I saw on TV while eating my yi mee just now, a short clip of this 'National Science Challenge' programme. From what I gather of the program, secondary school students build 'machines' to solve problems or achieve a goal.

I think we should all recognise that this is actually engineering and not just academic 'science'. Engineering is science, used cleverly, to solve problems and achieve a goal (such as for the betterment of mankind). All of such activities labelled as 'science' should be renamed as engineering so that the students can know what is engineering about.

Not knowing what engineering is can cause many bright engineering brains to go into science. At least they know/think they have been doing science all their 10 years of school life. It's still within their comfort zone. And knowing what engineering is can change many undergraduates. It's common to hear engineering undergraduates saying that they got into engineering 'by default'. This 'by default' situation means that they don't have the interest, and if now you tell them engineering is about making clever tricks and taking smart shortcuts to actually improve situations could spark their interest in engineering.

Myself, when I was 18 choosing a course in the university, hadn't the foggiest idea what the hell engineering was. Everyone around me, though, seemed to know and when they tried to explain to me, all they could say is that it's difficult, you need good grasp of physics and maths and it lead to good economic prospects in the future. That sure helped me know engineering better...

Now, being an engineering undergraduate, I can tell you that all those are at best only half-true. Engineering isn't difficult.. it's the maths behind it that's difficult. Having the engineering insight isn't that difficult if you think a little and if you just left the maths behind for awhile. You really don't need a very good grasp of maths and physics, well at least to pass the exams as many of my professors would agree that if you have the insight, they will pass you. And economic prospects my ass. Just about any field can have good economic prospects.

Pangy was pricked and bled at 10:10 PM