While there have been many notable engineers throughout history, there are some whose inventions and insights have been exceptionally useful. From engineering students tinkering to improve old designs, to the engineers who have discovered sweeping laws that affect the way we view the scientific world, here are 20 of the most notable engineers:

1. Archimedes of Syracuse: No discussion of notable engineers can leave out Archimedes of Syracuse. No matter how you might quarrel with other additions on any list of great engineers, Archimedes must be on the list. He was a keen observer and inventor, developing engineering principles of fluid displacement, as well as inventing the compound pulley — one of the most important inventions in all of history.
2. Francis Bacon: The scientific method owes its existence to Sir Francis Bacon. A true Renaissance man, Bacon was also a philosopher, statesman and lawyer in addition to being a scientist. He died in the name of science, as he fell victim to pneumonia during one of his experiments as he studied the effects of freezing meat.
3. Daniel Bernoulli: Perhaps you’ve heard of the Bernoulli Principle? This is the principle of fluid dynamics that is used in the construction of aircraft to determine air speed. It was discovered by Daniel Bernoulli, son of a renowned mathematician. Bernoulli also discovered how to measure blood pressure, and was well known for his work on the Conservation of Energy.
4. John Logie Baird: The Scottish engineer John Logie Baird invented a mechanical television. While Philo T. Farnsworth would be credited later with developing the dissector tube that made electronic TV possible, Baird is credited with providing the first televised objects in motion, and the first televised human face, as well as demonstrating color television in 1928.
5. Henry Bessemer: One of the most significant building advancements was the production of inexpensive steel. And the engineer who created the process for mass-producing steel was Henry Bessemer. Bessemer had been working on a process similar to American William Kelly’s process, and he bought the patent from Kelly. Today, steel is still made using process based on Bessemer’s method.
6. Gustave Eiffel: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was named after someone; that someone was Gustave Eiffel. This French civil engineer contributed to structural architecture, and enhanced metal construction of bridges.
7. John Ambrose Fleming: Sir John Ambrose Fleming is the inventor of the first vacuum tube. His engineering feat is known as the precursor to electronics — even though the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated his patent.
8. Edwin Armstrong: The American engineer Edwin Armstrong is know for his innovation of frequency modulation (used in FM radio and for other purposes). He was also known for superheterodyning and regeneration.
9. Seymour Cray: In today’s computer dominated society, it is important to pay homage to Seymour Cray, the engineer believed to be the founder of supercomputing, and the first to build a device making use of functional parallelism architecture.
10. Wernher von Braun: One of the most important rocket developers, especially of rockets for the space exploration effort, was Wernher von Braun. Initially working for the Nazis, developing the V-2 ballistic missile, von Braun later surrendered to the Americans — along with 500 rocket scientists — and came to work in the U.S.
11. Robert Goddard: Even though the New York Times panned Robert Goddard‘s theories of travel to the moon by rocket, he had the last laugh. He built the first liquid-fueled rocket, and it has been a source of technological advancement for decades.
12. Arthur Casagrande: One of the greatest contributors to dam building and other earth construction was engineer Arthur Casagrande, a pioneer in soil mechanics.
13. Henry Darcy: The modern style Pitot tube was invented by Henry Darcy, an engineer who developed a law describing flow in porous media. Today, Darcy’s achievements can be seen in hydrology and petroleum engineering.
14. Wendell Bollman: When you see truss bridges spanning great lengths, you can thank Wendell Bollman, a self-taught civil engineer. His designs for ferry bridges and other truss bridges have influenced us for decades, even though there is only one remaining “Bollman truss” bridge still in existence.
15. Thomas Brassey: This civil engineer is notable for his prolific railroad building. Thomas Brassey was the premier contractor for railroading building throughout Europe, and is also responsible for Canada’s Grand Trunk Railway.
16. George Stephenson: English civil engineer George Stephenson built the first public railway in the world that made use of steam locomotives. He was also friends with Thomas Brassey, and encouraged him to contract to build railways. The world’s standard railway gauge is the Stephenson gauge, named after the man who developed it.
17. Willis Carrier: Do you enjoy air conditioning in the summer? If so, you can thank Willis Carrier. Carrier’s first air conditioning success came only a year after he earned his Masters in Engineering from Cornell. And the rest of us have benefitted every since.
18. Burt Rutan: One of the most influential aerospace engineers is Burt Rutan, whose innovative designs are prominent in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. He is responsible for SpaceShipOne, the first private rocket plane to put a person in space, and for the first airplane to make it around the world without needing to refuel.
19. Fazlur Khan: Considered to be central to the “Second Chicago School” of architectural design, Fazlur Khan is largely responsible for inspiring some of the most interesting structural engineering  feats of the latter half of the 20th Century, changing skyscraper construction.
20. Judith Resnik: Focus on the tragic Challenger explosion often centers around teacher Christa McAuliffe. However, Judith Resnik, a NASA engineer, also perished in the flight. She had worked on orbiter projects, and influenced design procedures related to special integrated circuitry.

Tallest Buildings

It always seems as though someone wants to build a taller building. Reaching toward the heavens seems to be a common goal for builders.

• World’s Tallest Buildings Ranked: About.com offers a list of tallest buildings in the world. It includes proposed buildings and build dates. Also includes the name of the chief architects in addition to how tall the buildings are.
• World’s Tallest Buildings – A Timeline for the 20th Century: BBC offers this awesome timeline of what parameters are used to judge the tallest buildings, and then offers a timeline for the last century.
• World’s Tallest Buildings: Emporis.com provides a look at the talest buildings in the worlds, with official rankings. Also includes tallest by usage, as well as tallest by continent and country.
• CTBUH Tall Buildings Database: The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat provides a cool database of tall buildings, including ranking them and offering in-depth information on each one via links.
• The World’s Tallest Skyscrapers: Taking you through 2010 and the Burj Khalifa, this cool infographic offers some perspective and comparison for the tallest buildings in the world.
• Image Gallery: The World’s Tallest Buildings: Awesome images of the world’s tallest buildings, from LiveScience.

Most Expensive Buildings

You can find a number of very expensive buildings. But which were the most expensive to build? The biggest aren’t always the most expensive — sometimes expense depends upon the materials and luxuries used.

