Denise Brush, Science and Engineering Librarian at Rowan University, recently published a column in Against the Grain entitled Collection to the Core – Popular Engineering Works” (November 2013, p. 90-91). She annotates her top ten engineering books for any well-rounded engineering collection and suggests books which are both practical and philosophical. These top ten books below not only serve to educate about engineering successes and feat, but also the impact of engineering on society, what it’s like to be a real engineer, and other ideas on the minds of many in the engineering field. All these titles are available right in our catalog (catalog.library.cornell.edu) (either electronic or in print) – so enjoy!
Designing Engineers (Bucciarelli): Provides an inside look into the creative process in the “real world” of engineering. Great for students wanting a glimpse into the life of an engineer.
Art of Invention (Paley): Takes a student through invention, from process, design and production.
To Engineer is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design, and To Forgive Design: Understanding Failure (both Petroski): These books describe what it is to learn from projects that failed or did not live up to expectations – and why this is important in the engineering field.
The Essential Engineer: Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems (Petroski): If you are interested in how engineering can be kept green and solve ecological issues, this title will be of interest to you. It also explains how engineering in some instances may not be able to play a role in preventing negative global issues.
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things (McDonough and Braungart) discusses the impact of the chemical materials used in manufacturing products, including how those chemicals affect the environment after disposal in landfills.
Engineering Ethics: Balancing Cost, Schedule and Risk – Lessons Learned from the Space Shuttle (Pinkus): This title discusses the Challenger space shuttle disaster and how issues with mismanagement, power and technical issues kept under wraps may have led to the tragedy.
Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems (Palfrey and Gasser) is about the interoperability between computer systems, issues with security and privacy and impact on consumers.
Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences (Tenner): This title gives examples of how with even the best intentions, negative outcomes can occur due to technology. For instance, smoke stacks from factories rise high in the air to avoid contaminating humans close to earth; however it pollutes the greater atmosphere above which can be even more harmful in the long run.
When Gadgets Betray Us: The Dark Side of our Infatuation with New Technologies (Vamosi): This title explores issues of security and privacy as they pertain to electronics. The author stresses how our mobile devices are more vulnerable to threats than we may think and stresses how crucial it is for engineering to develop tools to address these problems.
If you need assistance locating these books in our catalog, contact us at engrref@cornell.edu