Candace Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Macquarie University After HSC, Engineering? AIS NSW conference, October 2015

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics After HSC, Engineering?

1.What is Engineering? What is an Engineer? 2.Should you study Engineering? 3.Can you prepare to be a brilliant Engineer… at school? After HSC, Engineering?

Engineering is:invention design innovation manufacture achievement maintenance failure analysis What is Engineering?

Engineering design, innovation It This is a fully functioning prototype of a VW beetle. This design was so successful that there are still original beetles around…

Engineering design, innovation There are still original beetles around… plus the present-day, 2015 version. What has changed, and what is similar?

Engineering is:invention design innovation manufacture maintenance achievement recycling failure analysis What is Engineering?

Engineering achievements

Mobile phones Telephones

Engineering is:invention design innovation manufacture maintenance achievement recycling failure analysis What is Engineering?

The problem: 1 in 9 billion floating point divides, with random parameters, produced inaccurate results. The discovery of the problem: mathematicians getting their calculations wrong. Pentium P5 FPU with (invisible) FDIV bug, 1994 Failure analysis

Engineering is invention, design, innovation, manufacture, achievement, maintenance, recycling, failure analysis In Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Software Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering…. What is Engineering?

A creative, outside-the-box thinker A problem-solver Hands-on Technically excellent Part of a team An Engineer is:

1.What is Engineering? What is an Engineer? 2.Should you study Engineering? After HSC, Engineering?

Should you study engineering? Yes, if you: like to make (invent, design, manufacture) stuff.

Making stuff

Should you study engineering? Yes, if you: enjoy problem solving using logic and understanding

Problem-solving The de Havilland Comet airliner Three Comet airliners broke up mid-air in 1954.

Wreckage from a Comet airliner was retrieved, reconstructed and analysed Problem-solving

Failure analysis led to design changes and maintenance changes. 737 Problem-solving

Should you study engineering? Yes, if you enjoy problem solving for social and environmental good

Industrial progress The Cuyahoga River (Ohio) was so polluted that it caught fire several times… in 1868, and in 1952, and in 1969… Social good? Environmental good?

Cheap mobile phones

Systems thinking If you consider only one particular element of a system, your problem solving may not give a good answer.

Should you study engineering? Yes, if you: enjoy making stuff enjoy problem solving enjoy systems thinking … using your scientific skills

1.What is Engineering? What is an Engineer? 2.Should you study Engineering? 3.How can you prepare to be a brilliant Engineer… at school? After HSC, Engineering?

Prepare to be a brilliant engineer Students who have mastered (HSC) higher level maths, physics do well at university engineering. The University admissions process does not always ask for this - the admission requirement can be “blind” to the subjects that you take for HSC. But school leavers can be in an optimal position for studying Engineering at university – by studying higher level maths, physics at school.

Prepare to be a brilliant engineer By knowing what employers want (at MQ, we asked them!) A good grounding in science A good grounding in engineering Practical skills Systems thinking Communications skills Teamwork skills Engineers who are ready for the future! PHOTO: 123RF, free image site

Australia needs 1 to 3 times more engineers than are currently graduated. There are thousands of jobs for engineers in Australia, and all over the world. The variety of engineering careers, is endless. Prepare to be a brilliant engineer

By Studying mathematics and science Practicing systems thinking Learning how to be part of a team Communicating effectively Learning how to learn

1.What is Engineering? For some of us, it is the best career: full of fun, variety, problem-solving, challenge. 2.Should you study Engineering? Yes, if you enjoy making things, problem-solving and systems thinking. 3.How can you prepare to be a brilliant Engineer? Study mathematics and science. Learn how to learn. After HSC, Engineering?