Introduction to Electrical Engineering

Everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask …

M. Holtzman & B. Pejcinovic

What is Engineering?• Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying

technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. Wikipedia

• The profession in which knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience and practice, is applied with judgment to develop ways to use, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. ABET

Some Quotes“Engineering is not merely knowing and being knowledgeable, like a walking

encyclopedia; engineering is not merely analysis; engineering is not merely the possession of the capacity to get elegant solutions to non-existent engineering problems; engineering is practicing the art of the organized forcing of technological change... Engineers operate at the interface between science and society... ”

Dean Gordon Brown

“Scientists explore what is; engineers create what has not been.”Theodore Von Karman“Engineering is sometimes thought of as an applied science, but engineering

is far more. The essence of engineering is design and making things happen for the benefit of humanity.”

Martha Sloan, Am. Assoc. Engr. Soc. Chair

“For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three.”

Alice Kahn

What Makes an Engineer?• Curiosity about how things workCuriosity about how things work• The desire to solve interesting problemsThe desire to solve interesting problems• Interest in design and experimentationInterest in design and experimentation• Some affinity for using math and scienceSome affinity for using math and science• Good teamwork and communication skillsGood teamwork and communication skills• Creative and adaptableCreative and adaptable • Eager to keep learning new thingsEager to keep learning new things

You don’t have to be a genius to be an Engineer…

Engineering Jobs• Research• Development• Testing• Design• Analysis• Systems

• Manufacturing• Operations• Tech support• Sales• Consulting• Management

Engineering Fields• Aerospace• Agricultural• Biomedical• Chemical• Civil• Electrical• Environmental• Industrial

• Materials• Mechanical• Mining• Nuclear• Petroleum• Power• Systems

Some Examples• Aerospace engineers might work on spacecraft, aircraft

or missiles. They could be concerned with aerodynamics, structures or propulsion systems.

• For example, a team of design engineers at an aerospace company is designing an aircraft engine fan blade. They run detailed computer analyses and do on-engine testing. Reliability, efficiency, cost and weight are all design constraints. The goal is to push current design barriers to optimize these constraints, probably making some trade-offs between efficiency, cost and weight. The final design must be certified by the FAA.

More examples• Test engineers design and perform tests to verify

integrity, reliability and quality of products before they are introduced to the public.

• For example, test engineers use a “chicken gun” to fire birds at the windshields of planes and high-speed train locomotives to ensure the windshields can withstand a high-speed impact.

• Biomedical engineers help develop artificial limbs and joints to provide mobility to the physically impaired. They also develop mechanical and electrical devices to aid in diagnosis and treatment.

• http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304795804579097570008603700.html

What about Electrical Engineering?

• Computers• Communications• Circuits and devices• Control• Instrumentation• Signal processing• Bioengineering • Power

Computers

• Computer engineers design and develop computer hardware

• Also design and develop software that controls or interfaces the computer and its components such as operating systems and compilers

• Work on computer architecture to improve speed and efficiency

• Also computer networks, security, artificial intelligence, voice recognition, etc.

• Communications – satellites, GPS, fiber optics, lasers, wireless

• Circuits and devices– micro (and nano) technology, circuit design, device fabrication and packaging, MEMS, photovoltaics

• Control – almost all machines and plants have control systems to monitor and self-correct processes.

• Instrumentation – measurement devices (temperature, pressure, flow, etc.), systems to transmit information (telemetry)

• Signal processing – signals are electronically filtered, amplified or otherwise modified, e.g., active noise control

• Bioengineering – develop devices to aid in diagnosis and treatment, e.g., MRI, CAT scans, pacemakers, cardiac monitors, prosthetics

• Power – production and distribution of electrical power, alternative energy technologies

Engineering Job Market• Engineers make some of the highest amounts of any career Engineers make some of the highest amounts of any career

with a 4-year degreewith a 4-year degree• Employers want the “total package” – graduates who are not Employers want the “total package” – graduates who are not

just academically well-prepared, but have excellent just academically well-prepared, but have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, teamwork and communication and interpersonal skills, teamwork and leadership experience and technical and computer leadership experience and technical and computer proficiencyproficiency

• Salary data from NACE report 2014Salary data from NACE report 2014

Top 20 Majors by Salary Potential

Major Starting Salary Mid-Career Salary 1 Petroleum Engineering $103,000 $160,0002 Actuarial Mathematics $58,700 $120,0003 Nuclear Engineering $67,600 $117,0004 Chemical Engineering $68,200 $115,0005 Aerospace Engineering $62,800 $109,0006 - tie Electrical Engineering (EE) $64,300 $106,0006 - tie Computer Engineering (CE) $65,300 $106,0008 Computer Science (CS) $59,800 $102,0009 Physics $53,100 $101,00010 Mechanical Engineering (ME) $60,900 $99,70011 Materials Science & Engineering $62,700 $99,50012 Software Engineering $60,500 $99,30013 Statistics $52,500 $98,90014 Government $43,200 $97,10015 Economics $50,100 $96,70016 Applied Mathematics $52,800 $96,20017 Industrial Engineering (IE) $61,100 $94,400

18Management Information Systems (MIS)

$53,800 $92,200

19 Biomedical Engineering (BME) $59,000 $91,70020 Civil Engineering (CE) $54,300 $91,100

So Why Be an Engineer?• Great variety and challenge in your work

• Build or improve lasting and tangible products

• Use your creativity to solve problems and help humankind

• Good salary and job prospects

• Is it fun and do you like it?

Individual assignment

• You will explore one of these areas (fields) of ECE in more depth

• Read the assignment carefully and start right away

• Make sure that you write about something that you care about, even if that is not what you will pursue as a career