It seems like if you aren't going green these days then you are way out of the loop. This includes the area of engineering. Even the government, specifically the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), has come up with a way to sort of define this new trend within the engineering world. The EPA defines Green Engineering as, "the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products, which are feasible and economical while minimizing 1) generation of pollution at the source and 2) risk to human health and the environment." Along with that definition there are a few principles that were formulated. A simple and obvious one is that Green Engineers will, "Strive to prevent waste." Although the government is pushing for going green companies have already taken steps towards going green.
The most common ways companies do this is through new advances in green technology. Another is through energy consumption and new ways of keeping costs of energy down while also generating the most energy possible. Wind turbines are gaining in popularity and will continue to grow as more and more companies move towards going green. One of the most interesting engineering advances in green technology is the creation of new technology that has increased the efficiency of the process of desalting sea water. A new advancement has come about which allows the water to be evaporated with less energy than before using solar energy. Things like these are what will continue to push ahead in green engineering and will over all help our planet as we look to create new technologies and keep Earth clean.
Sources:
"EPA." Green Engineering. EPA, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Ayers, Ryan. "Top 5 New Green Technologies in Civil Engineering." BonLightcom RSS. BonLight, 20 Oct. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
EPA BonLight
By Quinn Foster
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Engineers and Businessmen
Engineers: the leaders of yesterday. Some of the greatest leaders of all time were engineers. Some of these engineers consisted of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Herbert Hoover, and many more. Their ingenuity and desire to problem solve was the formula to successful and powerful leaders. Well, why aren't engineers the leaders of yesterday, and not today? In the 1950s and 1960s the American culture transitioned from industrial carers to more business orientated careers. This switch tore away the leadership positions from engineers and was given to businessmen. Although, this switch didn't last long as Engineers slowly began to rebuild their business mentality and regained leadership positions in various fields.
In today's field of business, Engineers and Businessmen hold equal amounts of leadership positions. According to Stephen Covey, the four qualifications to be a leader are: they must have trust, clarify purpose, align systems, and unleash talent. These attributes are taught and developed through Engineering schools. Engineers have a natural ability to solve problems, understand the mechanics of products, and are able to realistically look at situations with raw data and understandings.
A major in Applied Engineering Science allows for students to master both professions of engineering and business. With the knowledge students learn while studying this major could possible give them the upper hand to other business majors. Their ability to problem solve while understanding the economics from a business standpoint gives these students the makings for successful leaders.
Blog by: Brooks Beattie
Engineers: the leaders of yesterday. Some of the greatest leaders of all time were engineers. Some of these engineers consisted of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Herbert Hoover, and many more. Their ingenuity and desire to problem solve was the formula to successful and powerful leaders. Well, why aren't engineers the leaders of yesterday, and not today? In the 1950s and 1960s the American culture transitioned from industrial carers to more business orientated careers. This switch tore away the leadership positions from engineers and was given to businessmen. Although, this switch didn't last long as Engineers slowly began to rebuild their business mentality and regained leadership positions in various fields.
In today's field of business, Engineers and Businessmen hold equal amounts of leadership positions. According to Stephen Covey, the four qualifications to be a leader are: they must have trust, clarify purpose, align systems, and unleash talent. These attributes are taught and developed through Engineering schools. Engineers have a natural ability to solve problems, understand the mechanics of products, and are able to realistically look at situations with raw data and understandings.
A major in Applied Engineering Science allows for students to master both professions of engineering and business. With the knowledge students learn while studying this major could possible give them the upper hand to other business majors. Their ability to problem solve while understanding the economics from a business standpoint gives these students the makings for successful leaders.
Blog by: Brooks Beattie
Topic #4 Considering Delivery and Style
With the internet being bigger than it has ever been before, people can find any information they desire within seconds. This source of information also helps people in particular fields, such as engineering. What information can people trust? There are some sights, like Wikipedia, where anyone can write what they want, so their information may not be valid for students trying to learn about a topic. One main source of great information is a scholarly article, which are written by a expert/scholar in their field. However it is a very boring read and many people do not go to these for a first source due to the fact they contain so much information and are so dull. Usually only other scholars in the field will look to those as aid. For an example for what one may look like, click here.
Then there are blogs which are more for the public to use. They are far more user friendly, containing pictures, are shorter, and use more less sophisticated words. However, blogs may not contain the best and most reliable information if one was trying to write a research paper or learn something new in their field.
Some may say that each blog is different to its own subject. However this is not always true taking a look at these two engineering blogs, one chemical and the other mechanical. They both show very similar characteristics; such as many pictures, simple vocabulary, and even changing the color of words to attract peoples attention.
