Monday, November 30, 2020

What is a Biomedical Engineer?

Biomedical Engineering Degrees

A relatively new discipline, biomedical engineering involves research and development that combine medical and biological sciences for the advancement of all healthcare disciplines. It is a growing and evolving career field and according to CNNMoney.com, is the #1 Best Job for 2012 in America.

Some biomedically-engineered phenomena include regenerative tissue growth, pharmaceuticals, high-tech prostheses, diagnostic imaging equipment, and micro-implants. Biomedical engineering includes an increasing subset of specialties. Some of those specialties include:

Tissue Engineering

Organ transplants made from patients' own tissue, offer a quality of life not possible with donor organs. This field has produced solid jawbones and tracheas from human stem cells. Artificial bladders have been developed and successfully transplanted into humans.

Genetic Engineering

Manipulates an organism's genes on a molecular level. Some applications include improved crops, synthetic insulin, and the production of mice more suitable for cancer research.

Neural Engineering

Centers on the repair of neural systems—those pathways that tell our muscles when to move. All paralysis victims have an interest in this science on some level.

Pharmaceutical Engineering

Falls into both biomedical and chemical engineering categories. While some pharmaceuticals have upfront need of biological agents, even the development of chemical drugs requires BME knowledge.

Friday, November 27, 2020

Automotive Engineering Master’s Degree

Master’s Degree

A master's degree in automotive engineering is not necessary to work in the field, but such a degree will give students specialized automotive engineering knowledge and skills. Moreover, master's degree programs offer research opportunities for students. It takes about two years to complete a master's degree program in automotive engineering.

Studies include:

Design and manufacturing
Energy and environment
Materials
Noise and vibration
Powertrain
Dynamics and control
Electronics and computer software
Ergonomics

To earn a master's degree, the student must satisfy the university's thesis requirements and/or complete a final project.

Online Degree

The few universities that offer online automotive engineering degrees do so only at the master’s degree level. The student gains only theoretical knowledge from an online master's degree. The student does not receive any hands-on experience, which can be important to landing a job in automotive engineering. The online programs assume that the student received hands-on experience while obtaining the bachelor's degree. Therefore, online master's degree programs in automotive engineering are meant for the working automotive engineer.

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Masters Degree of Audio Engineering

Both the Associate and Bachelor degrees require a minimum of a high school diploma, a GED certificate, or the equivalent. Different schools, particularly those offering Bachelor programs, may also have specific requirements for placement tests or minimum scores for standard college entrance tests, like the SAT or ACT. In addition to the school standards, strong math skills, a good grasp of music, and an understanding of technology are all beneficial skills in pursuing this course of study.

Master's programs are available to those that desire to extend their education in very specific areas of the industry. These programs provide an intense study of a particular area of interest, like game design, music, acoustics, or recording.

Audio engineering degrees require a blend of music, business, and technical classes. Music fundamentals, acoustics, and theory are some of the music classes that are included in the degree. The technical and business courses encompass recording production, audio signal processing, mixing, editing, digital sound design, live sound production, and studio operations.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Salary information and Career for Applied Engineering

The Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering has developed congresses and resources to enhance the visibility of the field and equip practitioners with the latest knowledge and best practices in the industry. Like this organization, the Technology Student Association (TSA) and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) offer resources and materials to candidates in the field, including a library of publications, news and technological innovations. These associations work to provide rich mentoring and networking opportunities for members and aspiring candidates to enter and/or advance in the field. At the university level, students capitalize on alumni networks and on-campus recruiting efforts made by leading firms to fulfill their talent needs. Companies such as IBM, Ingersoll Rand, General Mills and CoreComm are a sampling of the firms who have acquired new personnel through these avenues. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a gradual decline in the employment prospects for these types of professionals, as manufacturing activities fall within the United States. O*Net reports that these professionals earn a yearly salary of $60,560.

