For an Engineer, There’s 'Nothing Like the Thrill of Discovery'

 

A colleague recently sent me an image from a recruiting brochure from the late 80s. Yes, that’s me in the photo!

It made me think back about what it was like for me as an early-career engineer in the aerospace industry. I would have been with Boeing for about five years, and was working on algorithms for advanced navigation systems.

I was also in graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis, and starting a family.

One of the highlights during that period was the publication of my first technical paper in a peer-reviewed journal. But I was excited even more by seeing that algorithm, and others I devised, implemented in our products.

I was energized by knowing that the math was being put to work to control real systems. I felt that thrill of discovery that comes with solving a tough problem for the first time, and was invigorated to have it validated by peers.

It couldn’t get much better for an early-career engineer. Even today, more than 30 years later, I still remember that feeling of amazement and accomplishment.

I know you have your own similar stories of achievement and pride. I encourage you to share yours with future engineers – and to mentor and support these future innovators, throughout the year!

Dr. Greg Hyslop is chief engineer of Boeing, and senior vice president of Boeing's Engineering, Test & Technology division. Hyslop leads an engineering function of more than 56,000 engineers worldwide and oversees Boeing’s technology vision, strategy and investment.