What does it mean to be an engineer?
From the pyramids to the international space station, engineers have been involved in many of humanity’s great accomplishments. But most engineers work quietly outside of the public eye, resulting in few famous engineers by today’s standard of fame. Engineers generally do not seek celebrity status but rather the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction of improving the lives of others. However, engineers are presidents of companies, hold important positions in business and society, and are even astronauts. Some engineers such as James Watt, the Wright brothers, and Henry Ford, get international acclaim for their work even though their personal goals were not to be famous.
Up until the late 1800s most engineered objects were built on experience. Engineering apprentices used an experiential approach to design and fabrication (i.e. “if it worked before, then do it again” or “if it didn’t fall down, then build another like it... Read More
Delaware Valley Young Engineer of the Year 2012 - Catherine G. Farrell, PE
If you knew Catherine Golata Farrell, PE as a child, you may have guessed that someday she would be a civil engineer, perhaps even a transportation engineer. From an early age, Farrell could be found doodling detailed sketches of highways that included ramps, exits, curves and intersections. “I always thought about engineering, but I didn’t realize it was engineering,” says Farrell.
“Engineers are problem solvers,” said Farrell. “I feel like there is a common misconception that engineers are rigid and only use math and science skills. This isn’t true, we constantly use our imagination and creativity to create, fix and make things better.”
“I worked on that!”
Farrell is an assistant project manager in the transportation department at the Horsham, Pa. office of Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Farrell is a licensed professional engineer who has worked on...
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