What is Engineering?

A Brief Overview
Engineering: The Definition

Engineering is surely a word most people have heard of before, but have you
actually ever wondered what it means to be an engineer? Most people picture
brainy individuals working behind the scenes on planes and trains, but there's so
much more to this discipline than that. In the simplest terms, engineering is the
act of using the scientific method to solve real-world problems, build
practical machines and tools, and make the world a better place.

Indeed, we owe pretty much all of our infrastructures to the work of engineers
throughout the centuries. From the ancient Greek mathematical genius
Archimedes, to artists-engineers like Leonardo Da Vinci and visionary Nikola
Tesla (I suppose we must also mention Elon Musk), engineers help shape the
world as we know it in a variety of ways.

Here's a quote that pretty much encapsulates the spirit of engineering, from the
creator of Dilbert, Scott Adams, “Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't
fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features
yet.” Adams knows that engineers look at the world with curiosity, and love to
solve seemingly unsolvable problems. How Many Types of Engineering Are
There?

There are many various types and subtypes of engineering, but here are the
most basic types summarized.

Mechanical Engineering:

Source: industryview/
iStock
Engineers in this field are definitely the kind of people who like taking things
apart, learning how they work, putting them back together, and troubleshooting
any problems that may arise. As such, they enjoy designing and building
machines that function for specific purposes.

Currently, the biggest and arguably the most complex machine ever built is
called the Large Hadron Collider. Located in Geneva, it is the largest and most
powerful particle accelerator in the world. It's responsible for the discovery of
the long elusive Higgs boson particle.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a

mechanical engineer in 2019 was around $88,000 a year.

Civil Engineering:

Since the beginning of history, humans have engaged in civil engineering (it's
believed to be the oldest type of engineering). Simply put, civil engineering is the
act of developing and maintaining buildings, roads, bridges, and dams. You
know your fancy toilet? Yeah-those are pretty new in the grand scheme of
things. Well, they wouldn't exist without civil engineers who designed not only
sewage systems, but water filtration systems. Without these individuals, the
world would look closer to the world of Westeros than the present (pass the
chamber pot, please).

Other noteworthy feats of civil engineering include the pyramids at Giza, the
Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal, the Channel Tunnel between England and
France, the Burj Khalifa—the highest building in the world, and the city you are
living in. Another very interesting yet controversial feat of civil engineering is the
Three Gorges Dam in China, which, when full, can actually slow the speed of
Earth's rotation (although only by 0.06 microseconds).

According to the BLS, in 2019, the median salary for a civil engineer was around
$87,000 a year.

Structural Engineering:

Structural engineering and civil engineering sort of go hand-in-hand. Structural

engineers look at things civil engineers create, and see whether their designs
and concepts are practical, and can be built safely. They also oversee the
construction itself to make sure things like bridges, power plants, skyscrapers,
large buildings, dams, and even homes are structurally sound.
The BLS does not separate out the salaries of structural engineers, but they can
expect to be paid around the same as civil engineers, with a median salary
of $87,000 a year.

Chemical Engineering:

If you are interested in both engineering and chemistry, this is the perfect field
for you! It's currently the most in-demand of all the engineering fields — largely
thanks to advances in rechargeable batteries. It's a race to the top for big
engineering companies looking to turn these advancements into functional
transportation prototypes.

Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math
to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs,
food, and many other products. They design processes and equipment for large-
scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods and byproducts
treatment, and direct facility operations.

According to the BLS, in 2019 the median wage for chemical engineers was
almost $109,000. The highest salaries are in petroleum products manufacturing
and research and development. Not bad, eh?

Petroleum Engineering:

Source: industryview/iStock
Petroleum engineering, as you might be able to guess, involves the design and
development of methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the
Earth’s surface. Petroleum engineers also find new ways to extract oil and gas
from older wells. You might imagine this industry is going by the wayside, given
the push toward sustainable and clean forms of energy, but petroleum products
are likely to be with us for a quite a while still.

Believe it or not, petroleum engineering is consistently ranked as the top-paying

engineering role. According to the BLS, in 2019, the median salary for a
petroleum engineer was around $137,700 per year., with engineers in
management positions earning a median of $172,000.

Electrical Engineering:

Electrical Engineer at work Source: Depositphotos

Electricity powers our phones, TVs, homes, offices, and it pretty much makes the
modern world go 'round. Without it, the world would revert back to the dark
ages. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture
of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems,
communications systems, or power generation equipment. Electrical engineers
also design the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft.

