Electrical Engineering is a field of engineering concerned with the design, maintenance and study of everything related to electricity, including electrical energy, systems and devices. This discipline comprises the different electrical phenomenon in all its application forms, as well as the problems derived from its use. Specifically, Electrical Engineering studies the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy, as well as its applications through analog and digital electronics, control and automation areas, instrumentation, communication systems, among others subfields.
Electrical Engineers have a wide field of work, as they are responsible for the development of new electrical equipment, solving electricity-related problems and perform tests in their specific subfields, which include, but are not limited to, radio and television signal transmission, telephone networks, computer systems and power systems.
The design challenge performed in class, in which students were required to create a small scale transmission line to connect a 9V battery to an LED light using office materials, relates to electrical engineering because, though at a much larger scale, the design of transmission and distribution lines is one of the main concerns in the field of power systems. The score of the design challenge was based on the ratio of the line length to its resistance and, in reality, a transmission line’s resistance plays a major role in its design, as its value is directly proportional to the power losses in the line. Electrical Engineers must ensure that, considering the length and resistance of a transmission line, the power losses do not reach levels high enough to significantly reduce the system’s efficiency.
Projects within this field of engineering can range from fairly simple to highly complex. An example of a simple electrical engineering project is the design of a house’s or building’s electrical wiring, which requires a projection of loads, an interior lighting study, the development of wiring diagrams, the balanced distribution of loads in the main power panel and the selection of an adequate distribution transformer. Conversely, examples of highly complex projects for an electrical engineer are the installation of large power generators, the design of electrical substations, the coordination of the electrical protections required for a large industrial plant, among others.
I find this field of engineering extremely interesting for several reasons. Firstly, every invention that has allowed for humanity to progress is in some way related to Electrical Engineering. The electricity used in every home, business or industry in the world for everyday tasks owes its existence to the development of complex power systems that generate energy through different methods, and transport it to its final consumer. Furthermore, inventions such as automobiles, planes, cellphones, televisions and anything that requires electricity to function are contained within the field of Electrical Engineering. Secondly, I marvel at the vastly different paths an Electrical Engineer can follow throughout his professional career; as previously mentioned, an engineer within this field can specialize in power systems, communications, electronics, and other branches of E.E.
Electrical Engineering is not my major, and I am not currently considering changing majors since I believe the career path I have chosen is the best fit for me, but were this judgment to change, I would definitely considering Electrical Engineering given the interest I already have for it, and the encouraging professional prospects graduates in this field have regarding job opportunities.
References
Electrical Engineering Class Presentation. University of Hartford, 2016.
What does and Electrical Engineer Do? Sokanu, n.d. Web. March 27 2016.
