Introduction

Transmitting data on micro-chips using light pulses…
Building "scaffolds" at the cellular level to enable tissue growth…
Developing new materials, one atom at a time…

Science and art, mathematics and creativity, models and approximations. Engineering encompasses all of these. The field of engineering has grown so much in recent years that a definition is not easy to come by. Engineers do build bridges and skyscrapers, design machinery, and oversee public works. But that's only the beginning.

Tasked with solving real-world problems, engineers integrate their knowledge of the physical sciences with more abstract realms to take us beyond the boundaries of current technology--in all areas of life. Chemical and bioengineers are working on drug delivery systems that work inside cells at the molecular level. On the other end of the spectrum materials scientists are developing data storage techniques using the spin of electrons in atoms. And environmental engineers are quantifying the particle flow of pollutants through soil to better understand how to clean up abandoned industrial sites, oil spills, and other biohazards.

This website offers an introduction to basic engineering concepts, allows you to conduct experiments in a virtual laboratory, and describes hands-on projects…helping you to discover just what engineering is all about.