building a solid foundation for your engineering career

Foundation -Engineering Career - 2013

1

Building a Solid Foundation for Your Engineering Career

Dr Sam Man Keong ( 岑文强 )CEng, FIET, FSIET(F)

Honorary SecretarySingapore Institute of Engineering Technologists

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


2

“Engineering :

The Career Field That Improves Our Quality of Life.”


3

Highlights

• About the Speaker – Dr Sam Man Keong• Prepare for Engineering Mathematics.• Engineering Aptitudes.• Beyond Math and Science.• Engineering Technology – An Alternate

Choice.• Resources for Building Skills.• Q & A


4

About the Speaker : Sam Man Keong ( 岑文强 )

• A Self-directed Lifelong Learner for more than 40 years.

• Have gone through both non-traditional & traditional education routes.

• Chartered Engineer (UK/Ireland/Australia)

• Chartered Builder(UK)• Chartered Environmentalist

(UK)• Chartered Mathematician(UK)• Chartered Scientist(UK).


5

Prepare for Engineering Mathematics

• Most Math is cumulative. additional work to strengthen areas of

weakness before moving on to more advanced classes in a college engineering programs.

• Algebra : Algebra for Dummies

• Calculus


6

Some Mathematicians of Interest - Algebra

• Muhammad ibn Musa Khwarizmi (780 – 850) was a Persian mathematician, astronomer and geographer.

• His Algebra, written around 820, was the first book on the systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_people

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Compendious_Book_on_Calculation_by_Completion_and_Balancing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_equation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratic_equation


7

Some Mathematicians of Interest - Algebra

• Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher.

• Pascal's triangle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematician

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_triangle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blaise_pascal.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PascalTriangleAnimated2.gif


8

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Geometry (Euclidean)

• Euclid (fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria), was a Greek mathematician and is often referred to as the Father of Geometry. He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I (323 BC – 283 BC). His work Elements is the most successful textbook in the history of mathematics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floruit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_mathematics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_I

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid%27s_Elements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textbook

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_mathematics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Euklid-von-Alexandria_1.jpg


9

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Geometry (Analytical)

• René Descartes (1596 – 1650), was a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic.

• Descartes' influence in mathematics is also apparent, the Cartesian coordinate system allowing geometric shapes to be expressed in algebraic equations being named for him. He is accredited as the father of analytical geometry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_philosophy


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Republic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_geometry


10

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Trigonometry

• Āryabhaṭa (CE 476–550) is the first in the line of great mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy.

• His definitions of sine, as well as cosine (kojya), versine (ukramajya), and inverse sine (otkram jya), influenced the birth of trigonometry. He was also the first to specify sine and versine (1 - cosx) tables, in 3.75° intervals from 0° to 90°, to an accuracy of 4 decimal places.

Statue of Aryabhata on the grounds of IUCAA, Pune, India.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astronomy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigonometry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-University_Centre_for_Astronomy_and_Astrophysics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pune

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2064_aryabhata-crp.jpg


11

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Calculus

• Sir Isaac Newton, FRS (1643 – 1727 ) was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian and one of the most influential men in human history.

• His Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, published in 1687, is considered to be among the most influential books in the history of science, laying the groundwork for most of classical mechanics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_people



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_philosophy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophi%C3%A6_Naturalis_Principia_Mathematica

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophi%C3%A6_Naturalis_Principia_Mathematica

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_mechanics


12

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Calculus

• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646 - 1716) was a German philosopher and mathematician.

• He invented infinitesimal calculus independently of Newton, and his notation is the one in general use since then. He also invented the binary system, foundation of virtually all modern computer architectures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinitesimal_calculus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leibniz%27s_notation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_numeral_system


13

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Laplace Transform

• Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace (23 March 1749 – 5 March 1827) was a French mathematician and astronomer whose work was pivotal to the development of mathematicalastronomy and statistics.

• Laplace formulated Laplace's equation, and pioneered the Laplace transform which appears in many branches of mathematical physics, a field that he took a leading role in forming.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace%27s_equation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace_transform

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_physics


14

Some Mathematicians of Interest – Fourier Series

• Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier (21 March 1768 – 16 May 1830) was a French mathematician and physicist best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their applications to problems of heat transfer and vibrations.

• The Fourier transform and Fourier's Law are also named in his honour.

• Fourier is also generally credited with the discovery of the greenhouse effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_people



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_series

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_transfer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_transform


15

Engineering Aptitudes

• All people have aptitudes.• Natural talents, special abilities, and the

capacity of learning to do certain things.• Engineers:

– Spatial visualization : 3D– Analytical reasoning : CDIO– Memory for design : engines, machinery, and

equipment.– Mathematical ability : Computers


16

Beyond Math and Science

• Curiosity• Excellent communication skills• Experience with teamwork and leadership• Travel experience• Knowledge of arts and literature• Interests and hobbies

help provide the necessary background from which to draw the insight and creativity needed to solve engineering challenges.


17

Engineering Technology – An Alternate Choice

• Engineering Technologists/Technicians : – The applications people on a team who work with

engineers in the design process and often are heavily involved in implementation or ongoing maintenance of a project.

• Explore online : – www.abet.org– www.engc.org.uk– www.engineersaustralia.org.au– www.afeo.org


18

Resources for Building Skills

• Websites of Professional Bodies – Overseas (UK) :– www.ice.org.uk– www.theiet.org – www.imeche.org.uk

• Websites of Professional Bodies – Overseas (USA) :– www.asce.org – www.asee.org – www.nspe.org

http://www.ice.org.uk/

http://www.theiet.org/

http://www.imeche.org.uk/


19

Resources for Building Skills

• Websites of Professional Bodies – Singapore :– www.ies.org.sg– www.siet.org.sg

• Websites of Professional Bodies – Malaysia :– www.iem.org.my– www.tam.com.my


20

Questions & Answers

Thank YouThank You

The CPD to Success: C : Courage 勇气 ; 胆量P : Patience 忍耐 ; 耐性 ; Perseverance 毅力 ; 恒心D : Determination 决心 ; 意志

building a solid foundation for your engineering career

Documents