How does engineering relate to physics

The situation is further complicated by the fact that fewer hours is given to the practical training, and direct teaching of physics begins with the first day of the 1st semester, when students have not mastered yet the necessary mathematical apparatus. Lack of hours leads to another phenomenon that can not be overcome only by the head of the physics department - the so-called "profiling" physics course, and reading its individual sections by graduating departments.

For example: electricians — mainly study electricity, acoustics - Mechanics, Energy - Thermodynamics and the like. Moreover, physics, figuratively speaking, as a discipline for future engineers ends in many departments of our native educational institution in the I-II courses, and most of the Masters do not learn anything new about truly physical objects. A physics and mathematics training is not carried out through all the studying at the engineering departments, although the university administration pays great attention to this issue, which should bring their own positive results.

However, I know that in the advanced Western universities Masters of Engineering Physics again begin to listen the course of physics. In particular, at the University of Toronto Canada , where I worked, the future electrical engineers are exploring even quantum electrodynamics, which is mandatory not optional Master Course. As they say, no comment. So, I think, at least the teaching of some chapters of modern physics Master of Engineering faculties by specialists-physicists should be not only desirable individual cases, but more widely used method of training.

Perhaps even more than it is to deal with post-graduate students in the most renowned universities tend to listen to lectures on physics and not only , but a high level. Unfortunately, the situation in our case is very serious. That is directly connected with a reduction in the level of students, and with long-term cancellation in my opinion, erroneous KPI entrance exam in physics, which gradually and with difficulty restored, and with the abolition in most departments semester exams that previously contributed to the necessary improvement in the minds of students the training material.

Return to previous levels is going, although very, very slowly, because the real fundamental component of engineering education is largely ignored, and the emphasis is made on preparing profile specialists. In the context of our dynamic life, they often spend too much time on training that could happen much more quickly and efficiently if their education was more profound. Let me focus on another, no less important, aspect of the problem.

In the scientific potential of the country's universities in general still do not take the necessary place. Thanks to them our institution received the status of the country's first research university. It has many different departments, where many inventions, advanced technologies, new designs appeared. But the applied science is unable to develop, if not fed by the successes of the basic sciences.

However, a state of basic and, above all, general physics departments KPI is low. The laboratory equipment is out of date. The new information teaching methods practically are not implemented. The scientific work is slowed down by high teaching load of teachers. All this lead to the difficulties in teaching, as well as affects the overall progress of science in the KPI. Heavy teaching load, on the other hand, prevents a broad involvement the leading scientists of the NAS of Ukraine to work with our students.

With regard to load of full-time teachers, the requirements for them to intensive research work, which under the new rules must be considered in their re-election for the vacant positions and in the calculation of the individual rankings, in my opinion, are overstated.

Even if there is a wish to deal with current scientific developments, associate professor or professor in general subjects do not have time and sometimes forces to focus on experimental, as well as theoretical physics.

At the same time it it highly desirable that these teachers also took part in the scientific process. In my opinion, those who are planning norms hours, do not take into account that the time to exit from the emotional stress is much more than from a physical one, and a teacher who stands in front of the students in the audience at the board, is under the influence of both components. I believe that the gradual reduction of the load for teachers, the introduction of a system for graduate elective courses, inviting well-known experts from the NAS for reading courses and active contact with the students - that's the way that can really make a difference.

This thesis as I hope is especially important to express today, in the days of the th anniversary of the KPI and on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, in which, among other things, the role of the KPI can not be overemphasized.

The purpose of higher education - get the general scientific understanding of nature and the world around us. Understanding of modern physical picture of the universe in the broadest sense is the basis of the scientific worldview. The classics of science have always emphasized the primacy of the fundamental knowledge. This is actually forgotten the role of physics starts to be neglected, as well as, of course, high school math. Certainly the physics teaching both in direction and in the methodological level needs improvement.

Last primarily relates to the use of new "e-learning" resources, or information technology of the new generation, where our KPI is the most prepared among other educational institutions of Ukraine. On the other hand, no one also does not relieve such departments as ours, from the responsibility for the situation that has developed with the physics.

We were in the minority in the formation of educational programs in physics for majority of special departments, who got the right to make educational plans, and the Ministry of Education and Science does not oppose such practices, ignoring its own scientific methodological guidance and development.

The question arises: "Is it possible to do without losing the necessary level of training? Of course, most of the shortcomings, which were discussed, originate in the high school, where the quality of a textbook declined. These textbooks are far from modern standards.

In the face of declining prestige of any scientific activity, high-level professionals do not want to spend time and effort to prepare textbooks. Today, physics has developed into one of the most complex and mystifying disciplines. It is being used to probe questions regarding the origin of the universe, the fundamental building blocks of existence, the behavior of celestial bodies, and the existence of other dimensions.

Engineering is the application of the insights from physics and other disciplines to solve real-world conundrums. It is where the rubber of science meets the road of problem-solving. Engineering can best be thought of as a discipline, a pattern of behavior, rather than a distinct scientific field in its own right. There are many specializations within the broader field of engineering — chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical to name a few.

Many scientists who are employed in private industry are acting as engineers who are trying to improve products and processes. But to the extent that they use scientific principles to solve problems, it could be said that all scientists are engineers. Some branches rely entirely on models, like theoretical physics, while some areas are highly reliant on experimental results, such as biophysics. It can safely be said that when these experiments are carried out on the nanoscale they are among the most sensitive applications in the world.

For example, particle accelerators are used to probe the behavior of elementary particles and require a high degree of stability between their component parts. Ignoring vibration control in the assembly of these devices will lead to failure in the experiments. The same can be said for engineering: some branches, like civil engineering, rely on models and calculations while other branches, like materials engineering, rely heavily on precision experimentation.