Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Does your homeschool science program include introductory engineering? Or do you squirm when your student asks you what the difference is between mechanical and civil engineering? On today’s Home School Heartbeat with HSLDA President Mike Smith, learn more about engineering from guest Steve Wells.

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Mike Smith:
My guest today is homeschooling dad Steve Wells. Steve is a former professor of engineering and is now a Navy Engineer. Steve, welcome to the program!

Steve Wells:
Thanks, Mike.

Mike:
Steve, this week we’re discussing how homeschooling parents can begin to teach their children about engineering. It seems like there are lots of kinds of engineering—chemical, electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering. Can you explain what engineering really is?

Steve:
Sure, Mike! Mike there are as many different fields of engineering as there are fields of medicine and law. To better understand what engineering is all about, we need to first understand where engineering comes from, and that God has established physical laws to govern the world around us. Engineering is simply an application of those laws to help mankind.

Let me give you an example—the development of this material called Kevlar, which we know is bullet proof vests. You know, Mike, it took eight different engineers—eight different engineers!—to develop that Kevlar. Chemical engineers, process engineers, manufacturing engineers, mechanical, electrical, systems engineers, sales engineers, and project engineers—all of these it took to develop this one product.

Mike:
Steve, that’s fascinating! Thank you for joining us today. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.