February 17, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON IN IL
Hi, Hester,

When I first began reading your email, I thought of biology! My sister was a
biology major and she built models of DNA and models of different kinds of
matter. There are lots of areas that you can put your "expertise" with legos to
use!

An architect designs buildings or land structures (you can even architect golf
courses!). You have to have knowledge of physics and materials. You might have
to take into account weather situations when designing a building. For example,
in CA you would have to be aware and design buildings to withstand earthquakes.
On the East coast of Florida, you would have to be aware of Hurricanes. You
also would probably want to have a good sense of aesthetics or appreciation for
beauty. Also, architects have to take into account the surroundings (Look up
Frank Lloyd Wright) and/or what the building will be used for. For example, if
the building will be a museum of modern art, you might want to consider more
modern designs and open and airy interiors condusive to displaying art. I found
a really great website about being an architect. I think it's designed for
kids. You can even create your own design! Here it is:
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/arch2/#

A Civil Engineer, on the other hand, designs and is involved with construction
of public works, like roads, harbors, locks and dams. You would have to take into
account ecology and the affects that you might have on the land and animals,
soil, and maybe even the flow of a river and the sediment in the river. Here is
a more succinct description that I found on a website:

"Civil engineering is the oldest branch of engineering. The Roman aqueducts and
the pyramids of Egypt are early examples of civil engineering works. Originally,
the name "civil" was used to distinguish this type of "civilian" project from
those done for the military.

Today, civil engineering encompasses a wide range of projects and activities for
the welfare and safety of the general public. Civil engineers are responsible
for the planning, design, and construction of such projects as bridges,
buildings, highways, traffic control systems, and facilities for the treatment
of water supplies and waste water. Civil engineers are also involved in solving
the problems of hazardous waste and air pollution.

Specialized areas within the discipline of civil engineering include structural
engineering, construction engineering, transportation engineering, environmental
engineering, water resources engineering, and foundation engineering. Civil
engineers are also active in such diverse fields as urban planning and aerospace
engineering. "

Check out the website:
http://www.ce.memphis.edu/1101/interesting_stuff/facultyvisit.html

If you find that you are indeed interested in engineering buildings or
structures but just can't decide which career for sure, well, they require alot
of the same courses. So, start taking those courses and dabble in a bit of each
major. This will help you decide what you are interested in. It sounds like
you have an exciting future ahead of you! Let us know what your plans and
thoughts are as they evolve!
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A: FROM MENTOR CHARLENE CASSIDY IN SC
A. Generally speaking, I think Architecture involves aesthetic design, space planning and functional design (how the structure will fit into its environment and the best use of space for the structure's use).

Structural engineering ( a specialty in civil engineering) is basically analyzing how a building will withstand forces applied to it, such as snow loads, wind loads, weight of people and equipment inside the building, and designing it in the most economical way (in many cases without regard to aesthetics).

Often times architects and structural engineers will work together to design an aesthetically pleasing building that is structurally sound (all buildings must be structurally sound, but as you alluded to in your email, not all are necessarily aesthetically pleasing!).

Some universities offer a program called Architectural Engineering -- which is a combination of both and a little more. I have a colleague who is a architectural engineer and he offered this description : An Architectural Engineering curriculum involves exposure to some theory and practical design issues in Architecture while also providing introductory coursework for the engineering disciplines usually involved in building design including electrical systems, HVAC Systems, and structural design (all after or concurrent with the general college of engineering entry level courses in structural static analysis, dynamics, etc). Students are then given the opportunity to choose which of the engineering disciplines that they will emphasize during the final 2 years. 20 to 25 years ago involved a good amount of technical drawing (by hand). Today, I am sure the emphasis of the graphic presentation work is more on computer drafting applications.