These professionals demonstrate a proclivity to blend technical expertise with real world applications. In industrial settings such as robotics, aviation, computer drafting, electronics, graphic communications, construction and nanofabrication, applied engineers exhibit a range of skills, as they daily execute a bevy of tasks and duties to realize the fruition of a project. They employ statistics in control charts and tables to monitor system integrity; examine and/or establish quality control systems in a facility; execute production timelines; refine inventory systems; utilize production innovation in enhancing management; maintain standards in accordance with federal and municipal codes in maintaining safety and health standards; develop solutions to industrial organization problems; apply marketing and business acumen in the product lifecycle, and more Top firms looking to hire applied engineers include Northrop Grumman, Ford Motor Company and Motorola,

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Agricultural Engineering Education

Typical of all B.S. degrees, agricultural engineering studies begin with English, math, political science, chemistry, humanities, economics and other basics. Gradually, students are introduced to their majors, and this one begins in the freshman year with an introduction to agricultural systems management. Agriculture courses that follow can include:

Farm Tractors and Power Units
Systems Analysis in Agriculture
Operations Research and Systems Theory
Agricultural Machinery Management
Food Process Engineering Technology
Agri-Industrial Applications of Electricity
Water and Soil Management
Technology for Environmental and Natural Resource Engineering
Occupational Safety Management
Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products
Spatial Technology for Precision Agriculture
Management of Agricultural Systems
Geographic Information Systems for Resource Management
Advanced GIS Analysis for Natural Resource Management
Agricultural Electronics and Control
IT for Agricultural Systems

Monday, November 23, 2020

Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering

There are only a handful of universities accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology in the United States that offer aerospace engineering degrees. Aerospace engineers take two years of calculus, differential equations, physics and chemistry and two years of engineering coursework. Aerospace engineering students can expect to see the following engineering courses in their university's curriculum:

Statics
Dynamics of aerospace systems
Control of aerospace systems
Aerodynamics
Thermodynamics
Flight software systems
Aerospace instrumentation and experimentation
Aerospace structures
Aircraft flight dynamics
Space flight dynamics
Vibration and elasticity
Aircraft propulsion and power
Space navigation and guidance
Space propulsion and power
Aeronautical systems design
Space systems design

In terms of career choices, the aerospace field is projected to grow 5% between 2010-2020 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Aerospace engineering majors can choose variety of career paths, including positions in scientific research, engineering design and development, field service, management, marketing, software development and teaching.

The two main branches of aerospace engineering degrees are aeronautics and astronautics. Some universities have curriculum's that embrace both areas, while others separate the two fields and offer degree programs in either aeronautics or astronautics. Aerospace engineering majors should be prepared to engage in a significant amount of actual design and implementation in addition to coursework.

Friday, November 20, 2020

Transportation Engineering Focuses

Transportation engineering focuses on the design and development of public transportation infrastructure and systems. As a discipline of civil engineering, practitioners endeavor to create roads, bridges, mass transit systems and other modes of transport to enhance society. In this capacity, these practitioners may design, operate and repair any of these assets with the aim of producing fast, efficient, safe, cost-effective, and sustainable forms of transport. Airport, highway, railroad and port engineering are all subsets of the discipline.

On a daily basis, transport engineers juggle a medley of tasks from interfacing with clients and suppliers in-person and over e-mail to meeting with their teams to receive project status updates and to address any complications in a project lifecycle. More business-oriented professionals may attend strategy sessions with their executive teams and/or meet with current and potential investors to discuss prospective opportunities in the market place. In the evenings, many professionals engage in continuing education initiatives, whereby they may take a course on new technological advances and/or attend a presentation by an academic or industry practitioner to receive insight on best practices or solutions to existing problems.

National and local governments as well as private firms seeks to employ these professionals for global projects, where they are given the responsibility to ensure safety and efficiency, whereby they are entrusted to ensure public safety by meeting building codes and standards through computer hardware and software applications.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Real Life Impact of Thermal Engineers

Thermal engineers have been instrumental in changing the way people find and use energy throughout the world as well as in pushing space exploration into new realms. Most people think of Google as an Internet search engine company, but the firm has expanded its resources into creating better energy solutions for the planet. The firm actively recruits thermal engineers to work on its project for developing clean and affordable power grids. Their Energy Access team endeavors to recruit and nurture engineers to its efforts, underscoring its conviction in its identity as an engineering firm.

Moreover, the University College London (UCL) Mullard Space Science Laboratory considers the work of its thermal engineers as vital for enhancing space exploration initiatives. One of their professionals, Christine Brockley-Blatt, has exemplified the seamless transition these practitioners make from the classroom to real world applications. After completing her undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics, Brockley-Blatt completed an internship with an aerospace firm, whereby she trained on a project dealing with the landing gear and propeller technology for a medley of aircraft models. She then applied more of her thermal engineering training to an automotive firm. With UCL she currently works as a project manager on cooling technology in outer space exploration solutions. On a daily basis, she employs calculations in mechanical and thermal capacities, performs project management duties, and demonstrates oral and written communications. Her rich educational background and professional experience illuminate the depth and versatility the field requires of its practitioners to excel.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Software Engineering Degrees

Most people are familiar with older, more traditional engineering fields such as mechanical, civil, or electrical. Software Engineering is a relatively new discipline, but in today’s increasingly interconnected world, it is becoming more and more important.

