-----Original Message----- From: xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org [mailto:xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org] On Behalf Of Jason Krantz Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 3:23 PM To: ANSYS User Discussion List Subject: Re: [Xansys] [OT] Why there are so few New Grads who wanttodoSimulation
-----Original Message----- From: xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org [mailto:xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org] On Behalf Of chuck ritter Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 2:23 PM To: ANSYS User Discussion List Subject: Re: [Xansys] [OT] Why there are so few New Grads who want todoSimulation
In response to Kyle Stoker's observation that there is little or no emphasis on simulation in undergrad coursework. I say, good on your professors. If you can figure out the GUI of one of them damnable cellphones, then you can figure out the GUI for ANSYS or one of its competitors. What emphasis there is should be case studies on how to avoid screwing up engineering calculations with computers and software. Maybe David Stapp can expand his course into a short monograph?
In reponse to Jason Krantz, its nothing new that engineers see the degree as a stepping stone to higher pay/higher prestige jobs. I can remember a prof expressing his dismay that many of his best students were being sucked up by Wall Street to become quantitative analysts - this was before the 1986 stock market meltdown. The more things change,.....
Chuck Ritter JAR Associates ritter_at_jar.com 401-294-4589 fax 401-294-3826
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jason Krantz" To: "ANSYS User Discussion List" Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 7:57 PM Subject: Re: [Xansys] [OT] Why there are so few New Grads who want to doSimulation
> For what it's worth, here's my (US-centric) take on the subject: > > I got my master's degree in 2005, so I'm semi-fresh-out-of-school. > When I was a student, FEA was broached for the first time at the 400 > level (mixed seniors and grad students), so only a small number of > students were exposed to FEA, and only late in their undergrad > careers. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I can confirm that > the vast majority of undergrads were entirely unaware of the existence
> of the finite element method and FEA software. > > When I spoke to some of those undergrads, I was horrified to learn > that many of them saw an engineering degree as a stepping stone to > either an MBA or a law degree (for those who wanted to be patent attorneys). > Sadly, I think that engineering students who have no particular > interest in engineering are quite common. > - - - > Cheers, > > Jason > > > P.S. Unsolicited opinions: Undergrad engineering degrees are > effectively five-year degrees, even if that's not the party line. I > think that students and corporations would be better served if this > were formally acknowledged--say, five years of coursework plus 6-12 > months of co-op time equals an M.S. in engineering (some schools > already do this). I'd even like to see a new kind of four-year > undergrad degree: a B.S. in something like "engineering studies." This
> would be roughly analagous to a pre-med major. This would allow the > business-and-law-school population to learn what they need to while > creating more "pure" engineering classes for those interested in the > subject itself. But that's entirely off-topic. > > > ----------------------------------- > Jason Krantz > Senior Mechanical Engineer > Mechanical Simulation > Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies jason.krantz_at_padtinc.com > 480-813-4884 x145 > > -----Original Message----- > From: xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org [mailto:xansys-bounces_at_xansys.org] On > Behalf Of Kyle Stoker > Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 2:25 PM > To: ANSYS User Discussion List > Subject: Re: [Xansys] [OT] Why there are so few New Grads who want to > do Simulation > > All, > > It seems as though it would be appropriate for someone who is entering
> into the workforce in a year (hopefully) to weigh in on this issue. I
> am somewhat new to the simulation aspect of engineering, as my > master???s research has focused primarily on simulating gear wear > using a numerical analysis. Up until that point I had little to no > experience in this field. I???ve enjoyed reading the xansys postings > because they serve as a reality check on the work that I am doing. > > In response to Eric???s post, he is completely correct. There was > little to no emphasis on simulation during my undergraduate coursework. > Throughout my undergraduate career I had a variety of different > professors with different approaches to their teaching methods. Some > were plug and chug while others stressed the necessity of > understanding the physics behind the problem???a necessary skill for ANSYS users. > These teachers obviously had the greatest impact on my understanding > when it came to my graduate research. > > In my opinion, I???m not sure if the lack of engineering graduates who
> want to perform simulations stems from the attraction or glory of > being an engineer. I think that if the industry needs more engineers > capable of performing competent simulation, this should be more of a > focus during the 5 years spent as an undergrad. Of course, this is > only my narrow observation from what I have experienced, and may not be typical. > > Overall, we need as many engineers as we can possibly have. I would > encourage my kids to do so! > > Kyle Stoker > University of Florida > Masters candidate > Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization Group > > > > > On Thu Apr 17 19:12:12 EDT 2008, eric.miller_at_cox.net wrote: > >> >> Dear all, >> Well, things seem to be stable, but there has not been enough traffic
>> to really work things out. >> Discussing couples and beam elements doesn't seem to have an effect, >> so I thought I'd through something out there to get a good discussion
>> going. We can all agree to beat this horse to death until tommorow >> evening. >> KEEP THINGS PROFESIONAL AND NO ATTACKS. Don't make me feel quilty for
>> bringing this up. >> Many of our customers are complainging that they can not find enough >> quality new graduates who want to focus on simulation for their >> career, especially at the graduat level and especially when you >> require US Citizens. >> Questions to the group: >> 1: Do you see the same thing in your industry/country? >> 2: If so, why do you think? >> My oppinion for the US: (warning: old man "not like it used to be" >> rant comming) There just is not the attraction or glory of being an >> engineer. >> After WWII it was a way for anyone who was smart to move up the >> economic structure. Now, smart students don't want to become >> engineers, they want to go into finance and/or business. >> Or maybe I'm generalizing. >> Eric >> >> =-------------- >> Eric Miller - PADT, Inc. >> ^-------------------------------------------------------- >> | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | >> | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | >> | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | >> ^-------------------------------------------------------- >> >> > > > > -- > Kyle Stoker > > ^-------------------------------------------------------- > | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | > | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | > | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | > ^-------------------------------------------------------- > ^-------------------------------------------------------- > | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | > | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | > | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | > ^-------------------------------------------------------- >
^-------------------------------------------------------- | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | ^-------------------------------------------------------- ^-------------------------------------------------------- | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | ^-------------------------------------------------------- ^-------------------------------------------------------- | XANSYS - www.xansys.org | | The Discussion List for users of ANSYS, Inc. Software | | Hosted by PADT - www.padtinc.com | ^--------------------------------------------------------