Welcome to
ENGR1, part 2
http://www.mpcfaculty.net/tom_rebold
Tom Rebold, MSEE
trebold@mpc.edu
Introduction to Engineering
1
Tom Rebold, MSEE
AGENDA




What is Engineering?
An actual career
Mars EDL Video
Mars Rover Competition
Introduction to Engineering
2
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is Engineering?
 Two Types of Definitions
• Career Based
• Functional
 Career Description
• Engineering is a CAREER and a
PROFESSION
– Requires Special Education, Training, and
Experience For a Working Lifetime of Practice
– Not Quite Analogous to Physicians & Attorneys
 License NOT required to Practice in Most Cases
Introduction to Engineering
3
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is Engineering?
Cont.1
 Best “Professional” Analogy → Certified
Public Accountant (CPA)
 Licenses Granted by States
• Must Meet Strict Educational, Practice, and
Testing Criteria to Earn the Professional
Engineer (P.E.) Title
 Currently 2x106 Engineers in the USA
• About 18% Hold Professional Licenses
 http://www.dca.ca.gov/pels/sunset/98sunset.pdf 01/22/99
Introduction to Engineering
4
Tom Rebold, MSEE
P.E. Exclusives
 Some Engineering Functions can NOT
be done by UnLicensed Engineers
• MOST Civil Engineering Designs MUST be
“Signed Off” or “Stamped” by a Registered,
Professional Engineer
Introduction to Engineering
5
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is Engineering?
Problem Solving
Cont.2
 Functional Description:
HEURISTICS
(HINTS)
PROBLEM
TYPES
NECESSARY
PEREQUISITES
STRATEGY
(STEPS)
ELEMENTS
(ABILITY TO)
• Short Answer = Technical Problem Solving
– The Output of ALL Engineering is
 The Solution to a Practical Problem
 Fulfillment of a Practical Need
• Long Answer = Practical-Problem Solving
Through the Application of the Quantitative
(Number-Based) Disciplines
– Mathematics
– Sciences; e.g., Physics, Chemistry, Biology
– Empiricism (Experiments and Tests)
Introduction to Engineering
6
Tom Rebold, MSEE
An Actual Career







