From my iPhone notes app –
…
“Life Thoughts April 8th, 2022 – Midnight
Why did I leave engineering? How will I use my engineering degree in my future and my career? Was it all a waste of time and effort?
What even is an engineer? A person who designs and builds based on a perceived or observed needs in society and makes the concerted effort either directly or indirectly to implement those designs for the betterment of our humanity. Engineering in the technical sense and in a sense more commonly known is the implementation of a technical and physical solution to solve a problem. But why can’t I accept a simpler definition? An engineer being someone who designs and/or implements solutions to perceived or observed problems in society. I have the problem solving and critical thinking skills of a traditional engineer which can easily transfer to a broader scope of disciplines outside of mechanical engineering. My efforts at Cristo Rey Richmond, the developing of systems for example, can be examples of designing and implementing solutions to a problem. The potential of me teaching next year carries a similar parallel in that I am required to engineer lesson plans in a way that can be understood by students of varying understandings. I want to be an engineer that engineers beyond the computer or the traditional boundaries of what most understand as “real” engineering. I want to engineer systems to connect and love other people. I want to engineer communities that support and transform. Social engineering. Humanitarian engineering. Human relationship engineering.
I want to adopt this mindset going forward in my life. “Engineers” can apply to anyone who makes change happen in the world. So long as I strive to add value to the world by designing and building systems, products, relationships, I will be continue to be an engineer.”
Wow.
– 2024