Software Engineering differs from Computer Science or Web Design in that you are formulating how the overall software system functions, and how it works within its intended hardware environment.

Software Engineers are responsible for every phase of a development project, not just for writing the computer code. Upon the initiation of a project, they make sure requirements are documented and validated.

This assures the entire project is working toward the correct goal. They then move on to system design, often overseeing the creation of software prototypes to present to clients for additional validation.

Once the design is solid, Software Engineers manage the overall development effort to make sure the pieces are coming together as planned. Finally, they create and oversee test cases which assure system functionality is complete and traceable to the requirements generated at the time of project initiation.

Software Engineering is the discipline that makes sure computer systems are developed methodically and result in building the right product with quality built-in from the beginning.

Monday, November 16, 2020

The Life of a Petroleum Engineer

Petroleum engineers typically design equipment to extract oil and gas, and develop ways to force oil out of wells through injection of water, chemicals, gases, or steam.

They develop drilling plans, survey, evaluate, and test wells. They use computer-controlled drilling to connect separated deposits to a single well. They ensure proper installation, maintenance, and operation of oil field equipment.

Reservoir engineers optimize production with proper well placement and enhanced recovery techniques. Drilling engineers oversee the technical aspects of drilling exploration, production, and injection wells. Production and subsurface engineers direct connections between reservoirs and wells, overseeing downhole monitoring equipment and flow control, sand control, and perforations.

They select surface equipment to separate fluids (oil, natural gas, and water), and they evaluate artificial lift methods.

Emerging career choices involve pollution cleanup, hydrology, and underground waste disposal (the subsurface injection of carbon dioxide to reduce greenhouse gases). Petroleum engineers are also educated in geothermal energy production, in situ uranium leaching, and coal gasification.

The known worldwide oil and gas reserves are larger than ever. Found in diverse areas, these resources provide opportunities for assignments in the Middle East, Asia, South America, Australia, and beyond.

Friday, November 13, 2020

Prerequisites Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering

The basic Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Science and Engineering develops practical skills through hands-on education. Laboratory courses cover radiation physics, measurement, and protection. Laboratory exercises work with electronics, imaging and computation. This degree includes courses on nuclear systems and an undergraduate thesis based on any area of nuclear science and engineering.

Absolutely. Students who have completed the bachelor's degree generally need 12-18 months to earn a Master of Science degree, assuming they carry a full load of courses each term.

Many students prefer to pursue a master's in a discipline other than that of their bachelor's degree. They focus on nuclear science and engineering as graduates.

Master's degree candidates usually specialize in fission nuclear technology, nuclear science and technology, or applied plasma physics.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Employer Requirements for Nano engineers

Employers require these professionals to have completed at least a Bachelor’s Degree in nanoengineering or chemical engineering to assume a job in the industry. Undergraduate students explore coursework that prepares them for making contributions in the fields of medicine, energy and environmental applications, among others. Students take classes that integrate a medley of math, science and engineering courses that prepare them for the versatile field. Acquiring a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. in the field may be required to qualify for some executive positions with a given company. Advanced education also enables these professionals to undertake teaching roles at universities. For those seeking business-based positions, a candidate should focus on developing leadership and management skills, as they will be asked to spearhead a team of engineers. In addition, they will be asked to communicate and negotiate with suppliers. In this setting, superb oral and written communication skills will prove essential.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has organized conferences to expand the discourse and awareness around the field of nanoengineering. In addition, they provide a digital library of resources, including publications, news, and best practices in the field that are vital to practitioners in the industry.

