A Professional Engineer Versus a Successful Scientist - Essay Sample

A scientist develops ideas by using questions that tend to explain a vast range of mathematical and diagrammatic representations, software used to model and various forms of design required to describe information about an idea (Castel and Sergio 150). They get data obtained from an experiment and use it to come up with the theory explaining certain unknown facts. An Engineer is someone practical who enacts scientific method by using scientific knowledge to come up with processes of design, builds structures like ships and houses, fixes damaged things and make equipment like machines and vehicles. They take great well-laid solutions and implement them to solve problems .An engineer asks the question HOW, with the desire of knowing how to make things work. They are concerned with the applied result of their work and achieving the solution to the problem is the number one priority for them. A scientist, however, asks the question WHY, and is concerned with getting the fundamental reason for the issue under study in their area of professionalism. Engineers and Scientists have several differences that distinguish them even though their technical professions are closely related.

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In my view, there are many differences between the engineering profession and the scientific field that are subtle and may not be recognized unless one is keen to notice them. Scientists do observe the world and everything around them while engineers primary objective is to create new designs and materials and equipment or repair and work on that which already exists. Engineering is a more accurate field that requires one to focus on a narrow range of work. Science, on the other hand, is often not much precise and provides a scientist with the opportunity that to study a broad scope of issues. One is free to examine various areas of specialization that they can find to be of interest. Scientists put up questions that need answering by determining the hypothesis and theories of scientific problems that need to be solved. The solutions to the problems are provided by the engineers who work at ensuring that the answers to the questions highlighted by scientists are achieved (Mitchell, Anna and Roland 79). Scientists face a major challenge when seeking for financial help for their projects from the government, organizations or politicians because they have to convince them of the legibility and importance of their work. Engineers do not seem to experience this setback since their work is visible and is easily understood by the general public. Regarding the cost, the scientific field requires a lot of money for their projects like The Human Genome Project which deals with sequencing of the human genes. A lot of complicated equipment is needed, and the workforce is not huge leading to more complexity of the career. With the engineering field, the cost of operation is less and the equipment and machines needed to construct, and design can be located locally unlike the scientific devices. Another difference is that the scientific profession deals with more life threatening projects like dealing with intangible biologically dangerous substances like viruses and thus requires one to be careful when handling them to avoid contamination. Engineering does involve mostly metal and materials that are tangible.

In my opinion, the society looks at these differences with little appreciation for them. The contributing factor is that there is ignorance about what the two professions entail and the differences between them. People in the society often find themselves joining careers that they are not suited for. An example is where an individual who has no passion for dealing with patients may find themselves working as a health care giver they have no desire for human interaction and are well best suited to handle machines. A little is known as to how the society benefits from having engineers and scientists. Engineers are paid much more than scientists despite their great work and lot of sacrifices that they to help people live better lives. Doctors for example, go to great extents to gain knowledge about their career and spend a lot of time in training for their education. They finally end up spending many work hours treating their patients and doing lots of research to come up with better treatment techniques but are underpaid leading to their demoralization. Little finances are allocated to the health sector, and the research field and few people speak up about these disparities. Also, trust for these sectors by the society is limited, and few people go for these technical careers since there isnt sufficient knowledge of the presence of many career options in science like Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and forensic science. As for the engineers, their career is viewed as complex, and not many enroll for the career with fear of not being able to withstand the arduous study it requires and the grueling work needed like handling large machines (Maccurdy 79). Therefore, there are limited human resources for the work necessary to be done.

In conclusion, therefore, it is evident that there are many differences between a professional engineer and a successful scientist. The society needs to be enlightened about the role played by these careers in contributing to the improvement of the economy. More finances should also be allocated to these two fields for the society to develop and achieve its goals. More people especially the young should train for these careers to increase the workforce available, with the society as a whole showing respect and providing support to them.

Works Cited

Castel, Boris, and Sergio Sismondo. The Art of Science. Peterborough, Ont. [u.a.: Broadview Press, 2003. Print.

Maccurdy, Robert D. "Engineer or scientist?" Journal of Counseling Psychology 8.1 (1961): 79.

Mitchell, Cynthia A., Anna L. Carew, and Roland Clift. "The role of the professional engineer and scientist in sustainable development." Sustainable development in practice: Case studies for engineers and scientists (2004): 29-55.

Osepchuk, John M. "Engineer and scientist." Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 64.2 (2012): 143-145.

Moon, Francis C. Chaotic and Fractal Dynamics: Introduction for Applied Scientists and Engineers. John Wiley & Sons, 2008.