Question: Often people mistakenly stereo type engineering... so how would you describe it in a way that people would get a proper understanding of what it is?

Neil Taylor answered on 15 Mar 2015:

Hi 635stfb43,

In a nutshell, I would describe it as the science of problem solving and optimising – while also giving consideration to the impacts of time, cost, and efficiency. It’s about taking the technical/theoretical and making them work in a practical way, getting the best out of them, and/or using them in new and creative ways….with the end result that the world is (hopefully!) a better place.

I think you’re right when you say that engineering currently has some stereotypes associated with it. These include a man in a boiler suit working on a car, or a man on a building site looking up at a building. While these images do capture a small snapshot of engineering, we need to encourage a wider range of engineering associations to communicate the diversity that the industry really has.

We need to show that engineering can easily be a profession for women as well as men, that communication is an important part of being an effective engineer, and that the work engineers are doing in areas as diverse as biomechanics, energy, aerospace, computers, materials, and the environment are making a real difference to people’s lives.

Hope this helps!