[sdiy] Who Needs a Degree?

[David Ingebretsen]

Good Story David.

My son is a physics major, but his friend is a EE major. They are making him
do all sorts of hands on design, breadboarding, etc. Whenever he comes over,
he always give me a rundown on his latest project. They have to design from
scratch and breadboard it all and prove it works. When it doesn't, they have
to trouble shoot is. For a kid who had no idea about electronics when he
started, I am very impressed with how much he has learned and the practical
experience they are give in him. No "kits" for these guys.

I have always been very impressed with the University of Utah's engineering
department, gut then I am a bit biased as I have all my degrees from the U
of Utah, 2 from the engineering department.

David


~~ -----Original Message-----
~~ From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl [mailto:synth-diy-
~~ bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of David G. Dixon
~~ Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 3:10 PM
~~ To: 'Tim Ressel'; synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
~~ Subject: Re: [sdiy] Who Needs a Degree?
~~ 
~~ > If I were king, every EE student would spend a year as a technician.
~~ > <snip>
~~ 
~~ Although I'm a prof in a materials engineering department focusing on
~~ chemical metallurgy, I have had many occasions over the last year to lurk
~~ in
~~ the electrical engineering department's storeroom.  One time whilst there
~~ to
~~ pick out some resistors, an EE student came in to pick up a "kit" for a
~~ project they all had to make, which included a PC board and a baggie of
~~ assorted ICs and other goodies.  I asked him what he was going to make...
~~ 
~~ Me: "Hey, that looks pretty cool.  What is it?"
~~ 
~~ UG: "I dunno.  Just some stupid thing we have to build."
~~ 
~~ Me: "Oh.  What's it do."
~~ 
~~ UG: "I'm not really sure."
~~ 
~~ Me: "Hmm.  Well, do you have to design it."
~~ 
~~ UG: "No.  It's just like a recipe, we just put it together."
~~ 
~~ Me: "So you have to solder the parts on to the board...?"
~~ 
~~ UG: "Yeah, I guess so.  I'm not really sure..."
~~ 
~~ Me: "Ah.  Well, have fun with that."
~~ 
~~ UG: "(grumble)"
~~ 
~~ Feel free to draw your own conclusions about university education in
2010.
~~ 
~~ _______________________________________________
~~ Synth-diy mailing list
~~ Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
~~ http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy