In this era where information can be gathered from anywhere around the world, there are some times where people get the wrong ideas. One of the most common misconceptions that roam the internet is that Scientists are the same as Engineers. Now we get where you’re getting the idea. Scientists and Engineers are both workers in the field of science. They both lead to the development of our civilization as they have to work hand-in-hand for us to prosper. But saying that they’re the same just because they work in the same field is just wrong.
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Following this thought trail, it’s like saying that the police and legislators are the same since they both help uphold the law. That said, they’re also good examples of how we can explain this better. Scientists are the people who gain knowledge for the sake of science. Engineers, on the other hand, help in using that knowledge to create real-life applications. But that’s just the basic explanation.
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In-depth, a Scientist is a person whose aim is to uncover knowledge that isn’t already available to us. Scientists that specialize in chemicals, for example, try to combine already known chemicals into others to learn about their reactions. Anything that creates new information is what scientists explore. But don’t be fooled, they don’t all work inside a lab. There are applied scientists that work out on the field. Their goal is to find information that can be used for practical reasons.
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An Engineer is a person that uses scientific knowledge, along with mathematics to create solutions for technical applications. They “imagine” and design equipment and models that often times reduce costs. Nowadays, people think that engineers are only responsible for creating our electronic devices. That’s a very wrong line of thinking. There are multiple fields of engineering, the four major branches being Chemical, Electrical, Civil, and Mechanical. And under those fields are more specialized studies which include Industrial, Electronics, Mechatronics, Geodetic, and more. So it’s wrong to think that engineers only handle electronic devices, they create more than you think.
To summarize, Scientists and Engineers are VERY different people. Knowing they’re not the same is one thing, but knowing their differences is another.
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