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Republicans be like
(lemmy.ml)
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this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2024
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I agree with the general sentiment that STEM scares a lot of Americans.
When I would tell other young women I was an engineering major, I would often hear a similar refrain - "Oh, I could never do that!" And it drove me insane! I am not magically gifted at mental math, I can't do differential equations in my head. And most engineers I know, whether American or foreign, can't do those things either.
A lot of engineering isn't about being freakishly gifted like Elon Musk pretends. It takes gradual development of skills toward an end goal. First, you have to nail down the tools for the work (math, physics, chemistry), then you get to apply those tools to real-world problems. Engineering is problem solving, making mistakes, and being curious enough to keep going.
In short, engineering is about the long game. And didn't become rewarding until around year 3 for me. I took some other classes in subjects to entertain myself and fill my schedule. In the disciplines of archeology, art history, and archetecture. And I called them my sanity classes. They were immediately satisfying, and made me feel like I was learning and not struggling or making those mistakes I made in engineering classes. I think most students enjoy the satisfaction of classes like that. The learning seems more instantaneous and less like a step on a ladder.
Sorry for the diatribe. In short, if you happen to read this as a young person and have the opportunity to study engineering - do it. Try not to go into debt for it, but don't feel excluded because you aren't the best at long division.
As for Musk, I've spoken with a few engineers who worked at his various companies. Everyone has left for other companies because he is a nightmare to work for. Yes, there are gifted engineers from other countries, but Musk wants employees that are tied to him and will work the slavish hours to earn a better life for the next generation of their families. A lot of American engineers are not willing to ignore their families like Musk himself clearly does. There are plenty of other space companies that pay well and aren't run by sociopaths.
At my school, the STEM people see these classes and GEs as useless classes that waste their time and money. I only know one other guy like me who enjoy these classes and see them as a sanity break. Happy to know there is another guy like us out there.
Mmm could you list a few? I feel like most are in defense. Unless you count the research side of the company. Like how Boeing bombs people but also does space exploration.
I'm a structural engineer, so I felt the extra classes kind of colored in the blank spaces in my civil engineering education.
As for other space companies not run by sociopaths... the joke about civils and mechenicals applies here. Mechanical engineers make bombs and civils make targets. I can't speak to the ethics of the individual companies or their leaders. But I believe some of them are just focused on space exploration and not dominating in the name of whatever nation/egomaniac they are contracted to work for.
I'm obviously not super well versed in the space industry, but the friends I know have pivoted away from the big names (SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin etc) and toward smaller companies that specialize in an aspect of space flight. They tend to work on single one off projects that are subbed out by the big guys. From what I have heard, there is good money in these specialties and some great engineers work there. I know of Orbit Fab, Ursa Major, Vast, and Anduril.
Last time I checked, Anduril is a defense contractor who bombs people using drones.
Fair point, like I said I'm not in the industry and was just reciting companies I had heard of.