By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

What is Software Engineering?

Did you know that software engineering is a branch of computer science?

All technology fields are built on the principles of computer science, which encompasses a wide variety of subfields, including artificial intelligence (AI), neural networks, technology for computing, and operating system development. As technology advances, we use computers in nearly all things we do. However, computing fosters creativity in all branches of the engineering field and offers solutions to a wide range of complex challenges that come with some projects’ scope of work.

Software engineering includes designing, improving, implementing, creating, testing, and maintaining complex computer programs. To create software solutions for end users, software engineers combine their expertise of programming languages with engineering principles. Some of the fundamental duties of a software engineer, also known as a software developer, include, but are not limited to, building and maintaining software systems, testing and assessing new software applications, and optimizing software. A software engineer must like problem-solving and possess good analytical abilities; as software engineering requires both strong communication skills and technical expertise, skill development is necessary.

All projects in civil engineering are completed using software. Therefore, every stage of a project, including drafting, recordkeeping, design, visualization, and assessment phases, involves the usage of software by engineers. Some of the top software used in civil engineering are:

  • AutoCAD Civil 3D: A civil engineering drafting software with a wide range of design, analysis, and simulation features, Civil 3D is unquestionably the most popular application in the sector.
  • MicroStation: A computer-aided design (CAD) software platform for two- and three-dimensional design and drafting. Architects, engineers, and construction professionals can use this software to make their vision a reality.
  • Microsoft Project: This is Microsoft’s project management tool, and it is intended to help a project manager create timetables, allocate personnel to assignments, monitor progress, control costs, and assess workloads.
  • Bluebeam: A multi-tool PDF editor called Bluebeam's Revu, or just Bluebeam, enables us to easily generate, change, and annotate PDF files.

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

How to Use Your Engineering Skills on Halloween?

Engineering skills can be very convenient for holidays like Halloween, as engineers are gifted with the quality and/or skills to design and build. Creating Halloween-themed engineering projects and/or costumes are great ways to showcase engineers’ creative side and engage in fun activities with their family and friends. So, if you are looking for some engineering-related fun Halloween activities and/or want to create your own costumes for this year’s holiday, read on!

Engineers can easily create homemade Halloween decorations and costumes that will make their homes and themselves spooky, but aesthetic. As Halloween approaches, here are some fun decoration and costume ideas that would be a great fit for engineers:

  •  A pumpkin elevator can be made with pumpkins and a variety of recyclable materials;
  •  Germinating pumpkins can be made with pumpkins, seeds, and soil;
  •  Floating ghosts can be made of plastic pipettes;
  •   Spider webs can be made from yarn; and
  •   Paper bats can be made from paper.

Now, if you want a bit of a challenge, then a costume suggestion that would be ideal for engineers to create is Edward Scissorhands. This costume can be made from lots of belts, preferably black with studs and big metal buckles; cheap black pleather that can be bought at any fabric store and sewn to a simple shirt and pants; butterknife hands made with well-fitted black knit winter gloves, in addition to toilet paper rolls, spray paint, a glue gun, and gray or silver plastic knives to design more accurate butterknife hands; and a wig and make-up to finalize the look.

Happy Halloween!

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

National STEM Day

This Monday, November 8, is National STEM Day. The term STEM is a catch-all acronym for the following academic disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This holiday was created by a toy company named MGA Entertainment in 2015 to allow children to engage in these academic disciplines in fun and entertaining ways. This allows children to explore their interest in these academic disciplines and at the same time allows them to find their career passion at an early age.

In celebration of National STEM Day, here are some activities you can do with your children to help them develop and/or advance their STEM skills:

There are hundreds of other activities your children can do to stimulate their STEM skills. Even if they choose a career path outside of STEM, these activities can be useful in their everyday lives. For more information about STEM, go to: https://www.ed.gov/stem

 

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Engineering Solutions to Any Problem

Engineers have been solving problems for centuries; their creativity and problem-solving skills have paved the way to solutions that make our everyday lives better. Over time, engineers have stayed up-to-date with rapidly changing technology, allowing them to continue being innovators and find solutions to the daily problems we face in today’s society.

In the engineering world, engineers must stay ahead of the game in order to engineer themselves out of any challenges society might face, including:

  • Controlling the climate crisis to avoid potential catastrophe. Engineers are contributing to solving the climate crisis by developing new technologies to reduce the environmental issues created by humanity. For example, solar panels generate clean and pure energy from the sun and are one of the many technologies created by engineers.
  • Making water clean and accessible to prevent disease and death. Water is fundamental for our wellbeing and engineers are improving access to safe drinking water. Desalination and wastewater treatment are two of many technologies created by engineers to provide sustained sources of clean water.
  • Having a balanced food supply to keep up with the growing world population. The lack of food production risks can completely disappear with technologies created by engineers, including 3D food printing, vertical farming, and the Average Quantity System (AQS).

At KC, some ways our staff stay ahead of the game are by continuing their education, being active in their professional networks, and studying new concepts in their downtime. We all know that education doesn’t end after earning a degree; like every other career, engineers must stay up-to-date with the latest innovations in their industry.