They are also responsible for designing and developing electronic equipment,
including broadcast and communications systems, such as portable music
players and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. Many also work in areas
closely related to computer hardware.
According to the BLS, in 2019, the median salary for an electrical engineer was
around $89,500 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $63,020, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $155,880. The highest-paying jobs
were in the field of research and development.

Industrial Engineering:

Industrial engineering is all about optimization: Can we design something that is

more cost-efficient, takes less time to build with less resources, manpower, and
energy, but still up to the standards of quality something that cost more would
be?

They also solve technical problems with phones, planes, cars, computers, and
other things we deal with in our daily life.

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for an
industrial engineer as of 2019 was around $88,000 per year. The lowest 10
percent earned less than $57,290, and the highest 10 percent earned more than
$134,070. The highest-paying jobs were in the field of professional, scientific,
and technical services.

Aerospace Engineering:
The final launch of a Saturn IB (AS-210) from pad 39B at KSC on July 24th,
1975 Source: NASA

Aerospace engineering, otherwise known as aeronautical engineering or

astronautical engineering—is probably one of the most exciting branches of
engineering, being that it is involved in designing and building devices that could
allow humans to leave the planet and go in search of another home.

Whether we migrate to the nearby planet of Mars, figure out a way to settle on
the Moon, or leave this solar system entirely in search of another planet,
aerospace engineers will be responsible for helping develop the spaceships of
the future.

Aerospace engineers are also responsible for helping design aircraft, missiles,
spacecraft, and national defense systems. Ever heard the term, "It's not rocket
science?" Well, in this case, it kind of is... The two disciplines are very similar.
Additionally, aeronautical engineers — people who work with airplanes and
other propulsion systems — are an important part of the field.

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for aerospace engineers was
$116,500 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $72,450, and the
highest 10 percent earned more than $166,620, with research and development
being the highest-paid field.

Biomedical Engineering:

Biomedical engineering is an exciting field that combines engineering with

biology — combining engineering principles with medical and biological sciences
to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software used
in healthcare. For example, we can thank biomedical engineering for so many
breakthroughs: artificial organs, kidney dialysis, robotic instruments for non-
intrusive surgeries, artificial limb replacements, pacemakers, dentures, and so
much more.

There are many different job opportunities available, but according to the BLS
biomedical engineers made a median salary of $91,000 in 2019. The lowest 10
percent earned less than $55,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than
$148,210.

Environmental Engineering:

This subset of engineering focuses on ways in which we can protect the Earth
and Earth's biodiversity from pollution, and overall improve the health and
extend the longevity of both the environment and all living things on the planet.

There's some overlap with civil engineering here, as environmental

engineers also help build sewage systems, focus on water filtration systems,
irrigation, and other forms of improving the things we take for granted — like
clean water and indoor plumbing. Environmental engineers use the principles of
engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to
environmental problems. They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public
health, and water and air pollution control. They also address global issues, such
as unsafe drinking water, climate change, and environmental sustainability.

In 2019, according to the BLS, environmental engineers made a median salary of

approximately $89,000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,330, and the
highest 10 percent earned more than $142,070. The highest paid jobs tended to
be for the federal government.

Nuclear Engineering:

If you have an interest in particle physics and engineering, welcome to the field
of nuclear engineering! Nuclear engineers research and develop the processes,
instruments, and systems used to derive benefits from nuclear energy and
radiation. Many of these engineers find industrial and medical uses for
radioactive materials—for example, in equipment used in medical diagnosis and
treatment. Many others specialize in the development of nuclear power sources
for ships or spacecraft.

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN Source: Maximilien Brice, CERN

As far as pay goes, it can vary wildly based on what specific job you have in the
industry. The median pay in 2019, according to the BLS, was around
$113,000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $71,860, and the highest 10
percent earned more than $179,430. The highest salaries were in engineering
services.

Scientists vs Engineers:
You might not be aware, but there's always been a bit of a friendly rivalry
between scientists and engineers. You might think this odd, since engineering
and science are so intrinsically interlinked, but alas, it's a thing.

So, what's the difference between the two? I think Einstein summarizes it pretty
eloquently:

“Scientists investigate that which already is; engineers create that which has never
been.”
Scientists do research, experimentation, differentiate between theories and
hypotheses, analyze data, and a host of other things. All of which are important
aspects of making a scientific breakthrough.

Engineers, on the other hand, come up with practical applications for those
scientific breakthroughs. They build prototypes and machines, perform
experiments, tinker with existing technology to improve it, and other things
more specific to different engineering fields.