Page 21 - Engineering Career Guide for UT Austin

ENGINEERING CAREER GUIDE 21
come the new frontier of engineering work on defense pro-
grams. Advanced sensing instruments, sophisticated com-
munications tools, and precision weapons are being
combined to make real the kinds of things we’re used to
seeing in the movies. Swarms of miniature battle drones ex-
ecuting warfighters’ orders delivered with waves of a hand
or spoken commands. Unmanned surface and underwater
vessels – some camouflaged in the shape of sting-rays –
carrying out reconnaissance and even attack operations
hundreds of miles away from humans who can nevertheless
see in real time what is happening. Invisible headlights that
reveal minute details about the battle space without ever
exposing themselves to enemy positions.
For the US to maintain the military advantage that imagi-
native, advanced technologies like these three examples
can bring, we need a steady stream of smart young people
entering the field of defense research and development. An
engineering degree can help you become part of these ef-
forts. Current areas of priority include microelectronics, arti-
ficial intelligence, biotechnology, and hypersonic propul-
sion. In military, university, and private-sector labs and
testing grounds, engineers are exploring new ways to use
advances in all these areas to keep the US military ahead of
the rest of the world. Studying engineering now could lead
you into an exciting, meaningful career in the future in any
of these three areas of employment.