Research Training for the Engineer

Industrial and government laboratories require much engineering research for which Ph.D. level training in engineering is fully appropriate, but many engineers trained at that level do not want to do engineering. This mismatch between employee and employer is generated on campus. Following World War II, engineering curricula have been revised to provide heavy emphasis in science, for example, physics. Many physicists have been recruited to engineering faculties. The means to better engineering has been mistaken for the end goal with the result that students have been motivated toward physics. Since a clearer definition or objective for the doctoral engineer might reduce the problem, descriptions are given to distinguish the character of the work done by physicists and engineers trained at the doctoral level. The crucial difference is in motivation; the physicist wants to learn more, the engineer seeks a result. A plea is made to train and motivate engineering students toward engineering research.