Interview an Engineer!

Now it's your turn to meet an engineer (or team of engineers!) and to learn about the impact that they have had on society. If you know an engineer, this is a great chance for you to learn more about what they do. If you do not, some places to identify an engineer might include:

Your family and friends’ families
Local chapters of engineering associations
A local school's faculty
A local college or university

Don't worry if you don't know an engineer who lives close by. You can also conduct your interview over the phone. You might even do a "virtual interview" with one of your favorite engineers or group of engineers. It's up to you.

If you do a 'virtual interview' with an engineer who is no longer living, like Robert Noyce or Steve Jobs, answer the questions below as you believe they would answer them based on your research. For example, based on your research, how do you think Steve Jobs would answer the questions: What engineering projects have you worked on? And which was your favorite?

To be clear, we strongly prefer that you find a living engineer to interview. We recognize that this may be somewhat difficult for you, but we believe it is worth it. In struggle, there is learning.

Prepare for Interview

When approaching an engineer to inquire about the interview, use the guidelines below to direct your conversation.

A. Let the engineer know why you'd like to interview them.

Explain that you are exploring engineering as a possible career, and that the interview is an important tool in helping you learn about engineering.

Give the engineer an idea of the types of questions you’d like to ask. It is recommended that you don’t outline a long list of questions. You’ll want to leave flexibility to see where the conversation goes—you never know what you might learn.

B. Prepare your questions in advance.

Here are some questions you might ask in your interview. Add and alter this list to suit your own interests, and the interests of the person you are interviewing:

What engineering projects have you worked on? Which was your favorite?
How did you become interested in engineering?
What are your favorite aspects of engineering?
What jobs have you had in your career?
What was your degree program like?
What advice do you have for someone interested in engineering?

Draft Your Questions

Spend some time drafting the interview questions you will be asking during your Engineer Interview. Think of questions you might want to include in addition to the suggestions presented to you.

Write the questions you will ask for your record and leave space for additional questions that may come up, as well as space for you to record the answers you get during your interview!

Submission

You will submit a 2-3 page report that will include:

1. Questions and Answers to the interview.

2. A short essay on what you found to be the most interesting/insightful parts of the interview.

Due date: Oct 30th. You have 5 weeks to works on this project, so start early!

Please submit the report here: Interview Project Submission