• Ten Most Expensive Buildings In the World: This infographic offers information on the 10 most expensive buildings in the world, up to 2010.
• Top 10 Most Expensive Houses in the World: Here are some buildings that are meant to live in. An interesting look at some homes with rather impressive price tags.
• The 10 Most Expensive Buildings: The New York Observer has a list of the most expensive buildings. It’s an interesting ranking that takes into account the idea that every office building in New York went on sale, using real estate agents to estimate.
• The World’s Most Expensive Office Rents: Want an office in one of the most impressive buildings in the world? You’ll have to pay for it. CNBC offers a list of expensive office space.
• The world’s most expensive buildings: MSN Money offers a look at some of the costliest buildings in the world, as of 2010. An interesting list.

Greenest Buildings

With a movement toward more sustainable living, it is little surprise that buildings are getting in on the act. Many are looking for ways to make buildings more environmentally friendly.

• America’s Top Ten Green Buildings: This list of buildings of 2008 offers hope that it is possible to build green buildings that are impressive, functional and better for the environment.
• Top 10 eco0buildings: Interesting buildings from around the U.K. that feature sustainable design. Plenty of ideas for those looking to build greener buildings.
• 15 of The Greenest Buildings in The World: GeekAbout.com offers a list of sustainable buildings around the world. Get ideas, and learn a little something about the possibilities of a greener world.
• World’s Greenest Homes: Awesome buildings aren’t limited to skyscrapers. You can find a number of green homes when you enjoy this great series from Discovery.com.
• Best of Inhabitat: The World’s Tallest Green Buildings: TreeHugger offers a list, from Inhabitat, of different green buildings, including the tallest treehouse, the tallest LEED certified building in the U.S., and the tallest green building in the world.
• Top 25 Cities with Most Energy Star Buildings in 2009: Jetson Green provides a list of cities full of energy efficient buildings.

Largest Square Footage Buildings

These buildings may not be the tallest, but they have a lot of square footage. An interesting look at sheer size.

• The Biggest Buildings on Earth: From Airplane Assembly to Waterparks: SupplyChainDigital offers this list of impressively huge buildings. What’s cooler than a building that houses space shuttle assembly?
• 10 biggest buildings of the world: Interested in biggest buildings by floor sizes? This list has some of the modern marvels available.
• List of largest buildings in the world: This list from Wikipedia offers information on the largest buildings — by square feet — on the planet.

Most Beautiful Buildings

There is something to be said for form. If you like buildings that please the eye, these lists can help you.

• World’s Most Beautiful Buildings: The Russian Heritage: Get a look at the most beautiful buildings in Russia. These truly are among the most beautiful buildings in the world.
• The world’s 10 most beautiful buildings: Enjoy a look at 10 of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Delights the eye.
• Top 25 Most Beautiful Castles in the World: Travel the world to find the most amazing and beautiful castles. There are even some in North America.
• Top 15 Skylines of The World: Skylines are entirely made up of buildings. Here are some of the most beautiful collections of buildings in the world.
• List of Most Beautiful Buildings: Interesting and lovely buildings from around the world. Includes the Taj Mahal, long acknowledged one of the most beautiful buildings on the planet.

Strangest Buildings

Sometimes, buildings just look different. Here are some rankings of buildings with strange features.

• 50 Strange Buildings of the World: Here is a ranking of some of the most interesting buildings on the planet.
• Top 33 World’s Strangest Buildings: Interesting buildings that you might see in various countries around the world.
• Unusual Architecture: This entire site is dedicated to strange buildings. Enjoy the unusual buildings around the temple, and see ratings from readers.
• The World’s 18 Strangest Homes: Enjoy this gallery from Popular Mechanics. Interesting buildings that people actually live in — including a rotating house.
• 78 Strangest Buildings Around The World: Look at pictures of some of the most interesting buildings there are.

No matter your engineering salary, you can benefit from open source software. Here are 25 great open source software apps that engineers might find helpful:

CAD Software

If you are looking for computer aided design software, you can find open source versions. These are great resources.

1. FreeCAD: If you are looking for an open source 3D computer assisted design program, this can be a good option. Includes macro recording, and loadable extensions. Platform independent, and features great support for users. A useful design application for engineers.
2. Open CASCADE: One of the best open source engineering technologies out there. A great opportunity to allow for 3D surface modeling, as well as data exchange and visualization. Powerful open source software for engineers and others.
3. BRL-CAD: This is a cross platform open source CAD application. Engineers can use it to engage in solid modeling. Great with its interactive editing, as well as image processing tools and analysis capability. A great tool for any open source engineering toolbox.
4. PythonCAD: This open source CAD project, written in Python, is aimed at providing a program that can be used with great success on Linux and Unix. A great program, PythonCAD offers a number of helpful features and useful tweaks that can help you enhance your abilities.
5. BlenderCAD: Part of the open source projects offered by the Blender Foundation, this computer assisted design software offers a number of helpful utilities. Great user interface, and the ability to carry out various design projects, this is a great help to engineers.
6. Archimedes: This multiple operating system open source CAD program can be quite helpful for engineers. It makes use of the Rick Client Platform from Eclipse, offering an extensible program. You can customize fairly easily. A worthwhile engineering tool.
7. OpenSCAD: Meant for programmers, this is a solid 3D CAD modeller. This is a fairly basic modeller meant to focus on the CAD aspects. It’s not terribly artistic, but it does get the job — and get it done well. Perfect for engineers looking for something that is eminently practical.

Element Modeling and Fluid Dynamics

Many engineers understand the importance of finite element modeling, as well as fluid dynamics. If these are actions that you need carried out, these open source software apps can help.

8. Elmer: This is a cool software program meant for those with multiphysical problems. Includes modeling ability for fluid dynamics, as well as electromagnetics and heat transfer. A great simulator for engineers working in a variety of fields.
9. Impact: Meant to be a simple alternative to some of the more complex finite element programs, Impact offers a solution for engineers. This program uses an explicit time stepping algorithm meant to simulate dynamic situations. Impact can be helpful for engineers working with dynamic simulations.
10. OpenFVM: Released under the GPL license, this open source software offers a CFD solver that engineers can use for a variety of projects. In addition to evaluating partial differential equations, OpenFVM can also solve non-isothermal multiphase flow.
11. SALOME: Open source platform aimed at numerical simulation. This integration software can help engineers create a CAD-CAE link. Uses one or more external solvers to help perform computation, and displays the results clearly.
12. Gmsh: Engineers can get good use out of this 3D finite element grid generator. Comes with a build-in CAD engine. Has its own scripting language. This open source software is released under a GPL. Includes advanced capabilities for visualization.
13. Code_Aster: You will have to get a version in English, but once you have it, you can use this open source software to help you with finite element applications. A great engineering tool.

