Go to Post I believe it is in the spirit of the game is to score more points than your opponent within the rules. That means offense AND defense. - Gary Dillard [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > FIRST > General Forum
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Reply
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #16   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-03-2006, 14:44
KenWittlief KenWittlief is offline
.
no team
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 4,213
KenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond reputeKenWittlief has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Is Engineering truly "Glamourous"???

We already have super high tech robots engaged in an international competition

the winners are presently roaming around on Mars, and in orbit taking digital images of distant galaxies, and flying commercial and fighter jets all over the world.

The problem is, the people who made these robots are invisible in our culture.
Reply With Quote
  #17   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-03-2006, 17:01
Andrew Blair's Avatar
Andrew Blair Andrew Blair is offline
SAE Formula is FIRST with Gasoline.
FRC #0306 (CRT)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Corry
Posts: 1,193
Andrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Blair has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Andrew Blair Send a message via Yahoo to Andrew Blair
Re: Is Engineering truly "Glamourous"???

The problem with engineering is that most people cannot feel that they are vicariously participating in it. NASCAR fans, I'll bet, like to imagine sometimes that on their way to work, they're driving at Daytona. Others love the feeling when a shot is is sunk from half court. People feel engaged and exhilarated when James Bond narrowly escapes death at the hands of Baron Semedi.

Engineering simply does not have that pull. It's challenging, interesting, awe-inspiring, but it lacks one important factor- the average Joe pushing pencils doesn't feel that they could ever do something like that. They are excited by whats being done, but they lack that personal, important connection where they feel like the person under the spotlight. It's very hard to convey the exhilaration felt when a machine or piece of software performs as it should, perhaps millions of miles away from home, after months or years of work. Sure, people on the moon are cool, and you can imagine bouncing up and down across the vast lunar surface, but you can't feel the tension lifting after you realize that you *haven't* just killed you colleagues on a barren world thousands of miles away.

Engineering will never pull the publics *undivided* attention because it's unintimate. It may awe them for awhile, but all toys soon lose their appeal.
__________________
Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.
-Sir Francis Bacon

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
-Albert Einstein
Reply With Quote
  #18   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-03-2006, 17:08
Billfred's Avatar
Billfred Billfred is offline
...and you can't! teach! that!
FRC #5402 (Iron Kings); no team (AndyMark)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: The Land of the Kokomese, IN
Posts: 8,556
Billfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Is Engineering truly "Glamourous"???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Blair
Engineering will never pull the publics *undivided* attention because it's unintimate. It may awe them for awhile, but all toys soon lose their appeal.
That's why folks have to invent new toys.

Here's my reply, sent about 12.93 seconds ago:

Mr. Teschler,

I suppose I should preface my message by noting that I do mentor a FIRST Robotics team here in Columbia, South Carolina. Perhaps I have had a swig of the proverbial Kool-Aid. (Then again, I'm working towards a business degree, so perhaps I only sipped it.)

The average person in the United States probably knows who won the Daytona 500. A bunch know who won the Super Bowl--the championship of a game involving running around a patch of grass with a ball without getting the life knocked out of you. And I'll bet that a lot of people in this country know the name of someone who has won American Idol. Some will probably know them all, along with the runners-up. But how many people know the name of even one person involved with the Mars Exploration Rovers?

Fantasia Barrino won the third season of American Idol, which began about two weeks after Spirit landed on Mars. The finale, and her victory, came some four months later. Have you heard anything from her lately? The rovers were built to last 90 Martian days; Spirit is on day 782, about eight and a half times what was planned, and are still sending amazing images back to our little patch of dirt.

As a business student, I had to take a course on management this semester. One of the lectures included Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which covers the basic things a person requires to live and live happily. The hierarchy reads, from lowest to highest:

Physiological (food and water)
Safety/Security (a safe physical/emotional environment, permanence and stability)
Belongingness (friendship, acceptance)
Esteem (positive self-image)
Self-actualization (fulfillment, competence, developing one's full potential)

My time as a student on the team, then as a mentor, made me realize that marketing was a good fit for me, probably better than engineering. (After all, if you're going to have a competition that will rival the NBA, you're going to need folks to bring people there, recruit students and mentors, et cetera.) If I can help the kids on my team reach that fifth level, even if it's not in engineering, then my time working with the organization that you write as a punch line is entirely worth it.

