What is STEM?
An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. See below for a more detailed description of each discipline.
● A body of knowledge
● Seeks to describe and understand the natural world and its physical properties
● Scientific knowledge can be used to make predictions
● Science uses a process--the scientific method--to generate knowledge
● The body of knowledge, processes, and artifacts that result from engineering
● Almost everything made by humans to solve a need is a technology
● Examples of technology include:
✔ Pencils
✔ Shoes
✔ Cell phones
✔ Processes to treat water
● Design under constraint
● Seeks solutions for societal problems and needs
● Aims to produce the best solution given resources and constraints
● Engineering uses a process--the engineering design process--to produce solutions and technologies
The study of:
● Quantity - e.g. numbers and arithmetic
● Space - e.g. sets
● Structure - e.g. geometry
● Change - e.g. calculus
Engineering Disciplines
Aerospace Engineering
Covers the study, design, construction, and operation of craft that fly inside (aeronautical) and outside (astronautical) the atmosphere.
Civil Engineering
Deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of physical structures such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings.
Electrical Engineering
Deals with the study and use of electricity and electronics including many sub disciplines such as power, controls, telecommunications, and robotics.
Energy Engineering
Deals with the production and use of energy. It is usually associated with alternative energy sources such as wind and solar.
Mechnical Engineering
Studies physics and materials to design, construct, and maintain mechanical systems.
Vehicle Engineering
Designs and constructs devices to transport people or cargo and includes such things as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft.
Favorite Links
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