Visualization

Get help with visualization software. A great tool for many engineers. Also includes some numerical computation software.

14. WorldWind: This cool application is a NASA software program. You can get a great view of Earth with help from this visualization software. Great for engineers looking for a 3D interactive globe.
15. VisIt: This visualization tool can be helpful to engineers looking for a graphical analysis tool. It’s a great way to view scientific data. Works with Linux and personal computer. A tool developed by the Department of Energy.
16. Sage: Engineers looking for mathematics and numerical computation, and who want an open source alternative to some of the other non-open source programs out there like Matlab and Maple, can get Sage. Helpful and interesting, using an interface based on Python.
17. EngLab: This open source math platform is designed with engineers in mind. It is easy to use, and requires little programming knowledge. A great solution and tool for engineers looking for scalability.
18. OpenDX: Looking to turn your data into something visual? This open source software will do just that. A helpful application that can help engineers turn data into something that can be seen. Customize and distribute your own tweaks.
19. SciLab: This cool, free platform for numerical computation can help you turn numbers into something a little more workable. A great tool for engineers looking for a little more help.

Space Engineering

There are a number of cool open source software programs aimed at those who work primarily with space. If you are a space engineer, these apps may be of help.

20. libnova: Celestial mechanics and astronomy are within your grasp with the help of this open source software. Helps engineers calculate different orbit velocities, atmospheric refraction, aberration and other properties.
21. Java Astrodynamics Toolkit (JAT): This is perfect for the astrodynamic engineer. Makes use of Java, and offers an opportunity for you to use a library of components to create your own application. Great for solving unique issues that you run across in aerodynamics.
22. Rocket Workbench Project: If you are involved in engineering experimental rockets, this open source application might be for you. This is a free application, released under a GPL license.
23. GMAT: The General Mission Analysis Tool is great for those interested in space. Developed by NASA, this great open source application can help engineers simulate trajectory and analyze missions.
24. Open-SESSAME Framework: Another cool space tool that engineers can use to help analyze different spacecraft operations. For those engineers on the cutting edge of space science and technology, this can be a useful tool.
25. Orekit: This is a great tool for engineers involved in satellite orbit and other aspects of space dynamics.

The list is categorized, and each link is listed alphabetically within those categories.

Overall Infrastructure Reports

1. America’s Crumbling Infrastructure: The History Channel prepared this broadcast in 2009, using expert interviews, on-location shooting and computer-generated animation.
2. America’s Infrastructure: Ramping Up or Crashing Down [PDF]: This report was prepared by the Brookings Institute on 2006 and 2007 forums.
3. Blueprint America: This PBS project provides a spotlight on America’s decaying and neglected infrastructure.
4. Financing America’s Infrastructure: This 2008 report shows the limits on available funds for rebuilding in federal, state, and local government coffers.
5. Future Investment in Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: This is a Congressional Budget Office Report from 2002 that looks at future decades and possible issues.
6. Infrastructure USA: This is an online community that discusses and reports on civil infrastructure through images, polls and a blog.
7. Remarks by the President [Obama] on Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure: This 2010 speech states that America’s roads cost Americans $80 billion a year in lost productivity and wasted fuel.
8. Report Card for America’s Infrastructure: You want a full report? This is where you can find it, from aviation to wastewater, provided by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
9. U.S. Aging Infrastructure: Which Sectors Are Primed for Private Investing Growth? This report focuses on the financial perspectives involved with possible growth in various infrastructure areas.
10. World Business Council for Sustainable Development: Focus areas include energy and climate, development and ecosystems in projects that range from water to mining and minerals.

Urban and Rural Infrastructure

11. A national assessment of green infrastructure and change for the conterminous United States using morphological image processing [PDF]: This report focuses on green infrastructure.
12. American Planning Association: This site focuses on urban planning, community involvement and education.
13. Case Studies — Green Schools and Universities: You’ll find descriptions, photographs, and plans of high performance green school and university facilities.
14. Educational Infrastructure: The Inter-American Development Bank offers a project that responds to the demand for schools.
15. Grand Challenges for Engineering: The National Academy of Engineering looks at numerous challenges to development and current infrastructures.
16. IGERT: The University of Colorado at Denver focuses on sustainable urban infrastructure as it integrates engineering, planning, policy, health and human behavior perspectives.
17. Rural Infrastructure: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is placing increasing emphasis on rural infrastructure.
18. Smarter Cities: IBM looks at the need for safer neighborhoods, quality schools, affordable housing and traffic that flows.
19. Strengthening the Rural Economy — Strengthening Rural Infrastructure: The White House reports on rural transportation, telecommunications, and energy and water infrastructure.
20. The Pressure on Urban Infrastructure [PDF]: As society changes, the demand for infrastructure also changes. This report focuses on this progress as it pertains to urban developments.

Transportation Infrastructure

21. 2008 Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, and Transit: This report is available as individual chapters in Adobe PDF format.
22. 2009 National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission Report [PDF]: A bipartisan Congressional commission offers its consensus view and road map for reform of the nation’s transportation infrastructure funding approach.
23. America’s Bridges are Falling Down: Robert Longly, About.com’s U.S. Government Info Guide, provides this 2009 report on America’s bridges.
24. America’s Bridges Still Falling Down: CBS offered a 2008 report card on America’s bridges one year after the deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse.
25. GAO Public Transportation [PDF]: This is the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s 2009 report to Congressional Committees.
26. Keeping America’s Bridges Safe and Sound: This is a “Bridging the Gap” report offered by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHO).
27. National Association of Railroad Passengers: NARP, the largest national membership advocacy organization for train and rail transit passengers, reports on rail as travel alternative.
28. PublicTransit.us: This site offers a wealth of information about public transit, and offers links to many other sites concerned about building and rebuilding public transport systems.
29. Restoring America’s Bridges [PDF]: This presentation is a report card on current conditions and for possible solutions to failing bridges.
30. Rail Planning: This blog is dedicated to the global practice and application of freight and passenger rail planning.
31. Top 4 Ways to Spend Money on U.S. Air Travel Infrastructure: This Popular Mechanics article outlines ways to improve aviation infrastructure.

