On 2006-Sep 03, at 03:08hrs AM, G=F6khan SEVER wrote: As their creations grow ever more disruptive, engineers' image = problem takes on new dimensions ^ I do not care about my "image" problem AGSC^ One vivid memory i have from my student days was dropping by the lab = of a good friend who had gotten involved in medical research. I was = curious to see what he was up to, because his new obsession seemed out of = character. outgoing and popular, into jazz and athletics, the guy didnt fit the = techie mold. The night i stopped by the lab, he was there alone, working on a = hunch about why cells become cancerous. As he was showing me his experimental = apparatus, he confessed it was there in that lab, pondering cell metabolism into = the wee hours, that he was happiest. ^yes AGSC ^ I understood immediately what he meant. Technical work isnt = glamorous; often it's tedious. But there's satisfaction in focusing on a problem, = educating yourself, mustering the discipline to embark on an uncertain journey = toward some unknown revelation. I understood--but those who have never had the experience themselves, whether in an academic lab or with a hot startup, might not. And that = goes to the heart of the engineer's "image" problem. The image of scientists and technical people as eccentric, socially = inept, obsessed with impersonal mechanisms and arcane ideas, is probably as = old as scientific pursuit itself. The modern stereotypes range from the = adolescent geek to the corporate drone to the mad scientist, staple of the = horror film. This is cause for concern, because as engineers happily pursue their satisfying careers, the fruits of their labor continually create = disruptive problems for society. Instantaneous access to information threatens = personal privacy. Advanced medical technology is affordable only to a = privileged few. Advanced weapons systems- an attractively high-gorwth area these = days- are attaining frightening levels of lethal effectiveness. ^ Advanced technology always trickles down to everyone. The rich = have it first because .... well, they are rich. What fun would rich be if you = didn't get stuff first ? AGSC ^ ^ Instant access does not threaten privacy.... crazy, snoopy humans = do. Advanced weapons systems are not dangerous. The crazy humans who control them = are. It always comes down to humans. Good, bad, crazy, moral, snoopy, = hypocrites. AGSC^ In an ironic twist, the brilliant work by electronics engineers that = enabled modern computing and the Internet now threatens their own jobs and well-being. The Internet facilitates the outsourcing of software and, increasingly, hardware design. That has had a direct impact on tech-job security while eroding the prestige and argaining power of technical specialists. At the same time, the pace of the market is continually accelerating as engineering tools become more effective, and the = speed with which systems have to be developed has become a major source of = stress for engineers. ^Their jobs are not threatened by technology .... they have more = human competition. Humans threaten their job. Stress, go on welfare, no one says you = have to be an engineer. At least I don't think so. AGSC ^ Who EEs really are=97their likes, dislikes and job satisfaction=97is, of = course, a matter of concern to us at EETimes. We conduct plenty of surveys, run focus groups and maintain feedback channels to take the pulse of the profession, in order to know our audience better. Last year, we conducted a major survey of EEs'attitudes about their = work and profession ("Dispiriting days for EEs," Nov. 14, page 1). As the = headline indicates, the image of the dedicated engineer happily engrossed in a fascinating,innovative project doesn't tell the whole story. And the = geek label stings. Reading through the report, I was struck by how much the survey = seemed to reflect my own job experience. These days, the press doesn't get much respect either. The Internet has greatly accelerated publishing = schedules and has made it harder than ever to find some story or angle that hasn't already been covered. The new world of multimedia=97cable and satellite delivery, iPods and other portable, lowcost media devices=97has = fundamentally changed the publishing business model. We're game, but we are racing = to keep up, and much of the time it leaves us a little frazzled. Indeed, = that's a problem that cuts across most businesses=97and it's the result of = seemingly limitless technological innovation. Open-source software development, facilitated by the Internet, is enabling sophisticated systems that let upstarts challenge major corporations. ^ The press doesn't get much respect because they don't put too much = effort into reporting. Tech reporting is done well. Reporting on the effects of = technology or some new angle where technology intersects with "Joe Six Pack" is = usually slopped out with no research or thought. Tech writers seem to think = that you have to study intensely to learn technology but economics or = philosophy or social studies don't require any effort, it just comes "off the top of the head" or = the writer just parrots some other idiot. The press gets the respect they deserve. = AGSC^ So what do we say to the EE glued to his oscilloscope? Get out there and relate, get an image makeover? I'd hesitate to give that advice, = because I don't think engineers are all that concerned with image. ^ righto and what image are they competing with anyway ? What is an admirable profession ? Lawyer ? ha ha ha Politician ? ( race to the = restroom ) Priest ? Yikes ! Teacher ?? Hmmmmm AGSC^ Image is absolutely critical to marketing and business, of course. = How your company is perceived is central to how many people will buy your = products. But in a real sense, image is noncritical to engineering. Who you = are, what you look like, what your friends and family think of you may be = important on one level, but they're not going to get you through the workday. ^ Have a set of principles, stick to them and your image will take = care of itself. AGSC^ And the work is still what counts, because most of the time, the = benefits of the resultant technology continue to outweigh the negatives. I certainly wouldn't trade in the information tools I work with now to go back to a telephone and typewriter, just to get a little peace of mind. I have experienced firsthand the benefits of some amazing feats of = engineering as the tools of my trade have evolved, in just a little over two = decades, from the typewriter to the minicomputer-based publishing system, then to modem-equipped desktops and on to the ever-shrinking portable with Wi-Fi card. Next up, the pundits say, will be wearable computers and truly fashion-oriented electronics. It's the new face of technology, we are = told. Advanced electronic systems become image makers. None of this would be possible without the hardwon engineering work = that has focused on how to organize matter at nanometer scales. A modern = electronic product is made from a hefty proportion of the 98 elements. Polymer chemistry, liquid-crystal systems, lithium battery technology, immensely complex ICs=97all of those had to be understood by engineers sitting at = a lab bench, focusing their intellect on the world of materials. Somebody = had to put aside the complexities of modern life for a time and become = immersed in that rarified level of reality. And it is at that level that = engineers gain satisfaction from their work. Here at EE Times, we promote the image of engineers as innovators and creators of technology. Nothing wrong with that; it's what they are. The fact that they debate=97in a language understood by few=97burning issues = that will only be understood 10 years from now is just part of the package. ^ This is the glory of being an engineer AGSC ^ "By Chappell Brown (cbrown@cmp.com), managing editor of Design = Currents and Technology for EE Times" Source: EETimes Newsweekly Issue 1413, Page 4, (6 March 2006) -- = http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AGSC Augustus Gustavius Salvatore Calabrese 4337 Raleigh Street Denver, CO 720 222 1309 303 908 7716 cell adding " spam2006 " bypasses my spam blocker. Please place in the = text or at the END of the subject line. ( i am hard to reach by phone ) All ideas, text, drawings and audio , that are originated by me, and = included with this signature text are to be deemed to be released to = the public domain as of the date of this communication . 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