Engineering News, February 14, 2005

February 14, 2005 Vol. 76, no. 5S

2005 Real World Engineering: Undergraduate students participated in a forum designed to introduce them to engineering as it is practiced outside academia. Students met with COE's own engineering alumni to discuss careers in engineering and how a specific major will translate to a real world work environment.
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2005 Real World Engineering

Students packed Bechtel Engineering Center last Thursday, Feb. 3, to learn about real careers during Real World Engineering 2005. More than 350 students came to the event, the biggest attendance in the event's five-year history. In addition, 57 alumni returned to campus to answer students' questions, dispense career advice, and literally rub elbows with aspiring engineers at the bustling sushi reception.

"It was a resounding success," says Gina Rieger, director of alumni relations. "The best Real World Engineering ever."

Beforehand, student expectations ranged widely. "I want to find out which areas are most interesting in the field," said freshman ChemE major Robert Kidd, who was closely studying the list of panelists. "I definitely want to go into industry."

"I just want to find out what's out there in the Bay Area for engineers," said Jessica Stankiewicz, an MSE graduate student, who's finishing her degree this year and looking for jobs. Across from her, Corine Herrmann, a CEE junior, said she wanted to go to graduate school and do research, but was hoping the panel discussion would give her some direction. Then there were students just shopping for a department. "I'm an undecided major," said CEE freshman Arjun Gupta. He was planning to attend the ChemE, CivilE and BioE panels.

Associate dean Dave Auslander set the tone with his opening remarks. "Think of yourselves not as students but pre-alumni," he told the audience in Sibley Auditorium. "It's easy to get into class and forget everything else. But class is not it. Your education here is just as much about learning what you want to do as it is about learning the class material."

At the standing room-only ME panel, students asked whether they should go to grad school and how to find their true passion. Panelist Don Reichert (B.S. '50 MSE M.B.A. '64), a consulting engineer in product safety and risk management, told them, "If it's not fun, it's work. And if it's work, it's not fun. Make it fun."

At the EECS panel, students asked alumni what were the advantages and disadvantages of working for a startup and what could they do to prepare for that first job. The panelists advised the group to take speech classes and hone their communication and presentation skills. "If you can't explain your ideas, you're not an engineer," said John Greer (B.S. '83 EECS), a director with PG&E.

Afterward at the reception, student feedback was positive. "I learned that engineering teaches you about business and that it's useful for business," said Dennis Eng, a ChemE sophomore. "I also learned that if you want to do something, just do it."

CEE junior Lilian Leung received similar reassurance. "Before this event, I was afraid of making a mistake in my career. But they said it was okay to make mistakes. Now I want to explore."

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