Countdown to Ten Fun & Exciting Facts

About Engineering

Brought to you by:

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

NUMBER 10

The snowboard

With some engineering twists and turns, the snowboard has become a marvel of geometry, chemistry, and biomechanics.

NUMBER 9

Running Shoes

Protection, performance and comfort are some of the things engineers design for.

Engineers understand how much force travels from the ground through the shoe to the foot.

NUMBER 8

The slippery part of a water slide

Engineers designed a pumping system to circulate just the right amount of water on the slide - without that there is no ride!

They also design the slide to withstand the weight of the people, the water, and even the force of the wind blowing on it.

Number 7

The launch & return of spacecrafts

From the Apollo to the Shuttle, advancements by engineers in energy, communications, materials, structures and computers have made space travel possible.

NUMBER 6

The Ferris Wheel

The first wheel was created by engineer George W. Ferris in 1893. It was supported by two 140-foot steel towers connected with a 45-foot axle - the largest single piece of forged steel at the time.

NUMBER 5

Interactive television

Engineers are involved in all aspects of interactive TV technology including:

• New cables

• New film emulsions

• Better sound quality

NUMBER 4

Theme parks

Theme park engineers are involved in designing, building, lighting, and even controlling the crowd flow in theme parks.

NUMBER 3

Virtual reality and simulation

This technology applies computer simulation and visualization to 3-D modeling projects, such as virtual offices

NUMBER 2

Special effects in movies

Through “morphing” technology, images are digitally mastered to appear more realistic

Movies such as “Avatar,” “Cars,” and “The Hobbit” are examples

NUMBER 1

Bioengineering - creating new & exciting medical technology

Movie special effects

Through “morphing” technology, images are digitally mastered to appear more realistic

Movies such as “Avatar,” “Cars,” and “The Hobbit” are examples

For more information on exciting careers in engineering, please

check out: NSPE’s Web site at www.nspe.org

Engineers Week Web site at www.eweek.org, or www.discoverengineering.org

The Fantastical Engineer or High-Tech Hot Shots by author and engineer Celeste Baine