If you’re lucky enough to have an engineer as your nearest and dearest, or perhaps work with one, then you’ll want to make sure you find a gift that someone with such a curious and logical mind will really appreciate. Any ideas? Fear not. Even though not all engineers specialize in the same field or have the same hobbies, these 10 cool gifts will make (almost) every engineer as happy as a kid on Christmas morning. And remember, kindness if normally reciprocated...

What is an engineering internship? An engineering internship is where an engineering student is temporarily placed with a company to gain real-world career experience. These internships can be paid or unpaid, and some offer college credit upon completion. They are a great way for you to try out different areas of engineering and to get your foot in the door with some companies you may want to work with after you graduate.

It’s a sad fact that historically, women have been less likely to move into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) career fields. The institutions and organisations mentioned in this article aim to empower woman and girls to pursue careers in the STEM fields. The lack of woman in STEM fields currently is a global problem, and as such this article aims to shine light on five institutions that are working hard to eradicate this issue and to help us move towards a more equal society.

Portugal has become one of the most desirable places for engineers to work and study in the EU - a remarkable achievement, by all accounts. As recently as 2007, it was written off as the ‘sick man of Europe’; its economy was sluggish and living standards were stagnating. Fast-forward a decade and how things have changed. As 2018 drew to a close, the ruling Socialist Party pledged to deliver the country’s lowest deficit of just 0.2% and the tourism sector was back booming.

It should come as no surprise that securing an engineering job is not just about luck or connections; it’s also about the skills that an engineer has perfected over the years. Due to the thousands of engineering graduates and highly-skilled professionals who are also looking for better opportunities, more benefits, and job security every year, competition is tough. An engineer can do something about it, however, by learning these top engineering skills to make themselves more competitive and indispensable.

Ok, so the time has come to write your engineering PhD motivation letter. The cursor is blinking on the blank page. Your mind races. What do I write? How do I start? How do I phrase it? It can be a challenge, especially for us engineers who may not enjoy the written word as much as other academics do. But competition for some PhD places can be fierce, especially at good universities. Getting the motivation letter right is one of the most important parts of your application, so don't leave it until the last minute.

In 1974, the first ever genetically modified animal was created by Beatrice Mintz and Rudolf Jaenisch. At the time, it was hailed as one of the most important scientific discoveries since humans discovered fire. The success of the experiment raised the question of whether human cloning would soon be possible - an ethical question of monumental importance.

Environmental engineers design structures and systems to protect the natural environment and promote sustainable living. They can also perform work to mitigate the environmental damage caused by large industrial operations such as pulp mills, mines, and oil-extraction sites. It is a discipline of engineering that can be studied at most engineering schools and can also be categorised as a sub-discipline of civil engineering.

Engineers are the inventors, designers, analysers and builders of our modern age. They create the machines, structures and systems we use on a daily basis. The constrains of physics, the confines of the manufacturing technology of the modern age, the limitations imposed by current material properties, requirements in terms of health and safety and cost: all of these are things that engineers must take into account when designing whatever it is they're working on.

Academic journals are a place for researchers to read the latest research findings, publish their own works, and to comment on and discuss various scholarly topics. They are usually periodic publications that are peer-reviewed and focus on specific topics such as nanotechnology or material science. In the engineering field alone, there are numerous scientific journals dedicated to specific disciplines such as mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and chemical engineering.