How my son got me thinking about engineering.
While I was working on some engineering content for Suite101, my 4-year-old son asked me, "What is an engineer?" He is a bit aware of the concept of the engineer, since my husband and I are both engineers. While the first definitions that came to my mind were fairly technical, I tried to reframe my answer in a way that would make sense to him. I told him, "Engineers design and build things, and try to understand how things work."
Of course, the engineer in me was screaming that the answer did not cover all of what engineers do, but it seemed to satisfy my son. I told him that there were different kinds of engineers. I explained that some kinds of engineers (civil) build bridges and tunnels, while other kinds of engineers (electrical) design and build computers and other things that use electricity. Some engineers (mechanical) design machines and other things that move. He thought about these responses for a moment, then asked, "What kind of engineer am I?" I laughed at his assumption that he must be an engineer, and then thought about it. I replied, " Well, you are probably a mechanical or civil engineer right now, since you like to build things with your blocks and Lego sets, but that may change later." He liked that idea, and went off to "engineer" something. Will my son become an actual engineer? His disposition and genetics sure say that it's likely. Who knows what kind of engineer he will be, or the technologies that will be available when he enters the workforce.
