How is it different being an engineer today than 50 years ago?  150 years ago?
what kinds of things have changed?
   
How will the profession of engineering be different 20 years from now?

see  Discussion of Definitions for definitions of:

• technology
• science
• engineering

What is a profession?

• do you expect professionals to behave differently?
• what are the rights and responsibilities of being a professional?

1. its members have specialized knowledge
2. they are certified in some way (usually by other members of the profession--this kind of self-selection is called      gatekeeping).  Usually this is by licensing but in engineering it is often just by graduating from an accredited engineering school
3. they have a responsibility to serve the public good.  This means that they put the safety and welfare of the public before their own selfinterest or profits for their employer.   Should engineers be licensed?

• are engineers heroes any more (see Florman pp 2-3).
• what are the rewards of engineering besides making money (see Florman ch. 2)?

 early smog research at UCLA

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• With a couple of exceptions developed to meet military needs, there were no engineering schools until the 1860s.
• Engineering was learned by apprenticeship
• there was not always a clear distinction between an engineer and a mechanic
• most engineers were entrepreneurs--there weren't any large businesses to work for

1. Compared to Europe, colonial and early national America lacked specialized engineering knowledge.  In colonial times what we would call engineering projects were the product not of any specialized knowledge but of local ingenuity.

• before 1800, bridges were built by the local carpenter, and the canals built for water-powered grain mills or to carry boats short distances around rapids did not use much technology.
• larger projects were often designed and managed by local businessmen or civic leaders (the first canal on the Merrimack at Amoskeag was build by a judge of common pleas) who had no experience--some improvised cleverly (local ingenuity), others kept things very simple.
  

2.  In the period from about 1800-1865 engineers had specialized knowledge but they learned it by apprenticeship, not by going to school.  It was more hands-on knowledge, not so much theory or mathematical laws.

3. Starting about 1860 engineering schools were built in large numbers and engineers started to be trained in school and learn more theory.  Engineering became more science-based.