Careers in Science and Engineering

Regina High School Career Day

Thursday March 22, 2007







Careers in Science and

Engineering



Dr. Robert Merlino

Department of Physics and Astronomy

The University of Iowa

Science vs. Engineering, what’s the difference?



 goal of science is to discover the composition

and behavior of the physical world – the “laws of

nature”

 the basic objective of engineering is to design

(INVENT) useful things

 scientists discover new science; engineers apply

science to design useful things

 the training of scientists and engineers is similar,

both learn basic science, but scientists training

goes beyond the basics to the frontiers of

knowledge

physics and engineering (examples)

 John Bardeen discovered how semiconductors

work, electrical engineers used this to make

radios, TVs, . . . computers . . .

 Hertz discovered radio waves, Marconi invented

wireless communication

 Roentgen discovered x-rays, engineers make x-

ray machines used in hosptials

 Physicists discovered nuclear magnetic

resonance; engineers design MRI systems

 Sometimes there are many years between

discovery of the science and the application

 some discoveries may have no practical

application

Science vs. Engineering

 engineering is neither better or worse than science, it is

different

 scientists try to advance knowledge beyond what is

already known

 engineers study applied subject areas that are

specifically useful in designing things. e.g., strength of

beams and the performance of engines

 most engineers are qualified for useful work without

reaching the Ph. D., but most scientists attain a Ph. D.

 there is a direct path from undergraduate engineering

degree to a career in engineering

 engineers usually pursue their professional license

 in science the Ph.D. is a sort of license to do research

Scientists in industry

 there is no definite line between science

and engineering – you will find many

physicists working in industry

 biophysics

 plasma TV systems

 fiber optics and lasers

 high-tech management

 finance and marketing

 MRI physicists (health physics)

 quality engineers

Branches of engineering



 aerospace engineering  manufacturing engineering

 agricultural engineering  materials engineering

 biomedical engineering  nuclear engineering

 chemical engineering  environmental engineering

 civil engineering  mechanical engineering

 construction engineering  computer engineering

 electrical engineering  industrial engineering

Positions held by physics alumni

Engineering Health Physics

Business/management University Faculty



 Consultant, Lockheed Martin

 Physicist, U.S. Army

 Consultant, Rail Co.

 Advisory Engineer, Westinghouse Electronic

 Systems Group

 Senior Engineer, Marine Corps

 Test Pilot, U.S. Navy

 Physicist, Naval Air Warfare Center

 Senior Scientist, University of Virginia

 Radiation Oncologist, Suburban Hospital, Bethesda, MD

 Financial Analyst, American Hospital Supply, Corp.

 CFO, Dennys, Inc..

 Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh

 Professor of Pediatrics, Temple University

 Radiology, Duke University Medical Center

 Assistant Professor, Physics, Villanova University

 Radiologist, Richmond Medical Imaging Associates

 Pilot, U.S. Navy

 Technical Director, E.G.&G.

 Program Manager, U.S. Army

 Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology,

University of Pittsburgh

 Manager, Interet Inc.

 Physicist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

 Program Manager, Vitro Corp.

 Staff Engineer, Hawaiian Electric Co.

 President, Maui Electronic Co., Ltd.

 Heath Physicist, Radiochemist, U.S. Navy

 Nuclear Engineer, Bechtel Power

 Consulting Physicist

 Health Physicist, Digital Systems Research

 Territorial Manager, Ross Laboratories

 Accounts Underwriter, Kemper Insurance

 Vice President, Cigna International

 Scientist, SES

 Research Associate, DuPont Imaging Systems

 Case Manager, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and

Energy

 Senior Physicst/Systems Analyst, The John Hopkins University

 Functional Manger, Hewlett Packard

 Civil Engineer, Sinclair Oil Corp.

 Vice President, Licensing , Wyeth-Ayert Laboratories

 Engineer, GTE Fiber Optics Communication

 Manager, Network Equipment Technologies

 LCDR, U.S. Navy

 Director if Research, IatroMed, Inc.

 Director of R&D, LaJolla Technology, Inc.

 Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University

of Kentucky

 Development Engineer, Reed Research, Inc.

 Test Engineering Manager, Du Pont

 Dean, Sangamon State University, Springfield Il

 Technical Manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

 Physicist, Cornell Aero. Labs

 U.S. Sales Manager, AT&T Paradyne

 Consultant, Arthur Anderson & Co.

 Director, Bell Atlantic

 Professor of Astronomy, Villanova University

 Sr. Principal Engineer, Computer Sciences Corp.

 Asst. Professor of Physics, Temple University

 Electronics Engineer Honeywell Electro

OpticsPresident, California University of PA

 Project Engineer, New Jersey Dept. of Transportation

 Field Engineer, Ultratech Stepper

 Engineer, Lockheed Martin

 Electronics Engineer, USAF

 Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Wright

State University

 Assistant Scientist, Leeds and Northrup

What to do now to prepare for

careers in science and engineering

 take re-algebra, algebra, advanced algebra and pre-

calculus courses

 take every available science course- physical science,

biology, chemistry and physics

 for physics careers read

The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene

A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking

Flying Circus of Physics, by Jearl Walker

 get involved in science fairs, extracurricular science

clubs

 find a mentor – someone (teacher or professor) who can

help you and answer questions about things that intrigue

you about science

What do University professors do?

TEACHING

 I teach a large lecture class (300) for mostly

freshman –The Physics of Everyday Experience-

How things work – Mon Wed Fri 11:30 – 12-30

 I spend at least an hour before each class

preparing demonstrations to illustrate the

principles found in our common experiences

 On Tues and Thus mornings I meet individual

students to answer questions, provide help, etc

 I advise graduate students who are working

toward their MS and PhD degrees

Research

 I conduct experiments in plasma (ionized gases) physics

in my lab

 Both undergraduates and graduate students work with

my as part of a team

 I write research proposals to federal agencies to get the

money to do the research

 I spend lots of time writing reports on the experiments

that we perform – these reports get published as articles

in journals read by other scientists

 I attend research conferences where I present our

results to groups of scientists who can offer feed back

and criticism

 I am usually in my office M-F, 8:30 – 5:30, but I spend a

good deal of time in the evenings and weekends reading

articles about the work of other scientists.

ASTRONOMY









Rosette Nebula

Comet Hale-Bopp

Naturally Occurring Plasmas

High Voltage Outdoor Plasma

Neon lights are a plasma !

Aurora Over Chippewa Falls, WI









Brett Walker, Nov. 5, 2001

ITER

A plasma lurks inside every

fluorescent lamp !







The fluorescent lamp shown has part of the

phosphor removed to reveal the blue glow

of the plasma inside.