My Profession

www.dirally.com "Oregon Trail Rally" 7/26/14 via Flickr
Non-commercial license

I'm studying mechanical engineering as I have always been very interested in cars (see: everything about this blog) and dream of one day working in the automotive industry, particularly in race car development.

1. In a mechanical engineering program, students learn how to apply their knowledge and technical skills to difficult and unforeseen issues that they may have no previous experience with in order to create the best possible solution. 
2. Mechanical engineers are often employed in a variety of fields that may require technical skills as mechanical engineering is generally considered to be the broadest form of engineering and thus the most adaptable. Additionally, most engineers can become project leads (but especially mechanical engineers as they tend to have some experience with other disciplines as well) where they are responsible not for the technical work themselves but for a team of other people working on a project.
3. For me, my interest to engineering was perhaps unusual. I developed almost in the reverse of how it might be for most people. I have known from a very young age that I was fascinated by machines and later cars in particular and thus chose mechanical engineering as a path of study with a career in the automotive industry as my end goal. My dream job would be to work at (or just maybe even start my own) boutique engineering firm such as M-Sport or Multimatic which work with large OEMs (original equipment manufacturers aka car companies) to fulfill engineering goals that are too narrow and specific for the company to want to do themselves. For example, M-Sport largely develops rally cars or Multimatic works on very low volume components and systems (ie the new Ford GT).

   

   Thompson, Gareth "WRC - Rally GB 2012" 9/3/15 via Flickr
   reuse with attribution

4. In the automotive industry, there are constant innovations so I will focus on only two. Audi has recently lead new investigation into the Fischer-Tropsch Process which creates gasoline out of carbon fixation from the atmosphere. This process would end up being carbon-negative (powered by solar energy) so it would allow us to continue using gasoline in automobiles which would be very advantageous as it is a very energy dense fuel and thus very practical to use. I personally would love this to work as it would once again allow more traditional engineering solutions such as high revs and more engine displacement as a means for increasing power rather than downsized turbo motors. The other recent innovation I wanted to mention was Hyundai's research with a HCCI (compression ignition) gasoline engine. This engine runs without spark plugs similar to a diesel but returns even better consumption as it is using a more refined fuel (gasoline).
5. Significant journals in mechanical engineering include:

          ASME Magazine - New York, New York

          Advances in Mechanical Engineering - Thousand Oaks, California

          SAE Internation Journal of Passenger Cars - Warrendale, Pennsylvania
       
          These are all very well regarded publications.

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After reading some of the blogs of my classmates, I realized that I am very happy with my chosen major. I hugely applaud people who want to do something completely different however. I am generally very impressed by people who can do things that I cannot. I feel like finding a career is sort of like economics: if everyone does what they are best at (and of course enjoy most), everyone will be best off. After reading Victoria's blog I realized I'm very happy that my major will leave me with pretty good job opportunities after just 4 years. This way, I will have some choice over if and when I pursue a Masters or a Ph.D. After reading Casey's blog, I thanked my lucky stars that I'm not doing something as intense as she is. Mechanical engineering may be hard but at least it's not as extreme as a physics double major.