In the 21st if we are to look around in our society, we will see most of it displays
several marvels of engineering, which shows why it is an important discipline. The field
of engineering consists of a vast sea of knowledge whose boundary is infinite. And
through the discoveries and breakthroughs made by engineers almost every day, the
expertise and information keep growing.
Society has given engineers various nicknames like problem solvers, organizers,
designers, human calculators, and communicators because of the highly creative
activities. The most amusing fact about the engineering discipline is that the evidence
of its applications dates back to the ancient stone ages. The discoveries made in those
primitive days were like the invention of wheels, carts, the building of huts, pulleys, etc.
There has been a significant role in engineering since when human civilization
had started. The evidence from ancient Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilizations show
that it had a planned layout of the street grids along with equal-sized buildings,
structural city division for commercial purposes, well-planned drainage system, etc.,
which are all considered to be very advanced civil engineering activities for the period of
the civilization.
As we proceed further down the timeline, we have witnessed several other civil
engineering wonders like the great pyramids, Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, etc.
Engineers from places like Japan, where earthquakes are common, found a way to
withstand natural disasters by building shock-proof structures, and such inventions
have saved a million lives. Ancient Greeks made machines for civilians, military, and as
well as commercial purposes.
Transportation is another great wonder in the contributions of engineering made
to humankind. Using transportation devices, we have voyaged into outer space and
reached the moon as well. And vehicles are such inventions which have certainly made
the commute a whole lot easier.
Earlier, the engineering field only consisted of core branches that specialized in
individual departments of work, and the divisions were Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil.
But eventually, with much more advanced and discoveries in the field of technology and
a combination of engineering with other areas of study, some more branches of course
under the engineering field became popular. Among them, a few Engineering branches
to name are Computer, Aerospace, IT, Electronics and Communication, Electronics and
Instrumentation, Biomedical, Chemical, Textile, Petroleum, Food Technology, etc.
In an age where society is highly dependent on technology, especially on
electronic devices and the internet, a modern-day software engineer is expected to be
tech-savvy and able to solve a range of various problems related to commuting
programs. They are also likely to help verify designs and predict structures/devices’
behavior in different environments.
The main objective of engineers and engineering is to benefit humankind by
making life and living easier. The contributions of engineering cannot be summed up
into a few words. Still, the right way to respect their immense role in society is by
recognizing and using their inventions responsibly. Engineering always has and will
continue to strive to lift our living standards through sustainable developments and
considering conditions to protect our Earth’s environment at all costs.