Tag: writing

Engineering Family History Stories

JohnGriffinAge30

Dear Engineering Stories friends, Thank you so very much for your interest in these Engineering Stories. I have enjoyed writing them both because I enjoy engineering, and I enjoy writing in general. In fact, at my regular job, I see myself in part as a technical writer because I’m always writing specifications, requirements, plans, presentations, proposals, and procedures. I enjoy writing whether technical, creative, or, yes about my genealogy. I have taken on the task of trying to make my ancestors accessible to their busy posterity by writing very very short succinct summaries of a key time in their lives. May I encourage this exercise? Those who lived on this earth before us, gave us so much, and there is so much we can learn from them. Take a look! Each story can be read in 90 seconds or less. And from one engineer to another, try writing some of these yourself, about your ancestors; it’s good writing practice for any anyone in any vocation, including engineering, it takes skill to write in so few a words. And each story is uplifting. Besides, you might find and engineer in your family tree; I did! Click here and FOLLOW my #AncestorClips blog. To help you write a short short meaningful story about your ancestor, engineer or not, I prepared a worksheet for you. Click here and start writing. www.ancestorclips.com #familyhistory #genealogy

I don’t need to write– I’m an engineer!

I have worked with engineers for 30 years. I have worked with students for 12 years. Many engineers and students hesitate or back away from writing challenges, opportunities or assignments. There are a few who like to write, and a few who like to write well. My engineering opportunities have increased because of my willingness to write. How about you? Do you write as an engineer? Do you write as a hobby? Are engineers better because they write? Should the college curriculum include more writing? Is it correct for someone to say, “I don’t need to learn to write– I’m an engineer!”

In the  book I am reading, Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Somerville state, “This single-minded focus in engineering is in part due to the emphasis on depth in engineering education. There’s a sense that because there’s so much technical stuff to learn, we can’t afford to spend time developing students’ other intelligences.” (David E. Goldberg and Mark Somerville, A Whole New Engineer, The Coming Revolution in Engineering Education, ThreeJoy Associates, Inc. Douglas, Michigan, 2014)

Engineering is more than Math and Science

I am reading a new book on Engineering Education called, A Whole New Engineer. My years of professional experience give me cause to agree with many of their conclusions and propositions. I will post occasionally from this book. Speaking of current engineering education practices, authors David E. Goldberg and Mark Somerville state, “Once students are studying engineering, there is a heavy emphasis on development of logical and mathematical capacities, to the exclusion of the other intelligences. Too often this is reflected in students’ attitudes: ‘I don’t need to learn to write–I’m an engineer!’ This single-minded focus in engineering is in part due to the emphasis on depth in engineering education. There’s a sense that because there’s so much technical stuff to learn, we can’t afford to spend time developing students’ other intelligences.” (David E. Goldberg and Mark Somerville, A Whole New Engineer, The Coming Revolution in Engineering Education, ThreeJoy Associates, Inc. Douglas, Michigan, 2014)

I have personally found that, being willing to write, proactively learning to write, and striving to write well, have opened doors of engineering opportunity that I would not have otherwise had, if not for a pursuit of improved writing skills. Math and science are important, even expected, but communication skills brings power to an engineers ability to move projects and ideas forward.