<p>Can someone explain to me the way that engineering majors are distinguished within the profession? An engineering friend recently made a disparaging comment about civil engineers not being “real” engineers, and that the really smart students majored in electrical engineering or chemical engineering. Is there a hierarchy? If so, can some of you state it here?</p>
<p>I heard that there is an apricot-flavored ice cream coming out in January 2012.</p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>That friend’s comment is silly. Don’t get caught up in some bizarre hierarchy; engineering’s awesome no matter what flavor it comes in.</p>
<p>That sounds good, GLOBALTRAVELER! Where does it fall in the hierarchy with chocolate chip cookie dough, though?</p>
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funny, as civil engineering is the oldest discipline. there used to be a time when when you said “engineering” it couldn’t mean anything other than civil engineering. Every other engineering discipline borrowed the term “engineering.”</p>
<p>But that being said, as a civil engineering major, I concede that EE and CS are harder. I won’t grant you chemE, though.</p>
<p>I can deduce that your friend must be a chemical engineer, because no self-respecting electrical engineer would recognize ANY of the other disciplines as “real” engineers. Just ask any of us. Heh, Heh. </p>
<p>Hence chemical engineers, being inferior, would have to include us EEs if they tried to claim themselves as “real” engineers.</p>
<p>I think it’s mainly do do what people think of. People think engineering is fancy. Electrical Engineers work on circuit boards and stuff, fancy. Chemical Engineers work on chemicals, fancy. Mechanical Engineers work on machines, fancy. Civil engineers work on roads, not fancy. </p>
<p>Civil engineering isn’t just roads but most people I don’t think know that.</p>
<p>With any field, there are “fancy” projects and there are mundane projects. And of course, perceptions of what’s “fancy” and what isn’t differs from person to person. Somebody can think of circuits as boring, chemicals as boring, and machines as boring.</p>
<p>chaoswithinthed, whereabouts are you from? I went to school in an urban area and most people associated civil engineering with skyscrapers and bridges (cool in my book, of course, haha). Roads were probably the last thing people thought of.</p>
<p>Yes, I think “skyscrapers” when I think of civil engineers!</p>
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<p>I’m in College Station. I know when I think of civil, I think of skyscrapers as well! Being a Structural Engineer that’s what I want to do. My explanation about roads and civil not being fancy isn’t my view, but it’s just what I’ve heard from other people. I hear it all the time from my friends about how my major is easier. Some of it I think it joking and some of it is serious. I just shrug it off and don’t worry about it. I was in the exact same classes as these people in lower level and did better than them in them too.</p>
<p>How’s this for “boring?” [London</a> Aquatics Centre, 2012 Olympics, Olympic Aquatics Centre, Zaha Hadid](<a href=“http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/london_aquatics_centre.htm]London”>http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/london_aquatics_centre.htm)</p>
<p>Scroll down for photos of the hyperbolic roof.</p>
<p>When I think of civil, I think of sewage, which (by my book) is awesome beyond belief! I love sewage!</p>
<p>Imaginary engineers > any other type.</p>
<p>Is there a hierarchy for ice cream? I hope someone can help me out. My original thought was:</p>
<p>Chemical Rocky Road
Electrical Cookie Dough
Mechanical Mint
Petroleum Peaches and Cream
Industrial Cookies and Cream
Nuclear Vanilla
Aerospace Chocolate</p>
<p>Please correct me if I’m wrong</p>
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<p>All of those are nice flavors.</p>
<p>Where does materials engineering fit into all of this?</p>
<p>Also, all that civil engineers do is make sure that ΣF=0</p>
<p>^^yeah, all they do is make sure that bridge doesn’t collapse and kill your friends and family. No big deal.</p>
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<p>What about earthquake dynamics? Got a lot of movement there. Just like Mechanical.</p>
<p>What about expansion of materials due to heat transfer? Sounds a lot like thermo to me. </p>
<p>Also, I don’t want to take away from ΣF=0 as it is important, but I could give a determinate structure and ask for forces and most people could solve it. I give an indeterminate framework to someone and very few could do that.</p>
<p>Wait a minute according to a report I wrote in the 9th grade mechanical was the first engineer. I believe it had somethng to do with inventing the wheel. I’m sure I used very good references. I couldn’t possibly have skipped over the fact that not pooping where you live would be considered civil, but since a woman probably made up the rule about sewage being outside the cave it didn’t quality as engineering, just housekeeping. So do you think they invented the wheel before or after the bridge? When I think of civil I think of bridges and correctly banked exit ramps, cause I now someone who is an expert in those.
Nuclear = vanilla ??? I don’t think so. Nuclear should be some nice glowing color. Maybe pitsachio → green with lead bars (nuts)</p>