ENGR 100 Introduction to Engineering and Design Name Mohammed Alboram________________________
Due _August 31st_________________________
What is an engineer/What is engineering?
a) Write at least a paragraph answering either of the 2 following questions, or a
combination of the two.
1) What is an engineer?
An Engineer is a professional who invent design and analyze, build and test machines,
systems and structures to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering
the limitation imposed by practically regulation, safety and cost.
2) What is engineering?
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machine, structures and
other items including bridges and tunnels, roads and vehicles and buildings.
Do some research and integrate what you learn into your own thoughts and words.
Consult at least 3 sources, which could be a conversation with an engineer; any of the
books on reserve for ENGR 100 at the Cuyamaca College library; the web; etc. No
matter where you get the information, be sure to cite your sources (the website, the
book, etc). Note that although I’m interested in what these sources say, I want YOUR
definition. Make this explicit, as in the following: “After reviewing the abovementioned sources, I’d like to put forward my own definition of engineer: blah blah
blah, blah blah blah.”
b) Look at the list of the National Academy of Engineering’s 14 Grand Challenges for
Engineering in the 21st Century, found on the other side of this page. If you had to
choose 1 of these to work on, which would it be? Provide a 1 or 2 sentence
justification for your choice. Simply saying “it seems the most interesting” is not
enough justification. Explain why it’s the most interesting.
I would probably choose the “provide access to clean water” because this subject seems
the most interesting to me since there is a lot of pollution in our world now and needs
some help and attention to it. I would help make cleaner water and cleaner systems to go
to people and areas to make use of it and make it better for them.
I won’t grade hard on this assignment, but I will take points off if it doesn’t look like you
put any thought into it, if you don’t cite your sources, if you don’t provide your own
definition of engineer/engineering, or if you don’t justify your choice of grand challenge.
Finally, write or type this on a separate piece of paper. I prefer typed – it’s usually easier
to read.
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) list of the top 20 engineering achievements of the 20 th
century – achievements that they say shaped the century and changed the world
1. Electrification – to supply our homes and businesses with electricity
2. The automobile – for commercial and leisure transportation
3. The airplane – for rapidly moving people and goods around the world
4. Water supply and distribution – to supply clean, germ-free water to every home
5. Electronics – to provide electronic control of machines and consumer products
6. Radio and television – for entertainment and commercial uses
7. Agricultural mechanization – to increase the efficiency of food production
8. Computers – a revolution in the way people work and communicate
9. The telephone – for rapid communication
10. Air conditioning and refrigeration – to improve the quality of life, and to help keep food
11. Highways – to speed movement of people and goods
12. Spacecraft – to begin our exploration of outer space
13. The internet – a cultural evolution of the way people interact
14. Medical imaging – To improve health care
15. Household appliances – to make life easier at home, and to allow women to enter the workplace
16. Health technologies – to improve the quality of life
17. Petroleum and petrochemicals – to power transportation, and to provide a new source of materials
18. Laser and fiber optics – to improve measurements and communication systems
19. Nuclear technologies – to tap a new energy source
20. High-performance materials – to create safer, lighter, better products
The NAE also proposed the following 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21 st century:
1. Make solar energy economical
2. Provide energy from fusion
3. Develop carbon sequestration methods
4. Manage the nitrogen cycle
5. Provide access to clean water
6. Restore and improve urban infrastructure
7. Advance health informatics
8. Engineer better medicines
9. Reverse-engineer the brain
10. Prevent nuclear terror
11. Secure cyberspace
12. Enhance virtual reality
13. Advance personalized learning
14. Engineer the tools of scientific discovery