Computer Engineering Technology

Computer Engineering

Introduction

• Computers are essential tools capable of easing any kind of task.

• They are a main driving force for the progress technology.

• Computer engineers study, design and manage computers.

• The computer engineering career is offered by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the University of Puerto Rico of Mayagüez.

• Studying this career will allow me to contribute to society by giving me the needed knowledge to build these technological tools.

Definition & History

• Merriam-Webster dictionary: engineering is the application of knowledge to the process of improving the quality of human life using the resources provided by nature.

• College Board: computer engineering is the branch of engineering that specializes in the design, programming and implementation of systems using computers and digital equipment to solve practical problems, basing on mathematical and scientific principles.

• The precursors of modern engineering were craftsmen who tried to build devices to solve practical problems.

• Computer engineers emerged from the information revolution that happened after the World War II.

• They established that for a computer to be effective, it has to be electrically based, to be reprogrammable, to use transistors, to be portable and to be user-friendly.

• The history of Computer Engineering can be divided into five steps that involve each of these elements.

• Electrical based computers

• Before electrical devices existed, computers used tubes and large machinery to store information.

• The first computer that used electricity was invented by Konrad Zuse in Germany in 1936.

• Reprogrammable computers and transistors

• Computer engineers invented the transistors, which made the computer's size smaller and gave it the capacity of storing more information. 

• Graphical User Interface (GUI)

• The invention of this interface made computers more attractive and easy to use for people without knowledge on computers.

• Portable computers

• Computer engineering advanced in battery technology, radio transmission and screens, and developed a large number of portable devices.

Computer Engineering

Since computer engineering is the career that I want to study, I attended to an appointment that I scheduled with Jaime, L. Atiles Calderón, councilor of the University of Puerto Rico, to acquire more information about the career and the University. He taught me that computer and electrical engineering were under the same department. Also, he explained me how I could start studying in the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce and, after two years, have an articulated transfer and continue studying at Mayagüez. Finally, he explained me that the Computer Engineering program focuses on both hardware and software engineering.

Working

• Computers companies

• Software corporations

• Software applications companies

• Electronics companies

• Technology companies

• Medical devices manufacturer companies

• Biopharmaceutical companies

• Electronic shopping companies

• Telecommunications companies

Conclusion

• It is a fact that computers have become an essential tool that is capable of doing any kind of tasks. We can notice their use everywhere.

• There are many reasons for which I chose to study this career. One of these reasons is because I like mathematics, and engineering and computers are surrounded by mathematics. It is a subject that involves a lot of problem solving, which is the function of computers and the job of an engineer, because he solves problems by developing solutions. Another reason is because this career changes at a rapid pace. In this Century, engineers play a big role in society. They fix problems by developing technology.