MIT 1987, BS & MS in EECS
’83-’87 Research Assistant, Lincoln Labs
’87 JPL Deep Space Network, System Engr
’93 Radio Science Data Analyst
’97 CommTech, McMurdo, Antarctica
’98 Satellite Telecom Engineer
’00 MPC CSIS and Engineering Instructor
Introduction to Engineering
7
Tom Rebold, MSEE
“My other car is on
Mars”
Driving a robot on another planet
(and other detours in Engineering)
Tom Rebold, Monterey Peninsula College
Introduction to Engineering
8
Tom Rebold, MSEE
How do you get a cool job?
 It starts at your age
• What are your dreams?
• Who are your role models?
• The mind makes real what it
dwells on most
 Me:
Introduction to Engineering
9
Tom Rebold, MSEE
MIT: A drink from the firehose
Introduction to Engineering
10
Tom Rebold, MSEE
My First Job:
The Deep Space Network
Introduction to Engineering
11
Tom Rebold, MSEE
May ‘97: Yucatan
Introduction to Engineering
12
Tom Rebold, MSEE
June/July 1997:
The Pathfinder Landing
 Pathfinder 360 Fish Eye
Introduction to Engineering
13
Donna Shirley
Rover Manager
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Pathfinder
Entry
Signal
Reception
Introduction to Engineering
14
Tom Rebold, MSEE
September ‘97: Off to Antarctica
Introduction to Engineering
15
Tom Rebold, MSEE
A personal view:
 The inner world is where your
talents are buried
 The outer world has a claim on your
time, distracts you from them
 Your mission: satisfy the outer while
developing the inner
 Engineering is a great field for these
forces to play out
Introduction to Engineering
16
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Engineering vs. Science
 Engineering is Closely Related to
Science & Math, but it is NOT the SAME
Scientists seek to
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS,
while Engineers seek to
CREATE THAT WHICH
NEVER WAS
- Theodore von Kármán, CalTech
Professor, and the Father of Modern
AeroSpace Engineering
Introduction to Engineering
17
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is COOL about Engineering?
 Solving Challenging Problems
 Opportunity to DESIGN, BUILD, and
TEST Products that People Really Use
• Engineering is a CREATIVE endeavor
– The Root of the Word “Engineer” is Ingenium;
Not Engine
 Chance to Learn New Things
• Engineering is about Progress; an
Engineer’s Knowledge & Skills progress as
well
Introduction to Engineering
18
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is COOL about Engineering?
Cont.1
 Working with People
• That’s Right; Not all Engineers are “Nerds”
• Complex Technology Must Be Made Useful
to the Non-Technical Person
• Engineers, aside from applied Math/Sci,
manage Projects and Organizations
– Technical Projects can require the Input of Many
People. Project Engineers Manage Activities to
 Ensure the Project Meets Technical Requirements
 Stay on the Time-Schedule
 Stay within the $-Cost-Budget
Introduction to Engineering
19
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is COOL about Engineering?
 Publishing Technical Papers
• Thousands of Engineering/Technical Journals Publish
Results of Engineer’s Analyses, Designs, Experiments
Introduction to Engineering
20
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is COOL about Engineering?
Cont.2
 Earning Patents
• Earning A Patent Requires the
Advancement of a Practical Art; This is
what Engineers do
USA Constitution,
Article 1, Section 8
(Powers Granted to
Congress):
Clause 8: To promote
the Progress of Science
and useful Arts, by
securing for limited
Times to Authors and
Inventors the exclusive
Right to their
respective Writings and
Discoveries
Introduction to Engineering
21
Tom Rebold, MSEE
What is COOL about Engineering?
Cont.2
 Engage in Professional Activities
• Attend/Present-At Technical Conferences
• Attend Trade-Shows
• Society Membership (ASCE, IEEE, ASME)
 See the World – Engineers often Travel
• Special Knowledge/Skills Can often ONLY
be Transmitted In-Person
– Promote/Explain Product to Customers
– Install Product, Train Users
– -Site Product-Testing
Introduction to Engineering
22
Tom Rebold, MSEE
The Bottom Line
 There are VERY FEW Academic
Disciplines Where One Can Move Into
PRIVATE INDUSTRY with A Bachelor
of Science (4yr) Degree
• TWO Primary Categories
– Engineering
– Business
• Difficult for Most Liberal Arts Disciplines
• Somewhat Easier for the Sciences
Introduction to Engineering
23
Tom Rebold, MSEE
NACE (NationWide) Bachelor's New-Grad Salary • 2004
60
55
AVERAGE Starting Salary ($k/yr)
50
45
40
36.0
35
40.6
41.0
41.1
Finance
CE
MIS/DP
48.7
49.1
CS
ME
52.6
53.1
ChemE
CompE
49.9
42.0
37.4
33.0
31.2
30
27.8
25
20
15
10
5
0
Psych
EnglLit
PolySci
file = Salary-Survey-2004_0503.xls
Introduction to Engineering
24
Mktg
Mngt
Field of Study
Accntg
EE
NACE = National Association of Colleges and Employers
Tom Rebold, MSEE
LibArts
Cal-Poly Bachelor's New-Grad Salary by College • 2004
AGRI
32.00
EDUC
35.50
38.00
ARCH
College
Sci&Math
34.00
BUS
40.20
ENGR
41.60
54.04
0
5
10
file = Salary-Survey-2004_0503.xls
Introduction to Engineering
25
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
MEDIAN Starting Salary ($k/yr)
Tom Rebold, MSEE
55
60
Job (dis)Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Factors
1. Challenging work
assignments
2. Work environment
and colleagues
3. Constantly
changing
technology
4. Good
compensation
5. Good job security

DISsatifaction
Factors
1. Too much
nonengineering
work
2. Lack of support
from management
3. Uncertainty in job
market
4. Poor compensation
5. No potential for
advancement
 2004 National Survey of Mechanical Design Engrs
Introduction to Engineering
26
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Engineering is Fun (Really...☺)
 An overwhelming majority of survey takers,
91%, feel that engineering is FUN. Their
reasons include the chance to tackle
challenging problems and something different
every day.
• "I like solving problems, being the hero."
• "I get paid to break things."
• "So many challenges! New stuff to play with
around every corner."
• "I love proving others wrong."
• "I'm like a kid in a candy shop.“
• “Engineering Rocks”
Introduction to Engineering
27
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Robots at Monterey
Peninsula College
MAST 296.6 ROV
Competition
Introduction to Engineering
28
Tom Rebold, MSEE
ENGR 50 Robotics
1 Unit Class Starts Friday!
345-6PM for 12 weeks
Introduction to Engineering
29
Tom Rebold, MSEE
A Simulated Mars Rover
Introduction to Engineering
30
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Mars Sequencing Team (You)
 Develop a sequence to take Rover to
visit a rock (or three)
 Five tries (1 per “Sol”)
 Your Command Sequence is made of
Letters: FFrBbRFfLlFLFQ
Introduction to Engineering
31
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Sequence Key:
 f = 2 inches forward
 b = 2 inches backward
 l = 20 – 30 degrees left
 r = 20 – 30 degress right
 F = 10 – 12 inches forward
 B = 10 – 12 inches backward
 L = 80 – 100 degrees left
 R = 80 – 100 degrees right
 All measurements are approximate!
Introduction to Engineering
32
Tom Rebold, MSEE
Happy Driving!
Introduction to Engineering
33
Tom Rebold, MSEE