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Topics to discuss.

1.Fields of using sophisticated computers in future.

2.Can computers threat humans somehow?

Engineering Education

Today the traditional fields of engineering are not nearly as distinct as they used to be. The increasing concentration on fundamentals in universities has highlighted large areas of overlap both in the physical principles and the mathematical and other techniques involved. As a result, many schools provide a core of courses taken by all engineers in their early years, while others have dropped the traditional labels altogether and simply offer a degree in "Engineering Science."

In application, the area of specialization shown on an engineering graduate's degree is not always a sure guide to that in which he will find employment. True, an aerospace engineer will in all likelihood end up in the aerospace industry, though even this is not certain. However, a mechanical or electrical engineer, for example, may be employed by the aerospace, chemical, or mining industries, or by many others.

Many new areas of engineering endeavor, which cut across the traditional lines, are today attracting attention. Direct energy conversion calls for a combination of mechanical, electrical and often chemical engineering. The field of bioengineering involves the application of electrical and mechanical engineering principles in understanding and repairing the human body. Environmental engineering and the study of water and air resources call for knowledge in geology, oceanography, and meteorology. Computer science, information engineering, systems engineering, and operations research are among the fields of recent interest. Doubtless this is nowhere near the end of it. In the future other new areas are sure to emerge as the engineering family grows and regroups.

It is often difficult for the beginning engineering student to acquire a feeling for the character of various branches of engineering that may be open to him. Catalogue descriptions tend to convey little beyond a listing of topics. He is better served to speak to faculty members from different technological backgrounds and, if possible, to engineers in industry. Student chapters of the various engineering societies provide a valuable forum for such purposes. Another useful source is the so-called trade journals, some of which are published by the engineering societies. These periodicals are easily readable and give a good idea not only of employment possibilities through their advertisements and articles, but also of the kinds of technological problems encountered. Several of these journals are listed below.

Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA) Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Machine Design

Spectrum (IEEE)

Industrial Engineering (AIIE) Environmental Science & Technology (ACS) Civil Engineering (ASCE)

Chemical Engineering Progress (AIChE)

Electronics

Computer Services

Control Engineering

Aviation Week & Space Technology

The Structural Engineer (Institute of Structural Engineers)

Nuclear Engineering International Bio –Medical Engineering Engineering News Record

Engineering education has changed considerably over the years as technology itself has advanced. A generation ago it was common to find universities offering engineering courses with such titles as Mining and Winding; Compressed Air; Theory of Machines; Pumps, Electric Motors and Generators. However, as understanding of the basic nature of different applied areas grew, the importance of the fundamental concepts and their universality led to courses which were more discipline than application oriented. There are a number of important consequences of this. First, an engineer who has received a thorough grounding in fundamental concepts is less likely to become obsolescent a few years after graduation. It should be easier for him to turn his

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hand as needed to following developments and rapid changes in his field, or even to switching to some associated field. Most industries recognize that a training period of one or two years will be needed before they can expect to realize the full potential of a new engineering graduate. Many have formal training programs to achieve this necessary orientation to and familiarity with their own areas. As with all professionals, an engineer's education does not end with graduation but continues throughout his working life.

Another result of the fundamental nature of university courses is the impact that this has on the student himself. He may have entered the engineering college because of an absorbing interest in, say, television, automobiles, or bridges. However, he may not see the connection between his basic courses and his particular interest. This requires not duly patience on his part, but an effort from his instructors to show connections with the real world. Unless this is done, students may very easily lose their motivation.

Most engineering curricula begin with the basic sciences—physics, chemistry, and mathematics - and continue with basic engineering areas such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanics and properties of solids, electrical science, transport properties and processes, systems engineering, and design. More specialized areas are offered for study in the later years. Engineering students are usually required to develop their communication skills in rhetoric and perhaps graphics courses. Also, they will have the opportunity to study economics, law, management, psychology, and other areas important to practicing engineers.

