Origin of Engineering and Engineering Education

Actually, engineering was born when people existed on the earth. B.C, people should have been creative and rational in order to cope with the problems which they faced first time. They would use their creativity and thinking ability,in order to survive, against hunger, enemy, climate conditions. As we can understand from its meaning, "engineering" derived from the word "ingenuity" which means creativity, being rational, so although ancient people did not know, lots of them were engineer.
Since people create something according to their needs, the first engineers were war engineers who built castles and implemented different war strategies.
We can divide the process of engineering's evolution into four main parts, namely:
1. Before Science
2. Industrial Revolution
3. Second Industrial Revolution
4. Knowledge Time

1) Before Science Term (BC 500 - 1500)
This term, which is also known as dark ages, continues from before Christ invention times to renauissance. In this period, artists and experts would get information by trial-error method or by copying their experts. Mechanical clock, printing system are some examples of the things created in before science term. Leonardo Da Vinci, who was an inventor, an engineer and an artist, invented lots of useful things. Architect Sinan is another example. He constructed mosques, roads, bridges which are built by civil engineers and architectures today.

2) Industrial Revolution Term (1750 - 1850)
In this period, practical ideas converted to engineering which combined the scientific system and creativity.
Engineering education started in this term in France. Engineering, especially civil engineering, became real proffession, and it was taught in university. The first school of engineering in America is the Rensselaer Polytechnic Instıtute which taught civil engineering.
In this term civil engineering and mechanical engineering got importance. Some example:
- James Walt invented steam engines.
- Whitworth invented cutting instruments with rotating knife, piercing instruments, lathe etc,so serial manufacture existed.
- Stephenson and Bruner developed railroad and locomative.

3) Second Industrial Revolution Term
Civil engineering and machine engineering were important also in second industrial revolution term. England had a big effect on engineering from second part of 18th century to beginning of 19 th century. In this time engineering about aeronautic, nuclear energy, electronic, minig,communication were developed.

4) Knowledge Time
After Second World War, the explorations in almost all field become faster, and engineering became a science which includes creativity and human systems. In this term, microelectronic was developed,and computer was invented.