To actually look at these sources go here:
Chemical Engineering Blog
Mechanical Engineering Blog
Scholarly Article
Come Together
The world is constantly changing around us. A majority of the changes affecting the world is due to humans, such as pollution. Looking at the crisis of a polluted world, many different fields of study are pitching in to try to help out as much as they can. Civil engineers are also doing there part. A civil engineer professor, Hussain Bahia, is a part of the national research program called the Asphalt Research Consortium(ARC).
There goal is to make the millions of miles of roads and highways more eco-friendly. Looking at different methods around the world, such as a method used in South Africa where they mix fine particles of asphalt with water and soap-like chemicals called surfactants. Studies from Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency and and other places say "...paving with these cold mixes (also called emulsions) saves significant amounts of energy, especially when combined with recycling efforts. These asphalts also cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases..."(Fisher).
Civil engineers are making a great effort to make the world a better place, but they are not alone. The website, Western Research Institute, shows a list of partners to their cause. It shows that civil and environmental engineers are working hard together to get to the same solution(WRI - Asphalt Research Consortium Partners). That solution being a green Earth.
By: Ethan Gaskey
Western Research Group - Asphalt Research Consortium Partners
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Why Civil Engineering?
Well first of all let’s set up a little bit of background on what exactly being a civil engineer entails. The American Society of Civil Engineers the basic definition is, “the design and maintenance of public works such as roads, bridges, water and energy systems as well as public facilities like ports, railways and airports.” An example of a project that a civil engineer might take part in would include something such as The Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francisco. Going along with that definition there are many different specialties within that broad definition. Civil engineers will be a part of every step of a project beginning with the designing and planning to the oversight after the project has been completed.
Civil engineers can work for many different employers, but the most popular employers are state and local governments or in the private sector for consulting or construction firms. So why civil engineering? There are so many things that you can do in this career path, which allows you a lot of flexibility when deciding what kind of job you are interested. Along with that added resilience the median pay over the past 2 years is $80,000. The Bureau of Statistics projects a 19.9 increase of jobs beginning in 2012 till 2022 which will mean about 53,700 new jobs will open up within that time. So if you are looking for a career path that is based on the process of design and formulate solutions to realistic problems that will not only have an effect on you but possibly millions of other people.
Applied Engineering?
What is Applied Engineering
Sciences? What kind of jobs could someone get with a major in this? What do
they do? These questions arise in many conversations regarding this major. Applied Engineering Sciences is a major in which
business and engineering combine for the opportunity for prosperous and
successful careers. The versatility of this major allow for a wide range of
jobs whether it be from a business perspective or more from an engineering perspective. When getting a degree like this, graduates are able to communicate from across many different professions and areas of expertise, as well as having knowledge in business along with a developed foundation of calculus, engineering, and design. Some jobs that are available with a degree like this include: account executive,
application engineer, district sales engineer, logistical manager, quality assurance
engineer, technical writer, and many more. Applied Engineering Science majors
have been very successful in the past and it continues to grow and produce successful engineers!
-Blog
by: Brooks Beattie
Topic 2: Engineering Code of Ethics
Post by Sunny Dhanjal
Engineering has a set of ethics that must be followed by all
engineering fields. According to the National Society of Professional
Engineers(NSPE), all members of the profession must follow a code of ethics. In this
document, all engineers are required to show the highest of standards of
honesty and integrity. Along with that, they are all required to use their
expertise to help the the general public in health, safety and welfare. This
code of ethics is meant to make sure that all engineers use their skills for
good and to provide a fair opportunity for all engineers. I did not know that
engineers followed a code of ethics. For me, this is a important because a code
of ethics provides a basis for all engineers. I believe this will keep everything
fair in the work place. This code also ensures that engineers can be trusted in
the work that they put out. If engineers can not be trusted, then their work
does not mean anything to the general public.
Source: NSPE
Living in a Changing World
Within the next couple decades, this generation is going to have deal a lot of changes, whether that is environmentally, technologically, and culturally. These challenges are what lead me to choosing the field of environmental/biosystem engineering. Big challenges, like these, are not something one person can dealt with alone. It requires a whole team of engineers to be able to generate ideas and make solutions to problems that are going on in the world. This group is that team. We have formed this team basing on the idea "there is no I in Team". Our team consisting of different kinds of engineers, the goal of the team being how different engineers can come together to solve bigger problems. This blog, I am hoping, will help reenforce our value of it takes a team to make a difference.
By Ethan Gaskey
Friday, September 18, 2015
About Us
By Ethan Daniel Gaskey, Sunny Dhanjal, Ethan, Brooks
The goal of this blog is to discuss how each engineering field is closely connected. The four engineers in this group are all studying different engineering majors. Those 4 different majors include: civil, chemical, biosystems, and mechanical engineering. This blog will focus on these types and how they are all interconnected and rely on each other to develop new technologies. We hope this blog helps create some discussion and proved some insight on how all engineering correlates in some way.
