New in the grand scheme. Became essential in its short life.
Dating back to the late 19th century, electrical engineering is one of the newer branches of engineering, dealing with the study and applications of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.
Electricity has been a subject of interest since at least the 17th century, with early experiments involving primitive batteries, static charges and magnetism. Michael Faraday’s Law of Induction, which essentially states that the voltage in a circuit is proportional to the rate of change in the magnetic friend through the circuit, applies to the basic principles of the electric generator, the electric motor and the transformer.
Some prominent pioneers in electrical engineering you may have heard of include: Nikola Tesla (induction motor), Thomas Edison (electric light), Guglielmo Marconi (radio), and Philo T. Farnsworth (television).
The arrival of the modern age is marked by the introduction of electricity into our homes, businesses and industry, all of which were made possible by electrical engineers. In fact, the invention of the transistor, and later the integrated circuit, brought down the cost of electronics to the point where they can be used in almost any household object. It is amazing to think how electrical engineering is fairly new in the grand scheme of academic study, but in its short life, it has become essential in providing us the everyday comforts we enjoy. If it’s a practical, real-world device that produces, conducts or uses electricity, it was probably designed by an electrical engineer.
Electrical engineering is subdivided into a wide range of subfields, including electronics, digital computers, computer engineering, power engineering, telecommunications, control systems, robotics, radio-frequency engineering, signal processing, instrumentation, and microelectronics.
Electronic and electrical engineers can work on a wide range of components, devices and systems, from tiny microchips to huge power station generators. So it’s a very challenging but also a diverse and rewarding field.