Waterways Infrastructures

32. A 21st Century Waterways Infrastructure [PDF]: The National Trade Association of the Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry offer this short and concise report.
33. Dams and Dam Removal: This American Rivers site plays a leadership role in the Hydropower Reform Coalition, working to reform dam operations.
34. Infrastructure Protection Report: Amusement, Theme, and Water Parks: This report looks at possibilities of terrorist attacks on park facilities.
35. National Committee on Levee Safety: The NCLS is a committee of federal, state, local, and private sector members with the direction from Congress to prepare recommendations and a strategic implementation plan on a National Levee Safety Program.
36. Old American Dams Quietly Become a Multibillion-Dollar Threat: Wired offers a 2009 rundown on American dams with numerous links to other reports.
37. Ports and Navigable Waterways — Immigration and Infrastructure: The Social Contract Press offers this 2008-2009 report on marine infrastucture, including port facilities and navigable waterways.
38. Projects and Facilities Database: On this website, Reclamation projects located throughout the Western U.S. are reviewed in detail.
39. The Evolution of Stormwater Quality Control: Learn more about this history and about today’s requirements and hopes for the future.
40. Water Conservation in Schools: This is the National Institute of Building Sciences resource list of links, books and journal articles on water issues in school buildings and grounds.
41. Water Infrastructure: This EPA report branches out into a variety of waterways/WaterSense and sustainable infrastructure issues.

Solutions, News, Action Groups and Tools

42. America’s Infrastructure: Miller Center National Discussion and Debate Series: This is a PBS lesson plan for 7-12 grades, but can be used for discussion groups as well.
43. Building America’s Future: This site is a bipartisan coalition of elected officials dedicated to bringing about a new era of U.S. investment in infrastructure.
44. Guiding Principles for Strengthening America’s Infrastructure [PDF]: The Center for Strategic and International Studies prepared this report in 2006.
45. Here’s What the Future of America’s Infrastructure Might Look Like: This article covers several topics, from transportation to sewage.
46. Rebuilding America Special Report: How to Fix U.S. Infrastructure: In 2008, Popular Mechanics uncovered the ideas, engineering and technology required to fix America’s infrastructure.
47. Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure: This site supports engineers and transportation professionals.
48. Rebuilding and Renewing America: This infrastructure portion of the America 2050 site offers responses to repairing the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure systems.
49. Save America’s Infrastructure: This Facebook page belongs to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
50. Transportation for America: This coalition of housing, business, environmental, public health, transportation, equitable development, and other organizations seek to realize a better transportation system that works for all Americans.

Mechanical and Electrical Engineers

Follow those involved in mechanical and electrical engineering. Also includes aerospace engineers (who often fall into the category of mechanical engineering).

1. Angela Melick: This mechanical engineer is also a sustainability expert. She also created the webcomic Wasted Talent.
2. Teresa Gibson: Electrical engineer and space advocate, Teresa has a lot of interesting things to say about life as well as engineering.
3. Chris Gammell: An electrical engineer writing about analog electronics. Plenty of interesting things to read on his Twitter feed.
4. spacefem: This electrical engineer is an all around geek. She is a pilot and a mom — and a feminist. Always feisty and interesting.
5. Roy Westwood: Electrical engineer with a special interest in Land Rovers. A great place to go when you are interested in seeing what’s new.
6. RoboGreg: Mechanical engineer interested in robots. This toy designer has all sorts of interesting things to tweet.
7. Sanaz: Electronics engineer with an interest in fashion. Also a technical writer.
8. Scott @ IMechE: Scott keeps you up to date with what is happening in the world of mechanical engineering.

Civil and Environmental Engineers

Get an idea of what it is like to engineer cities and towns. Looks at the way our infrastructure is developed and, in some cases, how we can develop it in a more sustainable way.

9. Josh Nelson: Looks at engineering from a civil engineering perspective.
10. David Rush: This civil engineer is focused a great deal on sustainability, and is interested in improving the design of cities to be greener.
11. Aaron M. Renn: The Urbanophile offers insights into urban design.
12. Ken Risley: A structural engineer with a penchant for philosophy. A great way to learn more about life and engineering.
13. Matthew Anderson: Civil engineer offering some insight into hydrology and hydraulics, as well as AutoCAD Civil 3D.
14. M. Damon Weiss: This civil engineer is also a futurist. A great perspective on where things could be going.
15. The Constructor: Civil engineering tweeter feed from the authors of the web site of the same name.
16. Joshua Redwine: Young civil engineer and artist sharing his thoughts on life.
17. Susan Gardner: Offers interesting insights on city planning and urban policy.
18. Sasha Gollish: Civil engineer with a passion for sustainability, and good information on creating a greener world.
19. Alex Aylett: Looks at sustainable urban design and greener living.
20. Michael Campana: Certified hydrologist looking at better use of water around the world.

Other Engineers

There are a number of other engineering fields, including software engineering, industrial engineering, systems engineering and more. Here are some of the engineers that fall into those categories.

21. Mustafa Yusuf: This industrial engineer offers insights into management, as well as into entrepreneurship. An interesting range of news topics and information.
22. Lionel Hendricks: A computer engineer sharing his thoughts. Protected, so you’ll need permission.
23. Manny Jimenez: This recording engineer knows all about sound mixing and more. A self-described computer nerd.
24. Ron Graham: An engineer and educator working toward the worth goal of becoming the #1 Twitterer in Akron, Ohio. We wish you luck, Ron!
25. tillyxengineer: Sound engineer that proclaims she’s a general annoyance. However, her fun tweets are anything but annoying.
26. Michael Parks: Also known as Geek Cowboy, this engineer has a M.S. in Systems Engineering. Writes on all things tech around the web.
27. t.Swiph: This music producer and engineer has some great insights and information about the music scene.
28. Jim Gurol: Computer engineer sharing information about Cisco and technology.
29. engineer_nerd: Computer engineer and artist. A great interest in technology. Tweets are private, so you’ll have to get permission to follow.
30. Joel Hamilton: Another great music producer and engineer offering interesting insights. Also has a band, and tweets about it.
31. Simon Howes: Sound engineer offering insights on the World Wide Web.
32. mikechav: Producer engineer for Erykah Badu. Always great insights on the music business and audio.
33. cecilia_vdm: This South African engineer tweets interesting information about technology.

