<p>I don't really know that much about research and design, but I figure it fits what I want to do as a career. I consider myself mostly a creative, inventor sort of person-I come up with ideas. I want a job where I can brainstorm and create.
Am I right in thinking Research and design would allow me to experiment with my ideas?</p>
<p>For engineering, are there different majors that have more openings in research and design, or are they all the same? How would you rank the majors in terms of oppurtunities in R&D?</p>
<p>Are there other science majors other than engineering that would allow you to do R&D? Like I was thinking, pharmacists (researching new medicine)...but what other majors/careers have those sorts of oppurtunities?</p>
<p>I can’t say much about civil or structural engineering, but I think ME, EE, CS, and BME could all lead to R&D work - as far as choosing from those, I’d pick what’s most interesting to you. It seems to me that BME majors are more likely to work in R&D type positions than the others, since the field is still so new and is constantly growing/changing.<br>
I work in a research group for a medical device company, and our group is pretty diverse, we have engineers with all of those backgrounds. Creative thinking and coming up with and testing new ideas and project concepts is definitely expected and encouraged. What I think would be important is getting some experience with research in whichever field you choose during college.</p>
<p>Probably mechanical or electrical because you’ll get the option to work with design programs. I’ve always wanted to work in industrial design because I think it would be neat. Alas, I’m a lowly ChemE and am stuck running simulations and designing processes instead of items.</p>
<p>^ I thought in ChemE there were oppurtunities for R&D. My dad is a ChemE, and it’s quite funny because he has a lab coat with chemical stains and huge lab goggles. He must look like a mad scientist at work or something lol.
I even used his work clothes for a Halloween costume once</p>
<p>Yeah, there is, but my experience has been its all process based. I haven’t had an opportunity to design an actual product unless it was to help make a product. Yet industrial design is like making big wheels and the like, as at Nottingham-Spirk for example.</p>
<p>That would be wonderful if I could go to college for free like at Cooper Union or Olin. But as of now, none of my EC’s reflect interest in science/engineering. Working on getting an internship somewhere but nobody seems to want me :p</p>
<p>I mean I figure how to make things, not necessarily what is made. So, my R&D is on a process and not a product per se. So novel separation/filtration methods, cleaning methods, or transport methods.</p>
<p>Hmm, so people who design for example, new computers would be CS majors, right? Or EE? What about people who come up with new technology like Ipods or Iphones?
What major would you need for designing new medicine?
Or designing robots?</p>
<p>Often the key part of a design is how easy it is for a human to use. This area is called human factors or HCI (Human Computer Interface), ergonomics, etc. Sometimes it is part psychology, sometimes engineering. Sometimes feedback is provided by haptics.<br>
When you think about it, the best designed products are the ones people like to use.</p>
<p>If I want to create/invent things, engineering is the right thing to major in, right? Or are there other fields as well that allow you to? What are they?</p>
<p>You can create/invent in any major. If you want to do it as a career, engineering is a good way to go.</p>
<p>You want to make new drugs/medicine, biomedical is a good way to go, as well as ChemE depending on which step in the process you are trying to make.</p>
<p>People who make new computers are generally EE or CE majors. CS majors invent the new software that runs on the computers.</p>
<p>The people who invent iPods or other things like that probably range in major. I am sure some are just art or english or history and just have a good idea, get some money, and hire engineers to figure out how to make their idea actually work.</p>
<p>If you want to do real, heavy R&D work though, especially with the R side of that acronym, you probably at least an MS to get hired into a company’s R&D department in addition to some experience.</p>
<p>The other sciences, like physics, are going to let you have plenty of research, but they are much less active on the development side. They come up with a lot of the new theories and fundamental laws, and engineers translate those into a lot of the new products you see. Who comes up with the ideas for the products, though, is just about anyone with some creativity and money.</p>
<p>^ As a caution, I wouldn’t just assume you are getting a Ph.D. before you even get to undergrad. If you think you might be interested in one, then just make sure you work hard in undergrad to keep your grades up since the academic requirements for getting into graduate programs are more stringent than those for getting a good job. Just be prepared for the fact that you might change your mind and decide you are tired of school and just want to get out in industry, which is something a lot of my friends have done. Just make sure you leave your doors open and follow along a path you enjoy, not one that you think will make you lots of money or get you into a job you used to want (after all, interests change pretty often).</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s true, I probably will change my mind (especially since I’m so indecisive), but I put A LOT of value on education. I view graduate school as a great accomplishment…but since I don’t even know what I want to major in/ what I want out of life, I’m certainly not going to count on attending graduate school.</p>