Perhaps the most difficult part of the education of an engineering student is the illustration of how all the knowledge he acquires is integrated in coping with an engineering problem. This aspect should be covered in courses on design. In this text the word "design" is used in the broadest sense to denote the entire process involved in solving an engineering problem.

The undergraduate student acquires a tremendous amount of knowledge and technique concerned with the application of engineering principles. Hopefully, too during these early years his abilities to think creatively and judge intelligently will be developed rather than stifled.

After completing his undergraduate education the student may have the choice of continuing his studies to a higher degree, involving further specialization. The rate of growth of technology is placing an increasing accent on graduate education, and the opinion has been expressed that the Master's degree should he recognized as the first

Vocabulary

as they used to be - как было когда-то (в прошлом);

to increase - возрастать, увеличивать(ся), повышать(ся); fundamentals - основы;

to highlight - выдвигать на первый план, придавать большое значение; to overlap - частично перекрывать(ся), пересекать(ся);

to provide - предоставлять, обеспечивать; core - суть, сущность; ядро;

to drop altogether - здесь: объединять; label - ярлык;

degree - ученая степень; sure - верный, надежный;

guide - руководство; советчик; employment - здесь: работа; likelyhood - сходство, подобие; certain - определенный; endeavor - попытка, старание; to attract - привлекать;

to call for - призывать к..;

to involve - включать, вовлекать; to repair - здесь: восстанавливать; environmental - экологический; recent - недавний;

doubtless - несомненный;

to emerge - появляться, возникать; to acquire - (при)обретать; branch - отрасль;

to tend - иметь тенденцию, склонность; to convey - здесь: сообщать;

beyond - за; вне; сверх, свыше; listing - перечисление;

topic - тема;

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faculty - профессорско-преподавательский состав; преподаватели; background - опыт;

chapter - глава (книги); society - общество;

to provide - предоставлять, обеспечивать; valuable - ценный;

trade - здесь: профессиональный;

to encounter - сталкиваться, (неожиданно) встречаться; below - ниже;

professional degree.

nuclear - ядерный; considerably - значительно;

to advance - продвигаться (вперед), развиваться; generation - поколение;

common - общепринятый; winding - эл. обмотка; to compress - сжимать;

nature - природа, суть, характер; applied - прикладной; consequence - последствие;

thorough - основательный, тщательный; grounding (in) - образование (в);

obsolescent - выходящий из употребления, отживающий; rapid - быстрый;

to switch (to) - переключиться, переменить (направление), перейти (к); to recognize - признавать;

training - обучение; familiarity - знакомство;

impact - воздействие, влияние; absorbing - (все)поглощающий; connection - связь;

particular - определенный, специфический; patience - терпение;

effort - усилие, попытка;

curricula - (мн.ч.) учебные планы, программы; fluid - жидкость;

property - свойство; solid - твердое тело;

communication skills - навыки общения;

to acquire - приобретать, получать, овладевать; to integrate - составлять целое; соединять;

to cope (with) - справлять(ся); бороть(ся); to cover - здесь: включать;

sense - чувство;

to denote - обозначать; entire - целый, весь; to solve - решать; tremendous - огромный;

amount - количество, число; concerned with - связанный с..; ability - способность; creativity - творческий;

to stifle - подавлять, гасить;

to complete - выполнять, завершать; choice - выбор;

rate - темп, скорость.

Comprehension Check:

Ex. Answer the following questions.

1. Why aren't the traditional fields of engineering as distinct as they used to be?

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2.Is the graduate's degree enough for the rest of the engineer's life?

3.What are the new areas of engineering and what does each of them involve?

4.What data do engineering catalogues mostly include?

5.What information do professional periodicals provide?

6.Has engineering education changed over the years?

7.Does the engineer's education end with the college graduation?

8.What is resulted from the fundamental nature of the university courses?

9.What subjects/courses do most engineering curricula include?

10.What is the most difficult part of the engineering education?