Engineering Students

Follow these engineering students on Twitter, and get an idea of life is like as you study for a difficult — but rewarding — career. Great insights and resources.

34. Kris Scott: This engineering student is also a ukulele player and Mac enthusiast. Great insights on the “fantastically mundane.”
35. Engineerography: An interesting look at every day engineering. This student’s insights are fascinating, and useful.
36. Sarah Stern: This mechanical engineering student has information on life at UC Berkeley.
37. Luke Docksteader: Electrical engineering student tweeting about technology and more. Especially interested in robots.
38. Nasir Jumani: Amazing insights from this “half-fried geek” on being an engineering student — and on Islam.
39. Liza Brooks: This engineering student is studying snowboard design. How cool is that?
40. NikkiLav: Engineering student sharing interesting geek tweets on technology. Protected tweets, so you will need permission to follow.
41. SpartanEngineer: Engineering students at MSU keep you updated with the latest news and information.

Engineering Organizations and News Sources

Follow these great engineering organizations and news sources to learn more about what is happening in the world of engineering.

42. Engineering GoForIt!: Perfect engineering educators, and those interested in issues of engineering education.
43. Engineering Science: News, engineering innovations and more from this feed run by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
44. NSF Engineering: The National Science Foundation offers an interesting Twitter feed related specifically to engineering.
45. Engineer Update: Get the latest information on engineering and more from this U.K. site.
46. ENR Bloggers: Great insights from the bloggers associated with Engineering News-Record.
47. ICE: This isn’t the immigration agency. Rather, it is the Twitter feed for the Institution of Civil Engineers in the U.K.
48. The IET: A great look at different happenings in the world of engineering from the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
49. SAME HQ: This is a great feed from the Society of American Military Engineers.
50. SocMfgEng: Get the latest, including news on engineering and the economy, from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

1. Aerospace Engineers: These engineers design, test, and supervise the manufacture of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. Those who work with aircraft are called aeronautical engineers, and those working specifically with spacecraft are astronautical engineers. The period through 2012 is projected to see a downfall in the demand for aerospace engineers. Competition from foreign firms and decrease in air travel are the major reasons for decrease in jobs related to designing and producing commercial aircraft.
2. Coastal and Marine Engineering: Past experience in hydraulic studies and knowledge of waves, currents, water levels, sediment transport, coastal morphology and water quality all contribute to a knowledge of future coastal engineering. Protection against the sea level rise in the 21st century will be especially important, as seawalls and breakwaters are generally expensive to construct, and the costs to build protection in the face of sea-level rise would be enormous. Coastal and marine engineering today often is known as coastal management.
3. Computer Software Engineer: While this career may seem tame, the competition is astounding. Additionally, job projections put this career in a decline by three percent in the U.S. through 2018. Finally, legal requirements for the licensing or certification of professional software engineers vary around the world. While some jobs do not require certification, Israeli engineering law says that a person calling themselves an engineer without the proper license / registration could be sentenced to up to 6 months in jail. Certification programs are generally offered by product vendors or software firms, which may require professionals who work with their products to be certified. Voluntary certification also is available through various other organizations, such as professional computing societies.
4. Engineer Diver: This professional can plan, manage and successfully execute an underwater operation concerning engineering practice. These engineers need to undergo dive training as well as have five years’ of experience in conducting underwater structural inspections. Many of these jobs are located in the Army, although any engineering firm that manages coastal or offshore construction would find the need for the engineer diver. These jobs also are valuable to companies or organizations conducting investigations of underwater structures.
5. Genetic Engineer: This field deals with genetically engineering and — ultimately — altering what people perceive to be “normal.” For instance, one of the best-known and controversial applications of genetic engineering is the creation of genetically modified foods, or GMOs. However, humans have altered the genomes of species for thousands of years through artificial selection and, more recently, through mutagenesis. Genetic engineering as the direct manipulation of DNA by humans outside breeding and mutations has existed only since the 1970s. It is a radically new technology for altering the traits of living organisms by inserting genetic material that has been manipulated by artificial means.
6. Geoengineering: This modern concept looks at controlling the earth’s climate to counteract the effects provided by climate change. Since this career is so new, to date, no large-scale geoengineering projects have been undertaken. Additionally, since the term is intended to describe proposals to counter the effects of human-induced climate change, jobs may be difficult to find as many individuals believe that climate change, if it is occurring, is not created by man. That said, many geoengineering projects have been proposed, from solar radiation management to heat transport and Arctic geoengineering.
7. Military Engineer: According to NATO, “Military Engineering is that engineer activity undertaken, regardless of component or service, to shape the physical operating environment.” If you follow the link to this engineering job, you’ll come to the Society of American Military Engineers, an organization designed to “promote and facilitate engineering support for national security by developing and enhancing relationships and competencies among uniformed services, public and private sector engineers, and related professionals.” On the whole, however, military engineers plan for many different constructions essential in combat, warfare and survival and have, lately, been used as part of the team effort to reduce further damage after natural disasters.
8. Mining Engineer: Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers, find, extract, and prepare coal, metals, and minerals for use by manufacturing industries and utilities. They design open-pit and underground mines, supervise the construction of mine shafts and tunnels in underground operations, and devise methods for transporting minerals to processing plants. Mining engineers are responsible for the safe, economical, and environmentally sound operation of mines. They inspect the surfaces of walls and roofs, monitor air quality, and examine mining equipment for compliance with safety practices. Often, mining engineers are held accountable for any flaws or accidents that occur in mining operations.
9. Ocean Engineer: Ocean, or offshore, engineering can deal with fixed bottom founded) structures, floating structures, subsea engineering and dredging engineering. Usually, a background in civil or mechanical engineering with a taste for marine technology and ocean engineering can find a foothold in this career or in a program specific to this engineering field. Offshore & dredging engineers make structures such as fixed and floating platforms for the oil and gas industry, undersea pipelines and other underwater equipment for this sector. But, another application of offshore engineering is the design of offshore wind farms. Offshore & Dredging Engineers are the people who design facilities for the 70 percent of the earth’s surface area that is not land.
10. Petroleum Engineers: The job within this field is to find and produce hydrocarbons, or gas and oil production. Petroleum engineering requires a good knowledge of many other related disciplines, such as geophysics, petroleum geology, formation evaluation (well logging), drilling, economics, reservoir simulation, well engineering, artificial lift systems, and oil and gas facilities engineering. This job has become more difficult because of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster and the legal ramifications that may follow this incident, as well as the fact that petroleum engineering has become a technical profession that involves extracting oil in increasingly difficult situations as much of world’s oil fields already have been found and depleted.

