In an increasingly more technical world, it is not surprising that the topics of history and rhetoric take backseat roles in the engineering field. I wish to address this notion and to dispel the idea that you can get by as an engineer tinkering away in a cave. Engineering is an art, even a virtuosity. The Oxford Dictionary says the word ‘engineer’ stems from the Latin word ingenium, which means ‘talent,’ or ‘cleverness’. This title is awarded to those who have become familiar with manipulating math and material to create solutions. A long list of college text books ranging from numerical methods to thermodynamics quickly draws the attention of the avid learner. Others less mathematically inclined may gasp in horror and quickly reevaluate their lives. You might ask, “Is being a math whiz the only way to become an engineer?” It certainly helps, but in reality, I think a different qualifying question should be asked: “How will a knowledge of history and writing assist me in becoming an engineer?”
Historical Context
Understanding the historical context of any conundrum can offer us new insight into better solutions. I like to think of all great ideas as giant trees that began as tiny seeds. Many years ago, these seeds were planted in response to a question or observation. Through inspiration and perspiration, these seeds pushed their way to the surface and gained root. The names of Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein might sound familiar as the founding forefathers of modern engineering techniques. However, even the greats had honorable predecessors. Have you ever heard about Amenhotep and his prosthetic toe, or Vitruvius and his description of the Vitruvian Man? Da Vinci actually based his Canon of Proportions on the idea of the Vitruvian Man (Leonardo). Every generation builds on the previous.Example of Historical Development
Take prosthetics for example. Missing appendages has been an issue all ages have experienced. Understanding how our ancestors tackled this dilemma gives the engineers of today a leg up. One of the earliest known examples of a prosthetic device can be observed in the Cairo Museum where the prosthetic toe of Amenhotep II is preserved. The Greek historian Herodotus recorded an instance in 484 BC where a prisoner escaped by cutting off his leg and hobbled off on a wooden leg. The Roman general Marcus Sergius led his troops into battle with an iron prosthetic hand in 218 BC. His left hand wielded a sword while his fake hand was adorned with a shield (Thurston). Fast forwarding to modern times, there has been tremendous research performed in recent years which has exponentially helped progress the development of prosthetic limbs. Within the past 20 years, methods have been developed where prostheses can be attached directly to amputees’ bones. In addition, electrodes attached to nerves and muscles offers amputees neuromuscular control of the prostheses (Pitkin).
The Stereotype
Communication in Engineering
Communication and persuasion are a huge part of engineering. There are countless scenarios in which a knowledge of rhetoric and presentation is crucial to producing results. Opportunities for communication are present in all kinds of situations, including interviews, oral presentations, memos, technical reports, process sheets, engineering drawings, proposals, emails, etc. Unless you invented some sort of mind-reading machine, you will have to explain your ideas to someone else. Even if you had invented a mind-reading machine, you would have to convince someone to finance it. Rhetoric in the engineering field has two parts: stating truth, or at least an approximation of it, and encouraging others towards action.
Bob
Personal Experience
I have a personal experience that taught me the importance of communication. During an engineering career fair, companies from all over the country were taking resumes and scheduling interviews with intern aspirants. I showed up in my nice business casual clothes and realized I had no idea how to sell myself. Mowing the neighbor’s lawn was about as much work experience I had ever had, and I felt out of my class. I cautiously approached a biomedical company representative and told him I am interested in prosthetics. “Well,” he said, “we don’t make prosthetics. We make heart valves.” At that point, I didn't know how to recover myself, so I proceeded awkwardly asking him about his company. At the end of a brief discussion, he politely told me that maybe I should think about what I want before I do anything else. I felt like a fool. With this experience in mind, I now reflect on ways I can show others who I really am, what I do know, and how I can help.
Conclusion
It may seem to be a lot to ask of an engineer to be good with both numbers and words, but I hope that you now see a need for being well rounded. Overall, engineering can be simplified to two classifications: acquiring knowledge about things, and then making things happen. It is a process beginning with keen observations and brilliant ideas which lead to fruition. I hope all engineers will take this advice to heart.
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