microsoft powerpoint eis role of engineers in nation building

ENGINEERS IN SOCIETY

ROLE OF ENGINEERS IN NATION

BUILDING

VAB4042/VBB4043

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INTRODUCTION

• Human being has built the world on its past

knowledge and experience

• Initially, innovations and products were based

on little scientific principles knowledge

• Gradually, “indigenous engineering” with better

scientific understanding and mathematical

analysis became tools for technological

innovations

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INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

• Then, the success stories continued with steam

engine developed, telephone invented, electric

bulbs lighted and motorcar built

• All these resulted from research & development

(R&D) and industrialization activities

• In late 20th century, the advancement in

electronic and communication technologies has

shaped physical world and human beings

lifestyle with internet and cellular telephone3

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INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

• Today, engineers come out with more

sophisticated technologies to create new

products that save people time and money as

well as sustaining the environment – fibre-optic

technology, nano-technology, intelligent

imaging and biomass

• Engineering improves and enhances the quality

of human life. Engineers continuously

contribute to national development and

economic well-being of society 4

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WHAT IS AN ENGINEER?

• Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2006)

defines an engineer as :

“A person whose job is designing and

building engines, machines, roads,

bridges, etc.”

• Engineer is a person whose principal duty is to

apply knowledge to create practical devices,

structures and processes to serve mankind

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WHAT IS AN ENGINEER? (CONT.)

• To be an engineer one need to meet certain

requirements and to perform duties in

accordance with certain codes of conduct set by

the relevant authorities

• Engineer’s function and responsibility include

design, planning, construction, operation,

production, maintenance, management,

procurement, research, sales or academician

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ENGINEERS VERSUS SCIENTISTS

• Common ground between engineers and

scientists is that both require understanding of

the principles of sciences

• Scientists aim to seek knowledge to explain the

natural phenomena. They deal with discovering

new knowledge by conducting research by

scientific methods

• They start with hypothesis that suggest

explanation of a natural phenomena7

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ENGINEERS VERSUS SCIENTISTS (CONT.)

• Upon formulation of a hypothesis, scientist

design and execute experiments to test the

hypothesis

• They need to analyze the test results and

determine if the hypothesis is true, false or

partially correct

• Engineer takes scientist work one step ahead by

applying the acquired knowledge to design and

build new products to improve life8

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• Scientists study how nature behaves and

engineers make use of scientist findings to

develop useful device

• Example, scientists study about the nature and

behaviour of flames which :

�Resulted from chemical reaction between fuel

and air

�Expansion of combustion gases occurs at high

pressure 9

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• Engineers apply this knowledge in automotive

engine building by exploiting the fact that

combustion pressure is powerful enough to

move engine pistons

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WHAT IS ENGINEERING?

• The word engineering probably originated in

the middle ages around 1000 – 1200 AD

• Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2006)

defines an engineering as :

“An activity of applying scientific

knowledge to the design, building and

control of machines, roads, bridges,

electrical equipment, etc.”

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WHAT IS ENGINEERING? (CONT.)

• A more formal definition of “engineering” as

given by the American Accreditation Board for

Engineering and Technology (ABET, 2009) is :

“The profession in which the knowledge of

the mathematical and natural sciences

gained by study, experience and practice is

applied with judgement to develop ways to

utilize, economically, the materials and

forces of nature for the benefit of

mankind” 12

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• The Institute of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM)

defines “engineering” as being a group that :

�Shares common heritage of knowledge, skill

and art in the engineering discipline

�Renders a specialized service in the design

and construction of structures and devices

�Involves a confidential relationship between

the practitioner and client and/or employer

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• The Institute of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM)

defines “engineering” as being a group that :

(cont.)

�Is charged with a substantial degree of public

obligation in ensuring quality and public

safety

�Is bound by a distinctive ethical code, to

maintain high standards of professionalism

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THE EVOLUTION OF ENGINEERING

• Until the Industrial Revolution in Europe in 18th

century, only 2 branches of engineering existed

namely military and civil engineering

• Military engineering concerned with

construction of forts, barracks, cannons,

catapults, etc.

• Civil engineering devoted to building

infrastucture for civilian such as roads, bridges,

buildings, drainage and water supply system15

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(CONT.)

• In Britain, “civil” engineers in 1818 banded

together to form the world first professional

body called the Institution of Civil Engineers

(ICE)

• When more machineries invented,

“mechanical” engineers form their own the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1847

• Since then, other engineering branches form

their respective engineering organization16

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(CONT.)

• In USA, similar trend evolved in formation of

professional body : The American Society of

Civil Engineers (1852), American Society of

Mechanical Engineers (1880), American

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers -

predecessor of IEEE (1884) and Institute of

Chemical Engineers (1908)

• In Malaysia, the Institution of Engineers

Malaysia (IEM) was formed in 1959 to

represent all engineering disciplines 17

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(CONT.)