Considering the world is relying more and more on technology, it seems, by odds, that the world may require more engineers to create the next best technology in any given field as well as fix the problems that any technology may create. If you want a solid career that involves engineering, you can learn more about certain fields through this ultimate guide to types of engineering and engineers. Each link leads to information on the Web from government and industry experts or from job sites that explain more about each field within this discipline.

1. Aerospace engineers, also known as aeronautical engineers, design, analyze, model, simulate and test all types of objects that move through air, gases or liquids. While many aerospace engineers focus on commercial airliners or spaceships, just as many engineers in this field might design the next best golf ball, hydrofoil ship or tall building that can withstand wind forces.
2. Agricultural engineers, also known as biological engineers, apply knowledge of engineering technology and science to agriculture and the efficient use of biological resources. Some engineers specialize in areas such as power systems and machinery design, structural and environmental engineering, and food and bioprocess engineering.
3. Bioengineering, or biological engineering, is the study of living systems and the ability to apply that knowledge to food supply safety, biologically-based sensors and more. These engineers contribute greatly to human health and the environment in their ability to destroy wastes and clean up contaminated soil and water.
4. Biochemical engineering is a hybrid between bioengineering and chemical engineering, seeking development of everything from raw materials preparation to product recovery, relevant to industries as diverse as medical/healthcare, food and environmental protection.
5. Biomedical engineers develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by combining their knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices. The goal, in most cases, is to advance human health and well-being.
6. Ceramic and Materials engineers solve problems by relying on their creative and technical skills to make products from ceramics as well as exotic materials. Innovation and industrial competitiveness are key in these careers, as well as the use of materials by advancing measurement science, standards and technology.
7. Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry to solve problems involving the production or use of chemicals and other products. These engineers may work in healthcare, biotechnology, and business services to apply principles of physics, mathematics, and mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as chemistry.
8. Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems. Civil engineering, considered one of the oldest engineering disciplines, encompasses many specialties such as structural, water resources, construction, transportation, and geotechnical engineering.
9. Computer Hardware engineers research, design, develop, test, and oversee the manufacture and installation of computer hardware, including computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related equipment such as keyboards, routers, and printers.
10. Computer Software engineers, also known as computer programmers, design and develop software. They apply the theories and principles of computer science and mathematical analysis to create, test, and evaluate the software applications and systems that make computers work [video].
11. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Although the terms electrical and electronics engineering often are used interchangeably, electrical engineers traditionally focus on the generation and supply of power, whereas electronics engineers work on applications of electricity to control systems or signal processing.
12. Environmental engineers Design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental health hazards utilizing various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.
13. Geological and Geophysical engineers utilize geological principles in aspects of development and civil engineering. This field within engineering is closely related to coastal and ocean engineering, mine engineering and environmental engineering. Also known as geotechnical engineering.
14. Health and Safety engineers plan, implement, and coordinate safety programs to prevent or correct unsafe environmental working conditions in a variety of environments. Health and safety engineers develop procedures and designs to reduce the risk of illness, injury, or damage.
15. Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways to use the basic factors of production (people, machines, materials, information, and energy) to make a product or to provide a service. It is considered a productivity and efficiency profession, often bridging gaps between CEOs and workforce productivity.
16. Manufacturing engineers direct and coordinate the processes for making things from the beginning to the end. A career in this field demands constant updates with leading trends and technologies in any given manufacturing process.
17. Marine and Ocean engineers are involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of ships, boats, and related equipment. Marine engineers work on the propulsion, steering, and other systems of ships. Marine engineers and naval architects apply knowledge from a range of fields to the entire process by which water vehicles are designed and produced.
18. Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, manufacture, and test tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices. Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines, often crossing over into other disciplines to work on projects that range from artificial organs to the expanding field of nanotechnology.
19. Mining and Geological engineers may include mining safety engineers and investigative occupations. Work may involve conducting preliminary surveys, planning development, making geological and topographical surveys, evolving methods of mining best suited to character, type, and size of deposits; and supervising operations.
20. Nuclear engineers usually are hired by the Federal Government, utilities companies, and the research and testing units of defense and engineering companies. Fields include consumer and industrial power, space exploration, water supply, food supply, environment and pollution, health, and transportation.

The following list is divided into categories, and each link is listed alphabetically within those categories.

Engineering Science

1. Candid Engineer in Academia: Gain some insight into science and academia from the perspective of a “tell-it-lie-it-is” postdoctoral engineer.
2. Central Science: Chemical & Engineering News is a weekly magazine published by the American Chemical Society, and this blog offers the latest news in supplement to that publication.
3. Curious Cat: A science and engineering blog created by John Hunter, a man with experience in management improvement and related areas.
4. Dave’s Landslide Blog: This blog provides a commentary on landslide events occurring worldwide, including the landslides themselves.
5. Englibrary: Drexel University is behind this seemingly unending resource for scientists, engineers and technologists.
6. Fairer Science: FairerScience is committed to changing science in terms of gender and where gender issues in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) interact with issues of race/ethnicity and disability.
7. R. Salgado’s Blog: Rodrigo Salgado is a professor at the Purdue University School of Civil Engineering.
8. Scientists and Engineers for America: SEA’s mission is to promote evidence-based decision making in at all levels of of the U.S. government.

