While interviewing engineers we often meet extraordinary people with desires to change and

improve the world – but Dan Manaig, a metallurgical engineer, is a lot more than his degree and
career reveal.

His wanderlust has taken him on many adventures around the globe, the last one being here in
Europe.

Finishing his Master’s degree (Georesources) in France and Belgium, via the EU’s Erasmus
Mundus programme, he has the knowledge and opportunity to compare the education in his
home country, the Philippines, to the universities here on the old continent.

“What I miss is the hectic schedule when all requirements of the subjects are combined, plus
the co-curricular works I have to accomplish,” Dan explains.

Hard work has never scared him, even in his teenage years. A normal high school graduate,
Dan was not absolutely sure which path to choose.

“Everyone applied for the conventional ones like chemical, mechanical and civil engineering,
and at that time I realized that in the future I would have to compete with all of them,” he jokes.

“Then I found myself stumbling upon the metallurgical engineering degree – because of the
length of its name and not everyone was showing interest in it.”

He continues: “It is definitely an interdisciplinary degree of geology, chemistry, mineral

processing and material science engineering. From there, given the mineral abundance of my
country, the Philippines, and the possibilities to travel the world, I had decided [to enrol].”

His desire to travel enabled him to take part in the JENESYS (Japan-East Asia Network of
Exchange for Students and Youths) programme, which aims to strengthen the bond between
these countries.

“Before I applied, I had executive positions in provincial and ethno-linguistic organizations in my

university, wherein we organized voluntary work, environmental conferences and national high
school competitions,” Dan says.

“When I got in, we were named as Tohoku goodwill ambassadors who would provide warmth
and strength to those devastated by the great tsunami experienced by the Japanese people in
2011. We visited the affected areas, listened to the stories of the survivors and home-stayed
with them,” he adds.

“We were overwhelmed with their hospitality and ability to smile and still work despite the recent
unfortunate events. And on one occasion I gave a speech describing how the Japanese
managed to survive, emphasizing their resilience and bravery and how inspired and moved we
were because of them.”

Dan's desire for knowledge transforms his life in a continuous adventure all around the globe.
The world for him is an unexplored opportunity to constantly evolve yourself – as both a
professional and a human being.
He finished his interview with the words "never be afraid of everything, and never stop
dreaming", and we believe that he will manage to encourage others just the way he has inspired
us.
e.

Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design,
construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including
works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings.[1][2] Civil engineering is
traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is the second-oldest engineering
discipline after military engineering,[3] and it is defined to distinguish non-military
engineering from military engineering.[4] Civil engineering takes place in the public
sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from
individual homeowners through to international companies.
Civil engineering is the application of physical and scientific principles for solving the
problems of society, and its history is intricately linked to advances in understanding
of physics and mathematicsthroughout history. Because civil engineering is a wide-
ranging profession, including several specialized sub-disciplines, its history is linked to
knowledge of structures, materials science, geography,
geology, soils, hydrology,environment, mechanics and other fields. Civil
engineers typically possess an academic degree in civil engineering. The length of
study is three to five years, and the completed degree is designated as a bachelor of
engineering, or a bachelor of science in engineering. The curriculum generally includes
classes in physics, mathematics,project management, design and specific topics in civil
engineering. After taking basic courses in most sub-disciplines of civil engineering, they
move onto specialize in one or more sub-disciplines at advanced levels. While an
undergraduate degree (BEng/BSc) normally provides successful students with industry-
accredited qualification, some academic institutions offer post-graduate degrees
(MEng/MSc), which allow students to further specialize in their particular area of
interest.[15]
In most countries, a bachelor's degree in engineering represents the first step
towardsprofessional certification, and a professional body certifies the degree program.
After completing a certified degree program, the engineer must satisfy a range of
requirements (including work experience and exam requirements) before being certified.
Once certified, the engineer is designated as a professional engineer (in the United
States, Canada and South Africa), a chartered engineer (in
most Commonwealth countries), a chartered professional engineer (in Australia
and New Zealand), or a European engineer (in most countries of the European Union).
There are international agreements between relevant professional bodies to allow
engineers to practice across national borders.
The benefits of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United
States and Canada, "only a licensedprofessional engineer may prepare, sign and seal,
and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or seal
engineering work for public and private clients."[16] This requirement is enforced under
provincial law such as the Engineers Act in Quebec.[17]
No such legislation has been enacted in other countries including the United Kingdom.
In Australia, state licensing of engineers is limited to the state of Queensland. Almost all
certifying bodies maintain a code of ethicswhich all members must abide by.[18]
Engineers must obey contract law in their contractual relationships with other parties. In
cases where an engineer's work fails, he may be subject to the law of tort of negligence,
and in extreme cases, criminal charges.[19] An engineer's work must also comply with
numerous other rules and regulations such asbuilding codes and environmental law