Though the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide exact data on job prospects for nano engineers, chemical engineers, a comparable field, expect to see job growth prospects of 6 percent through 2020. The states of California, Texas, New York, Illinois and Michigan feature the most bountiful opportunities for professionals. While exact statistics on the median salary of these professionals is unavailable, O*Net reports that chemical engineers of the same background command a yearly salary of $95, 730.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Salary and Career Outlook Molecular Engineering

The Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution is one of many associations dedicated to the advancement of professionals and the field as a whole. Related organizations like the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the Technology Student Association (TSA) endeavor to accomplish these same goals by organizing meetings throughout the globe that expand the discourse on technological innovations and best practices in the industry. They feature vast digital libraries of industry and academic publications and related resources. Mentoring and networking outlets exist as well that bolster a members or aspiring professional’s ability to grow within the field of molecular engineering. Practitioners should also consult social media outlets and an array of associations in the field founded by universities throughout the country. University-based alumni associations and career placement centers possess further resources and outlets for students to learn of what companies seek as well as on-campus recruiting initiatives. Companies such as Google, Boeing, Genentech, and Bayer Pharmaceuticals have employed these avenues to recruit new talent to their efforts. Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), molecular and chemical engineers expect a job growth rates of 6 percent to the year 2020. Illinois, California, New York, and Texas offer the most opportunities for candidates. Data provided by O*Net indicates that engineers in this field earn a yearly salary of $92,680.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Mining Engineering Education Requirements

Requiring a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, the licensing requirements for geological and mining engineering vary by state. Specific degree programs for aspiring geological and mine engineers include Geology, Geophysics, Geological Engineering, Mining Engineering, Mineral Preparation Engineering and Social Geology, among many others, and range from undergraduate Bachelors programs to advanced graduate and post-graduate programs. In addition to materials mining and extraction, additional studies and industry focuses include ecological impact research, which measures broader environmental and ecological effects of mining operations, social geological impact research which focuses on both the sociological hazards and benefits to geological or mining efforts and discovery oriented exploration, studying geological formations below the Earth’s surface so as to refine the broader understanding of the planet’s composition. Regulated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration he field of geological and mine engineering is one with an intense focus on hazard awareness and occupational safety.

As with any dynamic and engaging field of study, the geological, mineral and mining industries and sciences, the training and education continues well after one has earned their degree. With numerous trade associations, professional networks and academic research societies, such as the American Institute of Professional Geology American Rock Mechanics Association and Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists the field of geological and mine engineering is one of a continually evolving nature, with regular conferences and training programs designed to keep geological professionals on the cutting edge of their chosen pursuits. Combining age old techniques in respect to surveying, exploration and extraction, new technologies continue to emerge in the field, bringing new and exciting methods of research and exploratory prospecting into the hands of professionals and students every year. And as these new technologies and discoveries continue to change the professional landscape for those entering the engineering fields of geology or mining, the increasing demands for raw and precious materials by industry and the public at large have led to an increased demand for well educated, qualified professionals to enter the fields.

Monday, November 9, 2020

Working with a Mechatronics Engineering Degree

Though the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not maintain employment or salary data on mechatronics engineers, it does have statistics for the related industries of a mechanical and electrical engineer. According to research at the BLS, demand for these types of professionals should likely experience five percent growth until at least 2022. Moreover, the bureau foresees electrical and electronics engineers to experience four percent growth in their career prospects. In contrast, electrical and electronic engineering technicians will likely see little or no growth over the time period. Based on O*Net salary data, mechatronic engineers earned a median salary of $92,680. In a state comparison for earning potential, the BLS found that mechanical engineering professionals in California earned the highest salary at $112,100. Professionals in Texas received $98,030 in yearly salary compensation. Engineers in New York and Illinois earned approximately $95,020 in pay annually.

Mechatronic engineers require at least a Bachelor’s degree, whereby most of these professionals have completed undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering. The field, though, transcends this traditional discipline into a variety of fields of study such as electronics, decision-making theories, and information technology, among others. With a Master’s degree in mechatronic engineering, an individual has the credentials to assume management and more advanced research posts. Graduate programs often feature traditional classroom instruction with practical industry experience. Coursework traditionally explore practices in automation theory, methodology, and analysis. An example mechatronic engineering class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for example, instructs the design of mechatronic systems which integrate mechanical, electrical, and control systems engineering. For those seeking a less rigorous option of entering the field, an associate's degree in mechatronics can be attained at a community college or technical institution. These 2-year degree programs equip candidates with the skills to assume entry-level positions, whereby they troubleshoot maintenance processes. Classroom instruction typically entails course work in robotic design as well as training in engineering drawing.

Friday, November 6, 2020

Mechanical Engineering Types of Degrees

It usually takes four to five years to obtain a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. Students should seriously think about co-operative education where they take one semester or quarter of university courses and work in an industry-related environment the next semester or quarter.

Co-oping is a paid internship, and oftentimes the job experience can lead to employment at graduation. The ambitious student can take another two years of coursework to obtain a Master's Degree in mechanical engineering. The student who desires to go into research and/or teach engineering can spend another year or two obtaining a PhD.