Engineering Tech and Software

9. Aditya Kavoor’s Blog: Aditya is in his final year of software engineering in Bangalore. He is a free software activist and a bit of a wandering journalist (literally).
10. Angel’s Civil 3D Thoughts: Angel is an Autodesk Civil Engineering Technical Specialist who offers his insights into civil engineering projects.
11. Aviation Critic & Enthusiast: Intended as a “watering hole” for former EAC and EAC-NG bloggers, this site has expanded to include discussion of economics as well as rumor, speculation and gossip.
12. CADCAM Blog: CADDIT and partners based in Sydney, Australia, share CAD and design software support services online for Autodesk AutoCAD compatible applications and more.
13. CCIE Blog: Cisco Certified training courses provide IT training to thousands of engineers, and the blog keeps them all informed.
14. Down at the Company Blog: Brought to you by Screaming Circuits, this blog offers design advice, cool things and company news.
15. Flying Flux: Take a gander at this “hi-tech worker bee who works for a multi-national.” Topics include technology, but also politics and philosophy.
16. IgorShare Weblog: IgorShare Consulting provides consulting services in building Enterprise Service-oriented (S+S) systems and scale them locally and to the cloud.
17. Joel on Software: Over the last decade, Joel has written 1069 articles on his site about software development, management, business, and the Internet.
18. Machine Vision for Users: If you want to learn more about the application of computer vision to industry and manufacturing, follow this blog.
19. Networkers Online: Networkers-online.com was found by a group of network engineers with different backgrounds in networking.
20. Paving the Way: Scott McEachron leads students and professionals into a world filled with AutoCAD Civil 3D technology.
21. Rands in Repose: Content on this blog varies from thoughts of being an engineering manager in Silicon Valley to writing to what it’s like to be a nerd.
22. Software Engineering – Best Practices: This blog focuses on software engineering’s newest trends.
23. stevenf: If you want to follow a technology nerd who focuses on software and technology, this is your guy.
24. Wireless Sensor Networks Blog: This blog focuses totally on wireless sensor networks, new products, latest papers and much more for engineers.

Engineering from All Angles

25. Ambivalent Engineer: Iain McClatchie is interested in engineering of all kinds: digital logic, cameras (optics), power, rockets…
26. Chemical Engineering World: This blogger has experienced chemical engineering in three different areas; research (academics); oil and gas; and oil and fats.
27. Engineering &…: This blog features examples of how engineering intersects with the economy, society, education, and national interests in general.
28. Engineering Pathway: This blog tries to turn ideas into reality with learning, connections and creativity. Their “Today in History” is popular.
29. Engineering TV: A blog, an online video program, a learning place with cutting-edge technology and design…that’s Engineering TV, by engineers for engineers.
30. I Think Mining: A blogger and civil engineer writes about mining with a critical eye, because he thinks mining can and should be done better.
31. iMechanica: A Web of “mechanics and mechanicians” who deal with everything from research to software, education to industry.
32. The Auto Prophet: Follow this engineer who works in product development for an American automotive company.
33. The Engineering Daily: This is a Web-only magazine passionately dedicated to providing engineers with relevant and useful content on a variety of topics.
34. The Learning Diary of an Israeli Water Engineer: Follow along and learn about this engineer’s issues, both physically and politically.
35. Thoughts on business, engineering and higher education: Dr. Aurelie Thiele is an academic expert on quantitative risk and uncertainty management.
36. World of Engineering: A Science/Engineering Librarian at Western Michigan University started this page to provide news and information to faculty and students at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Sustainable Science, Tech and Engineering

37. BOSS International Blog: BOSS develops and markets high-end water resource civil engineering software, and the engineering director, Chris Maeder, P.E., is the blog leader with a focus on alternate energies and water issues.
38. Civil Solutions Blog: The Civil Solutions Group offers a blog that focuses on sustainability in Civil Engineering.
39. Cleantech Blog: This blog, going strong since 2005, provides commentary on news and tech relating to clean tech, greentech, energy, climate change and carbon, and the environment.
40. EcoGeek: According to this blog, “Those who shun technologies that could save the planet are just as guilty as those who ignore the environment.” Enjoy.
41. Engineering Ethics Blog: Comments on current events with an engineering ethics angle.
42. Good Clean Tech: This is an independent guide to Ecotechnology, with topics that range from apps and Web site to wind energy.
43. Green Building Advisor: This is a complete guide for building, designing and remodeling green homes, from a scientific engineering perspective.
44. Green-Trust: This site is filled with technical and scientific engineering projects, plans and discussions for sustainable environments both at the individual and group or organization level.
45. Greenbuild: Every year, the Greenbuild conference hosts a blog to keep track of news regarding the event and the environmentally-friendly construction efforts of varying participants.
46. Jetson Green: The obsessive green building blog that appeals to laymen as well as to engineers.
47. Strategies for Sustainability: Learn more about how businesses, communities, governments, NGOs, institutions, and individuals use systems thinking and a holistic approach to sustainable development to create a more sustainable future.
48. The Energy Zarr Blog: Rick Zarr from National Semiconductor leads readers into worlds filled with energy-efficient designs.
49. The Farming Engineers: Meet Mr. and Mrs. B. Mrs. B. has “retired” from her engineering career to farm and raise a child. Mr. B. is still working as an engineer…at least for now.
50. Urban Workbench: This blog represents the intersection between urban planning, design and civil engineering.

If you are interested in learning a little bit more about the world around you, and about engineering, here are 50 free open courseware classes that address different aspects of engineering.

Mechanical Engineering

This is a rather large field, mostly studying the mechanics of how things work. Biomedical engineering and automotive engineering, as well as other types of engineering, fall into this area.

1. Mechanics and Materials: An introduction, from MIT, about how different solids work, and their material properties.
2. Introduction to Biological Engineering Design: Get a handle on biological engineering.
3. Thermodynamics: Learn some of the underlying principles of mechanical engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.
4. Introduction to Ocean Science and Engineering: Learn more about naval engineering in this interesting course.
5. Biomedical Engineering: Learn about this type of engineering from Delft University of Technology.
6. Introduction to Robotics: This fascinating course can help mechanical engineers and others learn more about robots.

Chemical Engineering

This type of engineering is about the way atoms and molecules interact. There are a number of interesting applications for those involved in chemical engineering, including plastics and foods.

7. Molecular Aspects of Chemical Engineering: MIT offers a look at engineering on this tiny level.
8. Numerical Methods Applied to Chemical Engineering: Learn about different ways to apply numerical methods to engineering.
9. Polymer Engineering: Learn more about plastics and polymers in this engineering course.
10. Agricultural Science and Policy: Learn basics related to ag and food engineering from Tufts.
11. Principles of Drug Development: Learn the basics of drug development from Johns Hopkins University.

Environmental Engineering

One of the growing engineering fields is that of environmental engineering. Learn about design an engineering related to environmental factors.