Ethan Gaskey, a newly enrolled student at Michigan State University, is trying to make a brighter future for himself. He was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his whole life. That did not keep him from exploring different places. Ethan has always had that itch for adventure and finding something new out in the world. Traveling everywhere around Michigan from Lake Michigan at Grand Haven or in the woods up north in Traverse City. During his whole life, Ethan has always tried to be the best of the best, in class or on the field. Ethan loved to be challenged in school. Taking the hardest classes he could and loved to ask questions on why things are the way they are. He played numerous sports during his youth, such as lacrosse, basketball, football, baseball, rowing, and swimming. His mindset changed forever after taking AP environmental science his senior year of high school. Ethan finally figured out what he wanted to do in life. He wanted to become the best mechanical engineer ever. All he wanted to do in life is to be someone that could help save the world and make peoples lives better. Now that he is going to Michigan State University, his dream could become a reality.
Sunny Dhanjal is
a freshman chemical engineering student at Michigan State University. He grew
in a small town an hour away from Detroit which which is the heart of the Motor
City. Most of his hobbies include running, reading, and photography. Throughout
the years, he challenged himself to take harder classes with a great deal of
extra curricular activities. Those activities included cross country, swimming,
and track. He was taught growing up to help everyone and be selfless. Engineering
provides a platform to be able to help people and companies around the world
solve common problems. Tinkering and being able to solve issues helped him pick
his major. Also, because pre-med and medical would take too long to complete. Engineering
is the best next thing. In all hopes that at Michigan State University he will
be able to strive and continue to become the best he can be.
Brooks Beattie was born and raised in a small suburb near Detroit called Beverly Hills. When Brooks isn't hanging out with his friends and family, he was playing hockey, watching movies, or just enjoying the outdoors. He was raised by wonderful parents, both of which are small business owners, and grew up with an older brother who is a Michigan State engineer as well.
Brooks has always loved working with his hands. Whether it be building Legos, messing around on his dad's tool bench, or taking this apart and re-building them. His passion for such things led him to Michigan State's engineering school where he studies Applied Engineering Sciences. His determination and hard work is something that he is proud of and hopes it will lead him to a successful career.
The goal of this blog is to discuss how each engineering field is closely connected. The four engineers in this group are all studying different engineering majors. Those 4 different majors include: civil, chemical, biosystems, and mechanical engineering. This blog will focus on these types and how they are all interconnected and rely on each other to develop new technologies. We hope this blog helps create some discussion and proved some insight on how all engineering correlates in some way.
Ethan Gaskey, a newly enrolled student at Michigan State University, is trying to make a brighter future for himself. He was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his whole life. That did not keep him from exploring different places. Ethan has always had that itch for adventure and finding something new out in the world. Traveling everywhere around Michigan from Lake Michigan at Grand Haven or in the woods up north in Traverse City. During his whole life, Ethan has always tried to be the best of the best, in class or on the field. Ethan loved to be challenged in school. Taking the hardest classes he could and loved to ask questions on why things are the way they are. He played numerous sports during his youth, such as lacrosse, basketball, football, baseball, rowing, and swimming. His mindset changed forever after taking AP environmental science his senior year of high school. Ethan finally figured out what he wanted to do in life. He wanted to become the best mechanical engineer ever. All he wanted to do in life is to be someone that could help save the world and make peoples lives better. Now that he is going to Michigan State University, his dream could become a reality.
Brooks Beattie was born and raised in a small suburb near Detroit called Beverly Hills. When Brooks isn't hanging out with his friends and family, he was playing hockey, watching movies, or just enjoying the outdoors. He was raised by wonderful parents, both of which are small business owners, and grew up with an older brother who is a Michigan State engineer as well.Brooks has always loved working with his hands. Whether it be building Legos, messing around on his dad's tool bench, or taking this apart and re-building them. His passion for such things led him to Michigan State's engineering school where he studies Applied Engineering Sciences. His determination and hard work is something that he is proud of and hopes it will lead him to a successful career.
Quinn Foster is currently a
freshman at Michigan State University studying to get his bachelor’s degree in
civil engineering. Quinn grew up in a
small town in southeast Michigan called Saline.
Most of Quinn’s hobbies consist of playing soccer, reading, and hanging
out with friends. Throughout his high
school career Quinn strived to do the best he could challenging himself with
challenging classes and extracurricular activities. Quinn has always been in interested in
designing things, whether it be a house or a bridge. Civil engineering will provide him an
opportunity to dive deeper into the subject of design while learning the
technical aspects as well. His final
goal, as of now, is to graduate from Michigan State University with a
bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and then pursue a master’s degree in
architecture. His love for math and
science will come in handy when tackling this next chapter in his life.
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