11.What choices does the student have after completing his undergraduate education?

Realms of Engineering

Traditionally, engineering activities have been grouped into certain areas of specialization. These originated as civil and military engineering,, catering to man's early needs. Scientific discoveries and their development gave birth to a variety of fields of application such as mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering. Today the rapid rise of technology is bringing the adequacy of even these widely accepted designations into question in describing specialist areas within engineering. Several of the more commonly accepted categories are described below. Aerospace Engineering combines two fields, aeronautical and astronautical engineering. The former is concerned with the aerodynamics, structure and propulsion of vehicles designed for flight in the earth's atmosphere. The latter relates to flight above the earth's atmosphere and involves the design of rockets and space vehicles incorporating sophisticated propulsion, guidance, and life support systems.

The days when one man drew his design in chalk on the floor and then proceeded to build it are long past. Today large teams of engineers are needed to cope with the complexity of modern flight vehicles. The design of an aircraft involves a multitude of specialty areas such as stress analysis, control surface theory, aircraft stability, vibration, production techniques and flight testing. Agricultural Engineering is one of the earliest forms of engineering practiced by man. It uses agricultural machinery, irrigation, and surveying and deals with the many associated problems of crop raising and animal husbandry. Not only are the fundamental engineering subjects such as hydraulics, metallurgy, and structures of importance, but soil conservation, biology, and zoology are also necessary components. It is here that machines interface with the animal and plant kingdoms. Challenging-problems occur in areas such as land reclamation and efficient utilization, and improved methods of food production and harvesting.

Chemical Engineering encompasses the broad field of raw material and food processing and the operation of associated facilities. It is mainly involved with the manufacture and properties of materials such as fuels, plastics, rubber, explosives, paints, and cleaners. The chemical engineer is well grounded in both basic and engineering chemistry and apart the production of special materials, may be involved in such areas as combustion, recycling of waste products, and air and water pollution.

Civil Engineering is one of the oldest branches of the engineering profession. It covers a wide field, and many subsidiary branches have grown from it. The civil engineer is mainly employed in the creation of structures such as buildings, bridges, dams, highways, harbors, and tunnels. He is usually knowledgeable in hydraulics, structures, building materials, surveying, and soil mechanics. One important area comprises water supply, drainage, and sewage disposal.

More than any other branch of engineering, the results of the civil engineer's efforts are the most visible in a permanent form.

Electrical Engineering, in general, deals with the creation, storage, transmission, and utilization of electrical energy and information. Most of its activities may be identified with power or communications. Electrical engineering is of recent origin, dating back only to the eighteenth century, when electrical phenomena were first subjected to scientific scrutiny. After this, useful applications were quickly identified. Today, the impact of a power failure graphically illustrates our dependence on electrical power. The field encompasses information systems, computer technology, energy conversion, automatic control, instrumentation, and many other specialties. Industrial Engineering is mainly concerned with the manufacture of useful commodities from raw materials. Since most of the other engineering fields have a bearing on this activity, the industrial engineer requires a particularly broad view. The management of men, materials, machines, and money are all within his endeavor in achieving effective production. Plant layout, automation, work methods, and quality control are included. and, more than in most of the other traditional branches of engineering, the industrial engineer needs to have some grounding in psychology and

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. dealing with personnel.

Mechanical Engineering develops machines for the generation and utilization of power. Mechanical engineers design turbines, engines. pumps, and their ancillary mechanisms and structures. Heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, transportation, manufacturing, and vibration are some areas falling within their domain. The art of mechanical engineering dates back to the labor-saving devices and military machines of ancient times, but it received its greatest boost in the eighteenth century with the invention of the steam engine and industrial machinery, which marked the onset of the industrial revolution.

Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, the production and use of metals, has two distinct branches. One deals with the location, extraction, and treatment of ores to obtain base metals, and the other with the transformation of these metals into useful forms and with the study of techniques for improving their performance in specific applications. The study of ceramics is often included in this field. Special topics range all the way from materials that may be used with living tissue to the development of composites for high-temperature applications such as in the heat shields used for satellite reentry.

