Civil

Mining / Geology

And Many More!!

Environmental

Nuclear

Why Be an Engineer?
Interesting work and job satisfaction
Great variety electrical, biomedical,
environmental, chemical and more!

Solid foundation for other careers such as

law and management

Opportunity to benefit society by solving

humanitarian and environmental problems

Financial security

Start Preparing Now!

Preparing for college begins early!
RecommendedCourseWorkfromTryEngineeringorganiza7on

Math (4 Years):

Algebra I and II
Geometry
Trigonometry
Calculus

Science (4 Years):
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
(Other options include Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, Ecology, Astronomy, and
Earth Sciences.)

Language Arts (4 Years):

English
Electives in this area includes Speech/Debate,
Communications/Media, and Journalism.)

Foreign Language (3 Years):

Your choice, based on what your school offers.

Additional preparation for College Success

Take AP or Honors courses when offered
Do well on standardized tests
Join engineering or science clubs
Get involved in other extracurricular activities
that will help you build valuable skills for the
future

Apply for a summer job at an engineering

facility or gain experience through a non-paid

internship

Apply for a government fellowship at

www.asee.org

Local engineering degree pathways

CollegeofSouthernMaryland

Twoyearprogram
Transfer60creditstoUniversityof
Marylandsengineeringschool

UniversityofMarylandattheSouthern
MarylandHigherEduca7onCenter

JuniorandSeniorYearComple7on
Blendofteleconference,classroomand
campusformat
Coopera7veEduca7onOpportunitywith
NAWCADPatuxentRiverEarnWhileYou
Learn

WhereCanYouFindMoreInforma3on?
Na7onalDefenseEduca7onProgram
hQp://www.ndep.us
hQp://www.ndep.us/lLabsPax
AmericanSocietyforEngineeringEduca7on
hQp://www.asee.org
NavalAirSystemsCommand(NAVAIR)
hQp://www.navair.navy.mil/jobs
EngineerYourLife
hQp://www.engineeryourlife.org
SocietyofWomenEngineers
hQp://www.swe.org
hQp://aspire.swe.org

Education Outreach Resources

Education Outreach Coordinator
Kathy Glockner
(301) 342-2281
Kathryn.glockner@navy.mil
Education Outreach Coordinator
Karen Lane (Calvert County only)
(301) 706-0245
Karen.lane.ctr@navy.mil
www.ndep.us/labs/patuxentriver
Higher Education and Research Partnerships
Dr. Paul Hoffman
(301) 342-9361
Paul.hoffman@navy.mil
References: American Association of Engineering Education
and Try Engineering