Sincerely,



William Leverette

PS: Here's a start on the people behind the Mars Exploration Rovers: http://marsrover.nasa.gov/people/
__________________
William "Billfred" Leverette - Gamecock/Jessica Boucher victim/Marketing & Sales Specialist at AndyMark

2004-2006: FRC 1293 (D5 Robotics) - Student, Mentor, Coach
2007-2009: FRC 1618 (Capital Robotics) - Mentor, Coach
2009-2013: FRC 2815 (Los Pollos Locos) - Mentor, Coach - Palmetto '09, Peachtree '11, Palmetto '11, Palmetto '12
2010: FRC 1398 (Keenan Robo-Raiders) - Mentor - Palmetto '10
2014-2016: FRC 4901 (Garnet Squadron) - Co-Founder and Head Bot Coach - Orlando '14, SCRIW '16
2017-: FRC 5402 (Iron Kings) - Mentor

94 events (more than will fit in a ChiefDelphi signature), 14 seasons, over 61,000 miles, and still on a mission from Bob.

Rule #1: Do not die. Rule #2: Be respectful. Rule #3: Be safe. Rule #4: Follow the handbook.
Reply With Quote
  #19   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-03-2006, 22:12
Bruce C.'s Avatar
Bruce C. Bruce C. is offline
Registered User
#0647 (The Cyber Wolf Corps)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Killeen, Texas
Posts: 65
Bruce C. will become famous soon enough
Re: Is Engineering truly "Glamourous"???

Well, let's see....... I've been an engineer now for about 36 years (BSEE, Clarkson College, 1970) and I can't say I ever felt the urge to be "glamourous." Can't say I ever had the urge to get rich, either.

I knew I wanted to be an engineer from age 12, when I had my first ham radio license and started building radios. I like being an engineer for the same reason I like hanging around my team and building robots - it's challenging, stimulating, rewarding, and fun!

As far as those engineers that move on to other fields, as was already noted, society can use doctors, lawyers and businessmen that understand the technical world. In the 80's I went back to school and earned two MBAs, in management and finance, not because I wanted to be a rich businessman, but because I thought it would make me a better engineering manager. It greatly broadened my view of the world, but I still consider myself an engineer, first and forever.

I also think the author of the article starting this thread "doesn't get it." Dean does. It ain't about glamour, it's about DOING.
Reply With Quote
  #20   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 17-03-2006, 07:40
Billfred's Avatar
Billfred Billfred is offline
...and you can't! teach! that!
FRC #5402 (Iron Kings); no team (AndyMark)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: The Land of the Kokomese, IN
Posts: 8,556
Billfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond reputeBillfred has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Is Engineering truly "Glamourous"???

Well, I think this is a first: I sent a letter to a magazine and got a response! I won't post the reply here, as that's not good netiquette, but I will say it was positive.
__________________
William "Billfred" Leverette - Gamecock/Jessica Boucher victim/Marketing & Sales Specialist at AndyMark

2004-2006: FRC 1293 (D5 Robotics) - Student, Mentor, Coach
2007-2009: FRC 1618 (Capital Robotics) - Mentor, Coach
2009-2013: FRC 2815 (Los Pollos Locos) - Mentor, Coach - Palmetto '09, Peachtree '11, Palmetto '11, Palmetto '12
2010: FRC 1398 (Keenan Robo-Raiders) - Mentor - Palmetto '10
2014-2016: FRC 4901 (Garnet Squadron) - Co-Founder and Head Bot Coach - Orlando '14, SCRIW '16
2017-: FRC 5402 (Iron Kings) - Mentor

94 events (more than will fit in a ChiefDelphi signature), 14 seasons, over 61,000 miles, and still on a mission from Bob.

Rule #1: Do not die. Rule #2: Be respectful. Rule #3: Be safe. Rule #4: Follow the handbook.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Youth Engineering & Science Expo @ Ford Field on October 26th, 2005 Godzilla! General Forum 7 20-10-2005 10:58
Excellent Article about Engineering nehalita Chit-Chat 12 14-08-2005 19:48
Full list of teams & competitions archiver 2001 14 24-06-2002 00:52
Engineering vs. Engineering Technology archiver 2000 4 24-06-2002 00:07


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 16:26.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi