Engineer Your Life (The Blog)
 
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Break out the balloons and candles. Washington DC’s brilliant baby, the legislation we know as Title IX, turned 38 this week. The law, which was written to “prohibit sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities,” was set into action after decades of inequality and frustration surrounding the inequality in education programs and activities supported by federal money.

 

The legislation, which is often associated only with athletics, also supports equality in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs. Since the legislation passed 38 years ago, our friends at AAUW (formerly the American Association of University Women) tell us that participation by girls in sports has increased 900 percent. Wow.

 

The percentages in STEM related education programs and careers aren’t as impressive. AAUW’s report Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" tells us that only 25% these fields are filled by women. All of us at Engineer Your Life think we can change that. So, EYL troops, urge Congress to enforce the law, ask where the STEM programs are in school, and think about careers where you can rock your STEM educations.  

Dream big girls! Love what you do. Engineer Your Life.
 
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It is a good thing I love my job, because, if not, I would be applying to work at Arup, one of the coolest companies I have stumbled across. I spend my days searching for the coolest people, companies, universities, and projects in engineering and this one jumped out. I mean, check this place OUT….the projects, the people, and even the web site scream “cool, cool, cool.”

Want to travel the globe while working on the hottest museums, universities, hotels, airlines out there? Try Arup. They have offices in 33 countries. 33. Oh, I can just see your jet-setting lifestyle now. 

In addition to the hip world of hotel and aviation design, Arup has worked on some of the biggest eco projects in the world

And guess what? They have a great internship program that spans the globe. Check it out. And leave room in your suitcase for me!


That's all for today engineers...think of companies like Arup and continue to Dream Big and Love What You do.


Happy exploring from all of us at Engineer Your Life

 





 
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Sunday is Father’s Day. A day we celebrate dear old dad. At EngineerYourLife, we’re celebrating all the dads out there that raised (and are raising) strong, smart and confident daughters.

The dads that teach their daughters when they hear “no” or “you can’t” to try again. The dads that march right up to the coach and ask why his girl can’t be on the team---and cheer the loudest when she hits her first homerun. The dad that brings home the college pamphlets, not for you, for him---so he can read up on how to help you prepare. The dad who works extra hours (and extra jobs) so he can help pay for said college. The dad who sits through the spelling bee, the math Olympics, the cello concert, the school production of The Princess and the Pea, and the presentation of your erupting volcano at the science fair. All in one month.

Here at Engineer Your Life, we’ve got a crew of dads who have been handing us jewels of wisdom for years. 

Here are some of our favorites, in no particular order. 

  • 99% of success in life is showing up
  • Get a library card
  • Don’t be an island. Life (and engineering!) works best when shared with others
  • Anything he can do, you can do too
  • Think like a turtle---slow and steady really does win the race
  • If your date is rude to the waiter, dump him
  • Pull your shoulders back
  • Bring cab fare
  • Sit in the front of the class
  • Say please and thank you
  • Being pretty makes you pretty: being smart makes you invincible
 

Thanks dad. We’ll remember that.

 

Dream big. Love What you do. (hmm, sounds like something our dads would say!)--Engineer Your Life. 

 

 
 
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Okay, okay. Engineering has a bad rep. It has, as they say in Hollywood, an “image problem.” We know the outdated and inaccurate stereotypes that won’t seem to go away—the pocket protector and the thick glasses. The lonely cube dweller. None of it is true.

Engineer is a verb. Remember that. It’s innovation in action. It holds the power to solve problems, expand your mind and encourage collaboration and cooperation unmatched by many professions. It’s pretty tough to design a bridge for disabled kids or solve a water distribution problem in a rural village in Africa alone at a desk, right? 

This week, the New York Times ran a front page story about programs that introduce kindergarteners to engineering. In these programs, amongst other activities, kids go through the engineering process of “design, build, test, evaluate” to structure a house for the Three Little Pigs that the wolf can’t blow down.

These kids are getting an early taste of the action involved with engineering. To engineer. To create. They are getting a taste of a profession that is fun and rewarding. We like that.

Here’s hoping we see more stories like this about programs like this. Together, we can huff and puff and blow those old stereotypes down.

Want to know more about the action of engineering? Come see us at EngineerYourLife

 
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Think engineers are all about pocket protectors, bland cubicles and nerdy personalities? Think again. Think Hollywood. Movies and tv shows. Massive glittery productions filled with superstars and shining lights. Did you know----crucial to the success of these movies and tv shows is a little thing called sound, or audio, engineering? 

Audio engineering has not always been recognized as an official division of engineering. But, with the explosion of technology and its place in Hollywood, this field is quickly becoming one of engineering’s hottest and most sought after jobs.

Take Hollywood darling Pixar, the studio behind Wall-E, Cars, The Incredibles, Up, the Toy Story franchise and more.  Their dazzling animation skills and ability to create riotously funny and endearing movies is reliant upon audio engineering. Buzz Lightyear could not take us to “Infinity and Beyond!” and Lightning McQueen couldn’t rev his engine and win the big race if it weren’t for sound.

An experiment--try watching one of these movies on mute. You’ll see they are hollow shells without the vocal and sound effects that carry them through. 
See Ms Future engineer?--Hollywood needs you.

Interested in seeing what types of jobs, internships and programs places like Pixar might have for you? There are many cool opportunities out there just waiting for you, so check it out. 

Oh, and by the way, you can win an Oscar for audio engineering. 

Think about it. Come visit us in our other home for more info. 


And start writing your acceptance speech ;)