• Today, there are 5 main branches of engineering

evolved from the original “civil” engineering

namely civil engineering, mechanical

engineering, electrical and electronic

engineering, chemical engineering and

environmental engineering

• Civil Engineering is concerned with the

planning, design, construction and maintenance

of public works such as buildings, roads,

highways, railways, ports, airports, etc. 18

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(CONT.)

• Mechanical Engineering deals with the design,

production/manufacture, operation and

maintenance of mechanical systems such as

engines and machines for transportation

refrigeration and air conditioning, turbines and

rockets, etc.

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering

encompass all aspects of designing, producing

and transmitting electricity, designing and

manufacturing electronic components, etc. 19

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(CONT.)

• Chemical Engineering related to the application

of chemistry to convert raw materials and

chemical into useful commercial and

pharmaceutical products

• Environmental Engineering is the art of

applying scientific and engineering principles to

preserve the environment (air, water and land)

and reduce pollution so that it fit human and

animal habitation. Multi-disciplinary field

encompassing civil, chemical and mechanical 20

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NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ROLE

OF ENGINEERS

• Engineers play a crucial role in country

development because they design and build the

infrastructure, facilities and equipment for the

public

• “Developed” nation is one that has transformed

its society into a highly productive and a high

income society.

• “Developing” nation is one that is still in

process of this transformation like Malaysia 21

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OF ENGINEERS (CONT.)

• Nation “development progress” is measured by

many indicator where the most important one is

the standard of living of the people

• This is assessed by economic and social factors

as gross domestic product (GDP - defined as the

value of goods and services produced by a

country divided by the average population per

year), purchasing power of its currency,

manufacturing productivity, employment rate,

literacy rate, life expectancy, etc. 22

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• Standard of living also indicates the country

“global competitiveness” that is the degree of

which a nation is able to produce goods and

services under international market conditions

while expanding or maintaining their standard

of living

• Hence, engineers directly or indirectly involved

in producing goods or provide services in

various sectors development play a crucial role

in achieving development requirement 23

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• A country should formulate policies, short- term

and long-term plans so that development can

progress efficiently and in control manner

• In Malaysia, development program has been

formulated and documented since 1996 with 3

major national development policies to steer

and guide its development

• The first was New Economic Policy (NEP)

implemented in 1971 aimed at eradicating

poverty and restructuring the society 24

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• The second policy was New Development

Policy (NDP) launched in 1991 basically an

extension and enhancement to NEP to correct

social and economic imbalances

• The third is the present National Vision Policy

(NVP) set forth in 2001 aim to establish a

united, progressive and prosperous “Bangsa

Malaysia” where it spells out the detail

strategies for executing “Vision 2020” plan to

transform Malaysia into developed nation 25

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• The thrusts of the policy are building a resilient

nation, sustaining a high economic growth,

enhancing competitiveness, developing a

knowledge-based economy and creating an

environmentally sustainable future

• Vision 2020 policy also upheld and pursue by

“1 Malaysia” policy launched in 2009 aimed at

building one united Malaysian nation, with

emphasis on equal rights and opportunities for

all citizens regardless of race and religion 26

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• National development policies are

operationalized through a number of long-term

“Outline Perspective Plans” lasting for 10 to 20

years

• The First Outline Perspective Plan (1971-1990)

was formulated based on NEP, the Second

Outline Perspective Plan (1991-2000) operated

the NDP and the Third Outline Perspective Plan

(2001-2020) addresses the objectives of NVP

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• Within each perspective plan, there are five-

year plans called Malaysia Plan specifically

designed to achieve the objectives of each

perspective plan

• Development require more engineers and

according to IEM in 2009 there are just over

15,000 engineers registered with them

• Statistics by BEM showed that the total number

of engineers was 58,127 in 200928

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• According to Third Outline Perspective Plan,

the country will need about 201,615 engineers

to implement the various development program

by the year 2010

• For R&D, the target is 50 research engineers

and scientists per 10,000 work force or 60,000

by the year 2010

• By 2020, the country need about 500,000

population of engineers and scientists29

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FACILITATING THE MODERN WAY OF

LIVING

• Civil and structural engineers contribute to our

modern way of living by planning, designing,

constructing and maintaining public

infrastructure works of all kinds – buildings,

roads, highways, railways, sewerage system, etc

• Mechanical engineers are responsible for

design, production, operation and maintenance

of mechanical system – engines and machines

for transportation, refrigeration and air

conditioning, etc 30

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LIVING (CONT.)

• Electrical and electronic engineers contribute to

all aspects of designing, producing and

transmitting electricity, designing and

manufacturing electronic components,

equipment – electricity supply, computers, etc

• Chemical engineers design, operate and

maintain chemical plants to convert raw

materials into useful products making sure the

processes are safely operated, sustainability and

economically – oil & gas product, etc. 31

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LIVING (CONT.)

• Environmental engineers design treatment

process to ensure that the environment we live

in (air, water and land) is fit human and animal

habitation. They also ensure all development

projects are constructed and operated in a

sustainable manner without destroying the

natural environment – sewerage plant, toxic

waste plant, etc.

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