WFU Physics Colloquium

TITLE: Engineers and Scientists: Similarities and Differences

SPEAKER: Professor Henry Petroski ,

TIME: Wednesday February 2, 2011 at 4:00 PM

PLACE: Room 101 Olin Physical Laboratory

Engineers and scientists are often grouped under the single rubric, "scientists", but this masks some fundamental differences in how the "two scientific cultures" think and what they do. To further complicate the matter, the methods and goals of engineers and scientists often overlap in the real world of research and development.

The situation is not helped by the mass media and by popular culture, which, when they make a distinction at all, often promote professional stereotypes that are not helpful for developing or aiding an informed public, discriminating politicians, and enlightened public policy.

This talk will highlight some of the similarities and differences between scientists and engineers, employing historical examples such as the electrical engineer Charles Steinmetz, who was also a mathematician, and the prototypical scientist Albert Einstein, who was also an accomplished inventor.

Professor Petroski is the author of several popular books including The Essential Engineer -- Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems, Random House, (2010) and he writes a column in the American Scientist.