What's the state of the engineering job market today? Let me put it this way: There isn't a whole lot of good news, as reported in our lead news story in this issue (pg 31). With uncertainty over outsourcing's impact on the design engineering community, the H1-B Visa Program, and the stagnant high-tech job market (i.e., jobless recovery), every engineer who cares about the future of this profession should be concerned about where the presidential candidates stand on technology issues and, in particular, R&D spending. Why? For starters, the federal R&D budget drives our country's ability to innovate and compete in a world economy that is becoming increasingly sophisticated, creates jobs for tech workers, and provides funding for high-tech business startups. Research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has led to the development of Doppler weather radar, Internet browser technology, nanoscale materials, and scores of other new and innovative technologies. The NSF also finances K-12 education programs that help children develop the math and science skills they will need to succeed in an engineering degree program, go on to become the innovators of the future, and help to educate the rest of the population about technology issues. Too bad legislation in 2002 to double the NSF's budget to $7.3B by FY 2005 didn't pan out. The proposed NSF budget for FY 2005 calls for $5.7B, a 3 percent increase over 2004. A sizable R&D budget is also critical because, unlike some other countries, we don't have a technology policy. I guess because we think our government can't pick winners, we leave technology policy-making to the markets. And we know from experience how well that works! Just think about how much further along we would be with a technology like alternative fuel vehicles, were we not allowing policy to be dictated by what happens on the show room floor. The good news is that both presidential candidates claim to be strong proponents of technology. They believe it's crucial to our future competitiveness and quality of life. So let's hope they put their money where their mouths are. It's time that we elect a President who is prepared to show some guts when it comes to technology policy, and he can start by reaching—deeply—into his pockets.
We looked at a number of sources to determine this year's greenest cars, from KBB to automotive trade magazines to environmental organizations. These 14 cars emerged as being great at either stretching fuel or reducing carbon footprint.
Researchers at MIT and Sandia National Labs have observed a reaction in lithium-air batteries that could help improve the design of these cells for electric vehicles and other applications.
Healthcare might seem to be an unlikely target application for the Internet of Things technology, but recent developments show small ways that big-data is going to make an impact on patient care moving into the future.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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