Engineering Career Options

Abstract:: The profession of engineering is grouped into specialized disciplines that have developed in response to societal needs. No matter what their field, whether one of the "big four" fields of civil, computer, electrical, or mechanical engineering, or a specialty discipline like ocean engineering, all engineers possess a mix of creativity and smarts. They excel in mathematics or science and spatial relations, and they use these talents to synthesize information, solve problems, and innovate. In this collection of images adapted from The American Society for Engineering Education, learn more about the many fields that make up the engineering profession. Grades 3-12.

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March 7, 2017: The Day the Microprocessors Died

Abstract:: The storyline of this case study describes a failure of a central system (much like the Internet of today) that occurs in the future, with some degree of mystery as to the cause. Originally designed for a junior level introductory course on microprocessors for computer engineering students, this icebreaker case study illustrates our increasing reliance on technology, particularly highlighting the importance and ubiquity of microprocessors. The discussion involves a number of new technologies and lays the groundwork for future discussions on good system design and integration of secure processors for embedded systems.

Abstract:: Teaches the fundamentals of engineering operating systems. The following topics are studied in detail: virtual memory, kernel and user mode, system calls, threads, context switches, interrupts, interprocess communication, coordination of concurrent activities, and the interface between software and hardware. Most importantly, the interactions between these concepts are examined. The course is divided into two blocks; the first block introduces one operating system, UNIX® v6, in detail. The second block of lectures covers important operating systems concepts invented after UNIX® v6, which was introduced in 1976.

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Abstract:: This case introduces the concept of a software review. The central character, a programmer named Mike, thinks he-and not his code-is the focus of the review. The lead reviewers, Beverly and Paul, are programmers responsible for developing other parts of the program, and it quickly becomes apparent that there are personal as well as professional issues at play. Developed for an upper-division software engineering course, the case reinforces the idea that software engineering is about teamwork while teaching students about unit-level software verification and validation.