Engineering Adventure
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Engineering Adventure
Engineering Adventure: The Future We Want But Cannot Seem To Handle?
On October 9, 2013, Brad Allenby highlighted several aspects of technology mainly referring to the changes of technology over time. He explained the relationship between technology and time and the various technological factors that have been affected by technological innovation and advancement. He went on to give an example of how a bone in the arms of an ape could be categorized in one sense as just a bone and in another as a weapon that can be used to inflict injury depending on how the ape uses it.
He also stated that over the years the sense of time between different generations has changed. Our brains are wired differently. For example, the present day young man would find a five-minute clip quite long as compared to a seventy-year old man since the cognitive ability of the young man has been coupled with vast information over a short period of time while his older counterpart’s cognitive ability had coupled with an information scarce environment.
The most interesting aspect of the lecture was the fact that any ordinary person would think that the focus of the minds of today’s generation is on memory, while in reality this may not be the case. This can well be explained by the availability of the internet and the vast fields of information it provides. Most people today if asked the capital city of Sweden would search this on Google since such information is readily available on the internet. A student in the nineties however, would depend on their own memory of past knowledge to know that the capital of Sweden is Stockholm.
The lecture enables one to understand the role and impact of technology on our environment, self-development and cognitive abilities. This aspect enables one to identify their role in societal development by use of technology both now and in the future.
Engineering Adventure: Where Your Engineering Adventure Will Take You.
On Monday September 30, 2013, Paul Johnson lectured on the journey of a successful engineer in their career. This career path is never definite. It includes a series of decisions and risks that are carefully thought out. He narrated his personal journey in his career to emphasize the most important aspects that would help a student become a successful engineer. Johnson stated that the most relevant tools for an engineer were common sense and hard work.
A student’s major is usually influenced by their thinking but one should not let it be a constraint to ones ability. Instead, one should be flexible and open to new challenges and opportunities to advance one’s engineering skills. Skills and interests change over time and one should therefore consider this in deciding which path to take. A good student should also take the initiative to seek out new opportunities in order to discover new ideas that will be important in innovation.
Most importantly, a student should be prepared. Basic knowledge of the engineering field will enable one to identify the necessary requirements and prepare adequately. The most interesting aspect is that, engineering is vast and as an engineer, you can create opportunities that will propel you to even greater heights in the field. The most important thing is to be certain of your skill set and your passion in order to venture into the career.