Boğaziçi University

Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department

Engineering Education and

Career
EE 101 Lecture 2 – Part 1
Fall 2019
 Today
• Part 1:
– What is engineering?
– What do engineers do?
– Engineering Education and Careers
– Branches of Electrical Engineering
– Preparing for an Engineering Career
• Part 2: Measurements and Units and
Dimensions

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 1

 Engineering and Engineers
• An engineer is “a person who has scientific
training and who designs and builds
complicated products, machines, systems, or
structures.”
• Latin. Ingenium "inborn qualities, talent”
(same root as ingenious).

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2

Engineering Work Is All Around Us
• Engineers make products and provide services
that make our lives better.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 3

Engineering Work Is All Around Us
• Engineers apply physical and chemical laws
and principles and mathematics to design
millions of products and services that we use
in our everyday lives.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 4

Engineering Work Is All Around Us
• Engineers deal with an increasing world population
and sustainability concerns.
• The world’s current economic development is not
sustainable-the world population already uses
approximately 20% more of the world’s resources
than the planet can sustain.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 5

 What Is Engineering and
What Do Engineers Do?
E.g.:
• Consider important factors such as cost, efficiency,
reliability, sustainability, and safety when designing
these products.
• Perform tests to make certain that the products they
design withstand various loads and conditions.
• Continuously search for ways to improve already
existing products as well.
• Design and supervise the construction of buildings,
dams, highways, and mass transit systems and the
construction of power plants that supply power to
manufacturing companies, homes, and offices.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 6

 What Is Engineering and
What Do Engineers Do?
(Cont.)

• Play a significant role in the design and maintenance of a

nation’s infrastructure, including communication systems,
public utilities, and transportation.
• Continuously develop new, advanced materials to make
products lighter and stronger for different applications.
• Be responsible for finding suitable ways to extract
petroleum, natural gas, and raw materials from the earth.
• Be involved in coming up with ways of increasing crop,
fruit, and vegetable yields along with improving the safety
of our food products.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 7

 Common Traits of Good Engineers
• Good engineers have a firm grasp of the
fundamental principles of engineering which
they can use to solve many different
problems.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 8

 Common Traits of Good Engineers
Good engineers
– are analytical, detail oriented, and creative.
– have a desire to be lifelong learners.
– have a core knowledge that can be applied to
many areas.
– have written and oral communication skills that
equip them to work well with their colleagues and
to convey their expertise to laypersons.
– have time-management skills that enable them to
work productively and efficiently.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 9

 Common Traits of Good Engineers
Good engineers
– actively participate in discipline-specific organizations
(seminars, workshops, meetings), sometimes making
presentations.
– have good people skills that allow them to interact
and communicate effectively with various people in
their organization.
• Engineers are adept at using computers.
• Engineers generally work in a team environment.
Productive engineers must be good team players.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 10

 Engineering Education
• There are several organizations accrediting
engineering education in the world.
• One of the most important is ABET.
• ABET is handing over the accreditation of
Turkish universities to MÜDEK.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 11

 Engineering Education
• ABET accredited engineering programs must
demonstrate that their graduates by the time
of graduation have:
– An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
science and engineering
• Basic math and science courses in your programs.
– An ability to design and conduct experiments as
well as to analyze and interpret data
• You will have at least one course with a lab every
semester

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 12

 Engineering Education
– An ability to design a system, component, or
process to meet desired needs
• You will have project assignments in most courses as
well as a senior design project.
– An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
– An ability to identify, formulate, and solve
engineering problems
• This will be addressed by definition in almost every
course.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 13

 Engineering Education
– An understanding of professional and ethical
responsibility
• Part of this course is devoted to that.
– An ability to communicate effectively
• We will address this in this course. In some courses, you
will be asked to write reports, in some others, you will
be asked to make presentations.
– The broad education necessary to understand the
impact of engineering solutions in a global and
societal context.
• You are required to take HSS courses.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 14

 Engineering Education
– A recognition of the need for and an ability to
engage in lifelong learning
• We do this, but we do not know exactly how!
– A knowledge of contemporary issues
• HSS courses again. Do not underestimate campus life.
– An ability to use the techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice
• Both through homework and projects in classes and
through specific courses.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 15

 Engineering and EE Disciplines
• There are more than 20 disciplines in
engineering and the number is growing.
• Electrical engineering is the largest and one of
the three core disciplines (along with civil and
mechanical).
• Electrical engineering has many branches.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 16

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Power generation

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 17

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Power transmission

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 18

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Power distribution (Smart grids)

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 19

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Electronic System Design

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 20

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Integrated Circuit Design

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 21

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Signal Processing

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 22

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Telecommunications

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 23

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Systems and control engineering

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 24

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• With many applications in radars, GPS, cellular
phones, factory equipment, consumer
electronics (TV sets, household appliances,
MP3 players,…), transportation (automotive,
airplanes, trains,…), power stations,
biomedical equipment,…

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 25

 Preparing for Your Career
• Once you pick a subdiscipline, how are you
going to prepare for an engineering career in
that field?