In addition to the fields identified above, other categories of engineering are often encountered. These include architectural, ceramic, geological naval and marine, nuclear, petroleum, sanitary, and textile engineering.

Vocabulary to the text:

realm - область, сфера; перен.: царство; certain - определенный;

to originate - происходить, возникать; to cater - здесь: соответствовать; application - применение;

rapid - быстрый; rise - подъем, рост;

accepted - общепринятый, общепризнанный; designation - обозначение, указание; предназначение; commonly - обычно;

below - ниже;

to combine - соединять(ся); объединять(ся); комбинировать; former - здесь: первый (из названных);

concerned with - связанный с.., имеющий отношение к..; propulsion - толчок, движение вперед; движущая сила; vehicle - средство передвижения, транспорт;

latter - второй (из названных);

to relate (to) - иметь отношение (к), касаться; above - выше;

to incorporate - соединять(ся), объединять(ся); включать; вводить в состав; sophisticated - здесь: опытный;

guidance - руководство; support - поддержка;

to proceed - продолжать, возобновлять; приняться за..; переходить к..; возникать;

to cope (with) - справляться с..; complexity - сложность; aircraft - самолет;

to involve - включать;

multitude - множество, большое число; specialty - специализация;

surface - поверхность;

agricultural - сельскохозяйственный;

machinery - машины, машинное оборудование; механизмы; irrigation - ирригация, осушение (земель);

survey - обследование, изыскание; to deal (with) - иметь дело (с);

crop raising - рост/подъем (урожая) зерновых (культур); husbandry - разведение, выращивание;

to subject (to) - подвергать (воздействию, влиянию); soil - почва;

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to interface - сталкиваться, встречаться, взаимодействовать; kingdom - царство;

to challenge - вызывать (на соревнование); сомневаться, оспаривать; to occur - происходить, случаться;

reclamation - здесь: исправление;

to improve - улучшать, совершенствовать;

to harvest - собирать (урожай); пожинать плоды;

to encompass - окружать; содержать, заключать (в себе); raw materials - сырье;

processing - обработка;

facilities - возможности; оборудование; property - свойство;

fuel - топливо;

rubber - резина, каучук;

explosive - взрывчатое вещество; взрывчатый; paint - краска;

cleaner - очиститель, чистящее средство;

to ground (in) - обучать основам предмета, профессии; apart (from) - помимо;

combustion - горение, сгорание; recycling - переработка;

waste materials - отходы; pollution - загрязнение; civil - гражданский; branch - отрасль;

to cover - здесь: охватывать, включать;

subsidiary - здесь: вспомогательный, дополнительный; creation - создание;

harbor - гавань;

to comprise - включать, заключать в себе; содержать, вмещать; supply - снабжение;

sewage - сточные воды;

disposal - передача; расположение, размещение; visible - видимый;

permanent - постоянный, неизменный, перманентный; storage - хранение, хранилище;

transmission - передача; recent - недавний; origin - происхождение;

to date back - относиться (к);

subjected (to) - подверженный, подлежащий;

scrutinity - критическое рассмотрение, внимательное изучение, разбор; impact - воздействие, влияние;

dependence - зависимость; conversion - передача;

instrumentation - аппаратура; оснащение аппаратурой, инструментарием; commodity - товар, предмет широкогопотребления;

bearing - здесь: отношение; to require - требовать(ся);

grounding (in) - образование (в сфере...); personnel - персонал, кадры, сотрудники;

to generate - порождать, производить; вырабатывать; to utilize - применять, использовать;

pump - насос;

ancillary - вспомогательный; to fall - здесь: попадать;

domain - область, сфера; перен. царство; device - прибор, устройство, механизм; ancient - древний, старый; античный; boost - здесь: развитие;

invention - изобретение; steam - пар;