Ask an Engineer

You will find a job in engineering. The restrictions that we have in jobs are there to keep us safe. You cannot have someone operating machinery while wearing clothing that could get caught. That being said, I am sure that there is an OSHA person who can ...

Conservative dress is just fine for office work and presentations at conferences. However, loose clothing when working near machinery may cause a safety hazard. This should be reviewed in consultation with your Safety Officer and appropriate precautions ...

In general, yes! You can dress conservatively. The only exceptions I can think of when you may not have 100% say in the outer layer is when safety comes into play. In a machine shop, or place with moving machinery, you are often required to wear steel ...

I think it's very natural when undertaking a long and (sometimes) difficult task, to feel overwhelmed and want to give up. It is especially helpful to determine your purpose.

Are you going into engineering to create innovation that will help the world ...

Defining and refining your Purpose is crucial to continued focus and success.

In business, a company must define their purpose, mission and vision for existing. These are the statements that can be used to reflect back on when the business hits a bump in ...

Great question! There is A LOT to deal with these days.

I think you first need to understand your personality and what gives you a sense of accomplishment – do you need short term goals, long term, other? Also, what are the things you like to do that ...

Hey! It's awesome that you're interested in engineering and that you're strong in math and science – that's a fantastic foundation! Seriously, those skills are super important for becoming an engineer, so you're already on a great track.

Your sister does ...

I won't lie to you: the better you are with words (reading and writing), the stronger your impact as an engineer will be! I cannot imagine an engineering job in which you won't need to communicate your ideas, plans, and accomplishments to other people. ...

You do not have to be good at every subject. I would encourage you to look for STEM in subjects that you aren’t great at. You’d be surprised how much STEM plays a role in history, and you can find books related to your interests or find STEM in the books ...

Response provided by the ABET Senior Director of Communications

Thank you for your thoughtful question.

ABET plays a critical role in providing quality assurance for programs in engineering, as well as in applied and natural science, computing, and ...

Engineers are problem solvers. This is a very good problem for you to solve on your way to becoming an engineer.

First, how are you doing with other courses such as physics or chemistry? A-levels, or their equivalent, in these subjects and some others ...

Hey there! Absolutely, you can pursue an engineering major even if you've only taken pre-calculus in high school. It's totally possible, and honestly, it's something I experienced myself!

I actually started my undergraduate studies in a different field ...

Of course you can still be an engineer if you haven’t had the opportunity to take calculus in high school. It sounds like you’ve got a solid plan to take pre-calculus your senior year and this will give you a great foundation. When I was a senior in high ...

Yes, absolutely! I actually think it's better to take calculus right before starting college as it will be more fresh in your mind. I highly recommend taking it at a community college in the summer so you can take your time and really understand it. I ...

You are absolutely right that the paths in engineering are plentiful, and hopefully you’ll be able to see that as a good thing! There is no one singular straight road that will lead directly from here to your perfect dream (even once you know what that ...

The field of engineering offers an overwhelming number of options. To navigate these choices, I recommend engaging in opportunities that provide mentoring and real-world experiences across various engineering disciplines. This will help you explore ...

My experience is doubtless not for everyone, but I will share it in case it resonates. I started college as a tentative biology major -- I knew I liked science, but wasn't sure what branch of science I wanted to major in. Then someone told me, "You know, ...

I feel that you are at an important crossroads in your academic path during your first year in college. Based on my personal academic experience, I would suggest that you can calm down and try a step-by-step approach to help you to make your decision. I ...

It's always good to be preparing for your future and considering ways to improve your success. I would recommend that you think about different clubs that might lead to your success such as Robotics and/or auto drive challenges. Take a look at what's ...

Great question! I think there are many aspects you could spend time with, but most of all, have fun!

Academically, continue to take as much math, science and computer science as you find appealing. Get involved in some type of STEM group that works for ...

There are so many ways to start preparing. First of all, take all of the math and science you can, including college level courses, as soon as your school allows. I know that in some schools, they make exceptions and allow ninth graders to start if ...

I found that many of the clubs offered in High School and College can give you great hands-on experience at designing solutions and products to solve problems.  Whether through clubs like ASME & SWE, or fun community service clubs, seek opportunities to ...