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 26

 Preparing for an Engineering Career
1. Making the Transition from High School to College
Realize that in high school most of your learning took place in class, whereas in
college most of your education takes place outside the classroom
– You will be taught to look at your surroundings differently
– You will learn how to ask questions to find out
 How things are made
 How things work
 How to improve things
 How to design something from scratch
 How to take an idea from paper to reality and actually build something
– What you do for the next four or five years will affect you for the rest of your life
– How successful and happy you are will depend primarily on you
– Take responsibility for learning In college: Most of your education takes place outside
the class
– Have good study habits: Develop some new study habits and get rid of some old habits

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 27

 Preparing for an Engineering Career
(Cont.)

2. Budgeting Your Time

Describe effective ways to manage your time so that you can have a fulfilling
college experience and have adequate time for studying, social events, and work
– Time is like money – invest it wisely
– Education is an expensive investment: responsible management
– Learning is a lot of work: Not much fun (beginning)  Joy and Self-esteem
– Learning and understanding new things can be downright exciting

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 28

 An Example of Weekly Activities

How to budget the remaining 68 hours?

• Spend at least 2 to 3 hours of studying for each hour of class
time
(16 credits X 2h=32h; 16 credits x 3h=48h)

• Some classes will require more time for preparation and

homework, projects, and lab work

You still have from 4 to 20 hours a week in your

budget to allocate at your own discretion!

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 29

 An Example
of Weekly
Schedule for
a Freshman
Engineering
Student

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 30

 Other Considerations
• Re-budget your time
 depending on how many hours a week you need to
work and/or take care of family

• Take breaks between classes or study

• Maintain a daily logbook to keep track of

• how closely you are following the schedule
• where time is being used inefficiently
 Modify your schedule accordingly

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-31

 Preparing for an Engineering Career
(Cont.)

3. Study Habits and Strategies

Study habits and strategies that would lead to good academic
performance

4. Getting Involved with an Engineering Organization

It is important to join an engineering organization

5. Your Graduation Plan

The importance of having a graduation plan

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 32

 Study Habits and Strategies
You start studying and preparing
from the very first day of class!

• Read the material before the class

• Study the material after the class on the same day
• Attend your classes regularly
• Get help right away

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-33

 Study Habits and Strategies
(Cont.)

• Take good notes; you will need them for

assignments and tests.
• Select a good study place; learn
environments that boost your productivity
Not a good way to study!

• Form study groups

• Prepare for examinations

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-34

 Getting Involved with
an Engineering Organization
The primary purpose of professional organizations
1. Conduct conferences and meetings to share new
ideas and findings in research and development
2. Publish technical engineers in particular specialties
to keep up-to-date
3. Offer short courses journals, books, reports, and
magazines to help on current technical
developments to keep practicing engineers abreast
of the new developments in their respective fields
4. Advise the federal and state governments on
technology-related public policies

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-35

 Getting Involved with
an Engineering Organization
The primary purpose of professional organizations
(Cont.)

5. Create, maintain, and distribute codes and

standards that deal with correct engineering design
practices to ensure public safety

6. Provide a networking mechanism through which

you get to know people from different companies
and institutions
• Pool of colleagues to help you solve problems
• Help look for good engineers to hire

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-36

 Getting Involved with
an Engineering Organization

Join an engineering organization!

Networking, participating in design
competitions, and obtaining student loans and
scholarships are a few of the common benefits
of belonging to an engineering organization.

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-37

 Your Graduation Plan
• Know your school’s admission process
– Admission to the university
– Admission to the college or school
– Admission to a specific engineering program
• Know the requirements for each level of
admission
• Meet with your academic advisor and plan your
graduation
• Understand the prerequisites for each class and
in which semester a class typically is offered
 A program flowchart will be quite useful
Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-38
 Other Considerations
• Doing volunteer work
Not only will you feel good about yourself, you’ll also gain a sense of
satisfaction and feel connected to your community

• Vote in Local and National Elections

Exercise your right to vote, and try to play an active role in your local,
state, and federal government

• Get to know your classmates

• Get to know an upper-division engineering student

Boğaziçi University EE101 Lecture 2 2-39