BU Engineer

Engineers Don't Drive Trains

Dean David K.Campbell on Engineering in Society

The National Academy of Engineering recently conducted a survey on the public’s understanding of engineering. The findings are not yet published, but the concept got me thinking. Just what is it that the public doesn’t get about engineering?

At one extreme are those that think engineers drive trains. Mercifully, most people have a better grasp of what we do, but it seems that few people understand the impact engineering has on their daily lives. Why is it that engineers are not in the public eye as much as doctors, architects, and even physicists?

Larryl Matthews, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Maine in Orono, was pondering the same question. He recently sent me an e-mail regarding Judy Crichton’s book America 1900: The Sweeping Story of a Pivotal Year in the Life of a Nation. The book explores living conditions over the past century, a subject of keen interest to Dean Matthews. He pointed out that in 1900 the male life expectancy in the U.S. was 48 years, there were 10 miles of concrete road, 1 in 7 homes had a bathtub, 1 in 13 homes had a telephone, and 6,000 people were killed when a hurricane and tidal wave struck Galveston.

Larryl writes, “In 1900, most houses used oil lamps for light and some still used candles. Gas was expensive and electricity was new and mostly for the well-to-do. The same could be said for bathtubs and telephones. Indoor plumbing was still a luxury for many. Food was plentiful for most, but the variety was often small and spoilage was significant.”

Sanitary conditions were dismal in 1900. Larryl notes that “Sewage was often deposited on the streets below, water was not healthy for drink or bath, and air was foul not only from sewage but the use of coal, wood, and oil energy sources.” A realistic look at the communications of the day reveals that they were poor by modern standards. Larryl writes that “Early warning systems of incoming storms did not exist and predictive capability was nonexistent. Housing and commercial structures were not capable of handling hurricanes, earthquakes, or most any natural disaster. Medical miracles greatly enhanced our lives in the last 100 years. Vaccines, new treatments, knowledge, and facilities had a tremendous influence. However, we should understand the considerable impact of engineering over that same period.

“Clean water delivered to every home had a major impact. Sewage treatment also made a major difference in the cleanliness of our lives and reduced the threat of disease greatly. Paved roads, trucks, refrigeration, and general infrastructure brought fresh clean food to every household at a price all could afford. Good nutrition—availability and affordability—increased life spans. Satellites, phones, television, advanced communications and early warning systems, and computers and predictive capability have saved thousands of lives from storms and natural disasters. Structural design, new materials, codes and standards have provided much safer buildings and infrastructure. Most medical achievements are supported by technology designed and built by engineers. In short, engineering is as much, if not more, responsible for the increase in male life expectancy from 48 to 74 years over the last 100 years than any other profession.” I couldn’t agree more.

When I look at what the College of Engineering is working on today, I realize the world is once again poised on the threshold of a revolution. ENG is pursuing photonics, nano-technology, acoustics, and genomics. We are working on designing an “artificial ear” (integrated circuit chips capable of “hearing”), developing “biochips” for studying genes and proteins, exploring environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques, using entangled photon states to transmit quantum-encrypted optical signals, applying novel signal processing algorithms to detect subsurface features, and creating the newest microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.

We don’t know what the world will look like in 100 years, but we can be sure that however it turns out, engineers will have played an enormous role in shaping it.

David K. Campbell, Dean


Engineers Don't Drive Trains Dean David K.Campbell on Engineering in Society The National Academy of Engineering recently conducted a survey on the public’s understanding of engineering. The findings are not yet published, but the concept got me thinking. Just what is it that the public doesn’t get about engineering? At one extreme are those that think engineers drive trains. Mercifully, most people have a better grasp of what we do, but it seems that few people understand the impact engineering has on their daily lives. Why is it that engineers are not in the public eye as much as doctors, architects, and even physicists? Larryl Matthews, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Maine in Orono, was pondering the same question. He recently sent me an e-mail regarding Judy Crichton’s book America 1900: The Sweeping Story of a Pivotal Year in the Life of a Nation. The book explores living conditions over the past century, a subject of keen interest to Dean Matthews. He pointed out that in 1900 the male life expectancy in the U.S. was 48 years, there were 10 miles of concrete road, 1 in 7 homes had a bathtub, 1 in 13 homes had a telephone, and 6,000 people were killed when a hurricane and tidal wave struck Galveston. Larryl writes, “In 1900, most houses used oil lamps for light and some still used candles. Gas was expensive and electricity was new and mostly for the well-to-do. The same could be said for bathtubs and telephones. Indoor plumbing was still a luxury for many. Food was plentiful for most, but the variety was often small and spoilage was significant.” Sanitary conditions were dismal in 1900. Larryl notes that “Sewage was often deposited on the streets below, water was not healthy for drink or bath, and air was foul not only from sewage but the use of coal, wood, and oil energy sources.” A realistic look at the communications of the day reveals that they were poor by modern standards. Larryl writes that “Early warning systems of incoming storms did not exist and predictive capability was nonexistent. Housing and commercial structures were not capable of handling hurricanes, earthquakes, or most any natural disaster. Medical miracles greatly enhanced our lives in the last 100 years. Vaccines, new treatments, knowledge, and facilities had a tremendous influence. However, we should understand the considerable impact of engineering over that same period. “Clean water delivered to every home had a major impact. Sewage treatment also made a major difference in the cleanliness of our lives and reduced the threat of disease greatly. Paved roads, trucks, refrigeration, and general infrastructure brought fresh clean food to every household at a price all could afford. Good nutrition—availability and affordability—increased life spans. Satellites, phones, television, advanced communications and early warning systems, and computers and predictive capability have saved thousands of lives from storms and natural disasters. Structural design, new materials, codes and standards have provided much safer buildings and infrastructure. Most medical achievements are supported by technology designed and built by engineers. In short, engineering is as much, if not more, responsible for the increase in male life expectancy from 48 to 74 years over the last 100 years than any other profession.” I couldn’t agree more. When I look at what the College of Engineering is working on today, I realize the world is once again poised on the threshold of a revolution. ENG is pursuing photonics, nano-technology, acoustics, and genomics. We are working on designing an “artificial ear” (integrated circuit chips capable of “hearing”), developing “biochips” for studying genes and proteins, exploring environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques, using entangled photon states to transmit quantum-encrypted optical signals, applying novel signal processing algorithms to detect subsurface features, and creating the newest microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. We don’t know what the world will look like in 100 years, but we can be sure that however it turns out, engineers will have played an enormous role in shaping it. David K. Campbell, Dean
[Table of Contents] [Current Issue] [Archives] [ENG Home] Copyright Trustees of Boston University Last updated on: January 6, 2003 .