I completely agree with the parent. I've been enjoying a 6 figure income since age 27 as a chemical engineer, but that's probably going to max out (totally random guess here) in the 130-150(if I'm lucky). In the movie "Rendition", the engineer's salary was $200k. I don't know *any* engineer (not a manager) making that kind of income. For that kind of figure, there is likely little correlation between education and income. I remember reading once that most millionaires haven't even finished college.
As for what it's like to be a *student*.... you get to take classes. To be able to have a time in your life set aside *solely* for you to learn is an incredible privilege: do yourself a favor and make the most out of it. Here's a warning: if you just get a diploma, that's one thing. If you are good enough to get an education, that's entirely different and the choice is up to you. I suspect I was more of the former than the later. I enjoyed my classes, but I partied a lot, too. Let's just say I don't sit back and say, "Boy - I wish I partied more."
As for what it's like to be an engineer - I love it. Moreover, I'm a chemical engineer. One of the fun things about being a chemical engineer is looking at the faces of people when you tell them you are a chemical engineer. More often than not - they sort of grimace as if to say "Yikes - are you sick or something?
I was talking to an ophthalmologist friend of mine who will be making triple my salary. But when I was telling him what I get to do and the toys I get to play with (Scanning electron microsocpes, x-ray dispersive spectrocope, crystalline semiconductors, database hacking, instrument automation/programming, list goes on and on), he was drooling.
Most importantly: Engineering can be a very rewarding career to those who enjoy this kind of stuff. Stick with it, and it will be worth it!
I'm currently at the SPIE advanced litography conference. For those unaware, photolithography is the most costly, critical manufacturing step in all of semiconductor chip production. It is where the 45nm pattern is generated and transfered to the wafer. I've seen dozens of presentations scheduled from Intel and hardly any from AMD. The cost of R&D in this business is *brutal* and it is the lifeblood for progress. If AMD is going to become competitive again - it's definitely not because of any technological/manufacturing advantage.
a brief explanation of what this is all about: Intel and AMD spends billions of dollars to print 'tiny' lines. It's actually the *most* expensive and difficult part of the manufacturing process. Scientists now are trying to exploit the tiniest, most precise printing process that nature does routinely. By 'piggy backing' on DNA molecules, scientists/engineers can put materials where they want. Gold is not too interesting since it's just a conductor. But it's a start.
Moreover, with the advances in organic semiconductors, the opportunities seem even more interesting.
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I completely agree with the parent. I've been enjoying a 6 figure income since age 27 as a chemical engineer, but that's probably going to max out (totally random guess here) in the 130-150(if I'm lucky). In the movie "Rendition", the engineer's salary was $200k. I don't know *any* engineer (not a manager) making that kind of income. For that kind of figure, there is likely little correlation between education and income. I remember reading once that most millionaires haven't even finished college.
As for what it's like to be a *student*.... you get to take classes. To be able to have a time in your life set aside *solely* for you to learn is an incredible privilege: do yourself a favor and make the most out of it. Here's a warning: if you just get a diploma, that's one thing. If you are good enough to get an education, that's entirely different and the choice is up to you. I suspect I was more of the former than the later. I enjoyed my classes, but I partied a lot, too. Let's just say I don't sit back and say, "Boy - I wish I partied more."
As for what it's like to be an engineer - I love it. Moreover, I'm a chemical engineer. One of the fun things about being a chemical engineer is looking at the faces of people when you tell them you are a chemical engineer. More often than not - they sort of grimace as if to say "Yikes - are you sick or something?
I was talking to an ophthalmologist friend of mine who will be making triple my salary. But when I was telling him what I get to do and the toys I get to play with (Scanning electron microsocpes, x-ray dispersive spectrocope, crystalline semiconductors, database hacking, instrument automation/programming, list goes on and on), he was drooling.
Most importantly: Engineering can be a very rewarding career to those who enjoy this kind of stuff. Stick with it, and it will be worth it!
I'm currently at the SPIE advanced litography conference. For those unaware, photolithography is the most costly, critical manufacturing step in all of semiconductor chip production. It is where the 45nm pattern is generated and transfered to the wafer. I've seen dozens of presentations scheduled from Intel and hardly any from AMD. The cost of R&D in this business is *brutal* and it is the lifeblood for progress. If AMD is going to become competitive again - it's definitely not because of any technological/manufacturing advantage.
not sure why that got modded funny. I was completely serious!
a brief explanation of what this is all about:
Intel and AMD spends billions of dollars to print 'tiny' lines. It's actually the *most* expensive and difficult part of the manufacturing process. Scientists now are trying to exploit the tiniest, most precise printing process that nature does routinely. By 'piggy backing' on DNA molecules, scientists/engineers can put materials where they want. Gold is not too interesting since it's just a conductor. But it's a start.
Moreover, with the advances in organic semiconductors, the opportunities seem even more interesting.