12. Climatology applied to Engineering and the Environment: The Technical University of Madrid offers this course on climatology and environmental engineering.
13. Ecology II: Engineering for Sustainability: Learn basics of ecology and how you can engineer for sustainability.
14. Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings: A look at engineering buildings so that they are more energy efficient.
15. Computing and Data Analysis for Environmental Applications: Learn how to apply engineering knowledge to environmental issues.
16. Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: Humboldt State University offers a good look at the science behind the environment and natural resources.

Civil Engineering

This type of engineering is all about infrastructure. Learn about housing, construction and other aspects of how our society is built.

17. Civil Engineering Measurements: Learn the measurements in civil engineering, read lecture notes and get a general feel for civil engineering from the University of Memphis.
18. Residential Subdivision Design and Construction: Penn State offers a look at the engineering aspects of residential subdivisions.
19. Transportation Flow Systems: Learn how to design transportation systems from MIT.
20. Mechanics and Design of Concrete Structures: This is essential information in civil engineering.
21. Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering: Utah State University offers helpful techniques and applications.

Software Engineering

This interesting field of engineering deals with technology and information systems.

22. Software Engineering Concepts: Get the basics of what goes into software engineering.
23. Engineering Statistics: Learn more about statistics and how to use them in engineering, including software applications from the Open Learning Initiative.
24. Information Theory: Get a handle on information and the theory behind software and IT.
25. Elements of Software Construction: MIT takes you through the basics of constructing software.
26. Laboratory in Software Engineering: Go through what you need to engineer software systems.

Electrical Engineering

Learn about electricity, and about technological development and devices with this type of engineering.

27. Circuits and Electronics: This is vital knowledge if you are interested in electrical engineering.
28. Fundamentals of Photonics: Quantum Electronics: Learn about optical engineering from MIT.
29. High Speed Communication Circuits: Get a handle on how technology and optical electronics are changing the face of communications engineering.
30. Electromagnetic Fields, Forces and Motion: Basic understanding of fields and forces and how motion is affected.
31. Advanced Electromagnetic Waves: Tokyo Tech takes you through information on electromagnetics.

Aerospace Engineering

If you are interested in things that fly, whether they fly in the sky or go beyond, into space, then aerospace engineering might be for you.

32. Introduction to Aerospace Engineering and Design: Get a start on aeronautics and astronautics.
33. Aerodynamics: These basic principles are required if you want to engineer anything that flies.
34. Flight Structures I: KFUPM provides a look at the structures used in flight, and how they are designed and engineered.
35. Computational Methods in Aerospace Engineering: Learn how to apply different computational techniques to aerospace.
36. Space Systems Engineering: Out of this world engineering design and principles from MIT.

Geotechnical Engineering

This interesting branch of engineering deals with resource development, such as mining, oil, and geomatics.

37. Advanced Geotechnical Engineering: Learn about how to engineer systems according to the geological requirements of an area.
38. Advanced Soil Mechanics: Learn about how earth works, and what goes on geologically.
39. Integrated Chemical Engineering II: This MIT course deals with fossil fuels: coal, oil and gas.
40. Petroleum Engineering: As you might expect, the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals offers courses on petroleum engineering.

Nuclear Engineering

Learn more about engineering related to different parts of atoms, especially the nucleus. Engineering on an interesting — and small — level.

41. Managing Nuclear Technology: Learn about nuclear technology and engineering.
42. Nuclear Systems Design Project: Learn how to design nuclear systems from MIT.
43. Engineering of Nuclear Reactors: Basic information on nuclear reactor design and engineering.
44. MHD Theory of Fusion Systems: Get the theory behind fusion and creating fusion systems.
45. Structural Mechanics in Nuclear Power Technology: The structural details of nuclear power.

Engineering Management

Even if you are not directly working as an engineer, you can be involved in engineering management. Learn the basics of this interesting career related to engineering.

46. Engineering Ethics: An overview of the ethical situations involved in engineering.
47. Management in Engineering: Learn the theory behind properly managing teams of engineers.
48. Introduction to Lean Six Sigma Methods: An overview of this specific type of project management in engineering.
49. System and Project Management: Project management help for engineers and engineering managers.
50. International Institute of Management: Get a handle on basic principles of management that you can use in the engineering field.

1. Roads and Bridges: Passenger and commercial travel on highways has improved in a massive way through previous last 10 years and US has started thinking serious into the repair of road and bridges. However, it is yet under investing in that area, which is a dangerous trend and is needed to be looked at.
2. Mass transit: In this area there remains a considerable backlog of overage buses and rail vehicles. And complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Clean Air Act amendments presents a new problem before mass transit.
3. Aviation: Though the U.S. aviation system is in neat shape presently, however, it faces extreme crunch of finances the near future without reorganization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and rising investment in airport facilities and air traffic technology. The level of air travel can be disturbed if it is not updated and expanded in appropriate manner.
4. Drinking Water: The condition of drinking water has been improved in many communities after the enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986. However, efforts are needed for protecting underground water and its resources.
5. Dams: Lives of Americans depend on dams for water supply, power generation, flood control, irrigation, and recreation. Problem is that many of American dams have lived out their life and are in need of repair. Though effort has been made to improve conditions yet there are many unsafe dams at risk.
6. Waste Water: Despite clean water legislation in 1972 many of the America’s rivers are not more than open sewers. Wetlands disappeared at the rapid rate and rivers like Cuyahoga in Cleveland were burning. Though water quality has improved to a greater extent yet the acceptable limits are yet to be reached out by.
7. Solid waste: All the efforts to recycle and reduce the amount of waste that America generates are wearing out to ever increasing population. States and municipalities are running out of space to put waste, and communities continue to oppose landfill sites. However land filling has become safer with introduction of new technologies.
8. Hazardous waste: This is the next infra problem for America that gathers nearly 530,000,000 tons of the municipal and industrial wastes every year classified as hazardous to health or the environment. Industry contributes more than half of this waste. And the waste cleaning process has become more expensive and slower after the enactment of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, better known as Superfund, was enacted in 1980.
9. Schools: As according to a recent survey, nearly 88, 000 public elementary and secondary schools is America of substandard condition and requires major repairs due to leaking  roofs, plumbing problems, inadequate heating, or other system failures.
10. Railways: Once there was a lot to talk about American railroads as they crisscrossed the nation. But by 20th century passing by American railways lost its glory and charm   and by 1970 enormous amount of American Rail heritage was withered out. And that all is needed to be restored once again.