There are some universities that offer online mechanical engineering study programs. However, mechanical engineering is not well suited to online study because this discipline requires hands-on experience with moving parts and instruments.

Additionally, all accredited engineering schools require the design, construction and presentation of a senior design project that is supervised by an engineering professor. This is an educational benefit that an online study program cannot truly offer.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Materials Science and Engineering Salary Information

In general, as a broadly applicable field of study with many avenues open to graduates and post-graduates throughout numerous professional sectors, Material Science and Engineering maintains a respectable average salary in terms of national averages. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2012, the mean salary for a Materials Engineer was $85,150 annually. In comparison, Onet.com reported a rise in this for 2013 with a reported mean salary of $87,330 per year, with these totals naturally varying between industries and according to educational and experiential backgrounds. Job growth in this particular sector is reported to be effectively flat between 2012 and 2022, according to the BLS, experiencing neither substantial losses nor gains in term of total net employment.

However within the state of California alone, numerous opportunities can be found consistently in the areas of aerospace and defense, medical device design and manufacturing, applied physics research and development (both commercial and academic,) as well as in general consumer products and electronics manufacturing. Additional opportunities in the energy, automotive and information technology sectors can also be found throughout the country and are themselves possessing of growth potential as each of these industries continues to evolve rapidly in light of technological advances.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Marine Engineering Degrees

During the course of obtaining a marine engineering degree, you will learn how to apply the principles of engineering to systems that help seafaring vessels, docks and other aquatic entities function. This may include designing and evaluating propulsion and power supply systems to assist communication and navigational devices, engines, foul-weather gear and many other types of marine tools. Becoming a marine engineer takes time, patience, dedication, and commitment to your studies.

You can study for a bachelors, masters or PhD in marine engineering, which will prepare you to design and evaluate sea-faring vessels and other equipment while on land. Alternatively, you can enroll in the United States Merchant Marines Academy and learn how to operate and care for a ship’s equipment with one of three degrees: Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering Systems, and Marine Engineering.

While every engineering school has slightly different requirements, in general, undergraduate applicants should have completed high school with excellent advanced science and math course grades. High ACT or SAT test scores are also helpful when applying for a program in marine engineering.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Working Life of an Industrial Engineer

Depending upon the specific tasks they are performing, industrial engineers work both in offices and in the settings they are working to improve. If they are observing problems, for instance, they may watch workers assemble parts in a factory, or staff performing their functions in hospitals. When solving problems, industrial engineers may work in an office at a computer, where they examine data that they themselves, or others, have gathered. Industrial engineers may need to travel for work in order to observe processes and make assessments in various work settings. In 2012, the industries that employed the greatest number of industrial engineers were: aerospace product and parts manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, architectural, engineering, and related services, motor vehicle parts manufacturing, and management of companies and enterprises. Industrial engineers need good interpersonal skills to be able to work alongside other professionals and serve as a bridge between the technical and business sides of an organization.

Recently, the University of Chicago conducted a study to obtain information about job satisfaction in the United States. Although job and career are not the only determinants of overall happiness and life satisfaction, they do contribute substantially to an individual’s sense of well-being. According to the study, the occupation “industrial engineer” was among the top ten careers associated with general happiness. In fact, it ranked ninth. When compensation for these top-ten careers was examined, “industrial engineers” ranked third.
When looking at the reported reasons for happiness, i.e. creativity, use of expertise, helping others, it is easy to understand why industrial engineers ranked in the top ten careers for happiness. IEs are trained to use quantitative and non-quantitative expertise in creative was to improve processes and products while making jobs easier and more efficient.

Monday, November 2, 2020

Main Focus of an Environmental Engineer

Engineers are the world's lifeline to everything that defines our civilization, not unlike the Romans with their aqueducts, toilets, and sewer systems. Environmental engineering is a critical career field that helps keep our planet inhabitable and sustainable.

If you are considering embarking on a career dedicated to environmental engineering, there are many facets of your education that will come into play, and the more you know now, the better engineer you will be.

Your role as an environmental engineer will involve providing safe and plentiful water supplies, developing systems for reducing pollutants in air, water and hazardous wastes; anticipating the effects of contaminants' transport, and correcting improper disposal situations where hazardous materials are concerned.

As an environmental engineer, you will seek solutions to public health threats, improvements in and adherence to the law surrounding sanitation and construction, waste disposal, recycling, industrial hygiene, and environmental sustainability.