Well, folks, I consider myself in a special category. Engineering Scientist.
In the world I lived and worked in, many things had to be developed before
they could be used to build something. For instance, there was the space
satation docking system test apparatus. Systems in space are sorta like
elephants mating except that there is little resistance in any direction. A
system was developed which permitted the lab and node elements to be docked
in simulated artificial gravity. This was a 3 dimensional system using air
bearings and linear springs to float all the elements and let them move up
down right left in efforts to dock and mate. Never been done before...worked
well. Then there was the time at Chugwater..oops can't tell about that
one... The scientist in me had to envision and hypothesize ways that a
problem might be attacked and then the engineer in me had to make the best
solution work. We generally called this systems engineering. Most scientists
function this way. Like finding planets around stars. They had to envison a
method then engineer a way to make their vision work.
And the hot rodder being the be all do all is correct! In my car, I
conceptualized, prototyped, designed and built just about everything on that
car that could not be found on line somewhere. Most of us are like this.
And yes, I did sometimes were a lab coat. But that was mainly to keep the
pigeon shit off of me in the Army facilities on Redstone. Most of the time,
I just wore a suit. Good thing too. I once was introduced to the President's
Science Advisor as we were building some stuff. Oh, and we built a lot of
our stuff in house. If we had to subcontract it out, we sent engineers and
quality assurance folk to mind the store where it waas being
manufactured...whatever it was.
I am glad I do not do that work any longer...
mayf, quietly retired, and trying to help in places where I can.
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