Practicing Problems for PE, FE, and SE Exam Shown to "Get Brain Juices Flowing"

Is practicing problems for your FE, PE, or SE exam part of your study plan? You may spend time attending online lectures, reading, and making notes in your reference material, but studies have shown that merely reviewing material won't cut it for a thorough exam preparation. 

You've probably heard the phrase "Get those brain juices flowing.." and it makes sense that the flowing of said "brain juices" would be beneficial in studying for the FE Civil, PE Mechanical, or SE Vertical exam, right? So, what is the best way to promote information consolidation? Our answer: Practicing Problems.

Actually practicing a set of problems may seem simple enough, but psychological studies have proven that there is a lot of science behind what makes practicing problems effective. In fact, practicing has been found to be one of the most effective techniques for studying because of the boost in cognitive functionality when doing so.

How Research Supports the Claim of Practicing Problems in Accordance with Brain Functionality 

A study done by Tufts University does show the correlation between practicing problems for an exam and the increase of brain power/ memory consolidation. Researchers time matched two groups of participants: participants who merely studied without practicing problems and participants who used practice problems as part of their study methods. According to Amanda Smith, a psychology graduate who worked on the research project, those who actually practiced problems during their study sessions performed much better on their exams when compared to the other group. "It's not a matter of how much or how long you study," she said, "it's a matter of how you study."i

So why does practicing problems help in preparing for an exam? Though there are many factors that can come into play, actual physical changes in the brain that are caused by practicing can be attributed towards the positive results. 

According to Annie Bolser and Don Greene, who spoke on the subject matter in a TED-ED presentation, practicing something over and over can change the physical structure of your brain. 

When practicing something, such as practice problems for an NCEES exam, myelin begins to build up around axons in the brain, thereby improving overall insulation. Scientists and neurologists believe that the extra insulation that myelin provides can increase overall axon functionality. As axons are responsible for sending electrical signals throughout the brain, it makes sense that the extra insulation can increase brain functionality and even help an individual to recall information quickly in an exam environment.ⁱⁱ 

How We Can Help Get Those Brain Juices Flowing

If you're looking to take an NCEES exam in the near future, we can get your brain juices flowing by assisting you in our FE, PE, or SE exam prep courses. Our courses include practice problem and solutions sheets, so you can sufficiently prepare for your chosen exam (and grow some myelin)!

References:

i Thomas, A., & Smith, A. (Researchers). Practice makes perfect: Learning by taking practice tests protects memory against stress [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDIqEui5mpQ

ii Bosler, A., & Greene, D. (Educators). How to Practice Effectively [Video File]. Retrieved from 

https://ed.ted.com/lessons /how-to-practice-effectively for-just-about-anything annie-bosler-and-don-greene

Don't Miss A Deadline: Why Project Management is Important in Engineering

In a single engineering project, a lot goes on behind the scenes- and it's not just designing, strategizing, and developing an item. Outside of the engineering visionaries lies other professionals who help manage the project as a whole by keeping the entire team on schedule. They are project managers. 

Table of Contents

1. What is a project manager?

2. How do they play a role in engineering?

3. Engineers can be Project Managers, too!

What is a project manager? 

According to the Project Management Institute®, project managers are passionate goal-setters who use their organization and communication stills to strategically help companies or teams succeed in their projects. From the beginning of a project to the overseeing the completion of a final report on a completed project, project managers help ensure a project goes smoothly by collaborating with team members throughout the entire duration. Typically to become a Project Manager, one must take and pass the Project Management Professional, or PMP® exam.

How do they play a role in engineering? 

Project managers play an extremely important role in the engineering world. When diving into an engineering project, project managers work hard and provide constant communication to team members to ensure the project is finished on time without going over budget. Another important role of project manager is to serve as a liaison between the engineering team and a client, ensuring all communication is recorded and addressed accordingly. 

Think about it: without a project manager on a team, deadlines can become foggy, therefore risking a firm's relationship with a client. When a client contacts an engineering firm to complete a project, they are putting their trust in your firm (while putting a large sum of corporate dollars on the line too). 

Engineers can be Project Managers, too! 

Just because you're an engineer (or aiming to become a licensed professional engineer), doesn't mean you can't be a project manager. In fact, there are many licensed engineers who have also continued their education to become project managers. By having a PMP certification as well as your PE license, your career will be extremely rewarding. As an engineer with a PMP certification, you will be able to: 

1. Become a leader in your engineer firm
2. Use your risk management knowledge to determine any risk a project may present
3. Get extra time to communicate directly with clients
4. And more!

Interested in learning more about becoming a project manager? We can help! To learn more about our suggested method of preparing for the certification exam, click here.

Been Out of School for a While? Don't Fall for the Misconception that You'll Struggle with the PE Exam

As an NCEES exam prep provider, we get a lot of inquiries from people who are unsure of taking their PE because they have been out of school for a while. We understand that taking a big, career-determining exam can be daunting, and people of all ages are fully capable of passing their chosen exam. 

So why do people believe this misconception? While it is true that those who take an NCEES exam during or right after college have the information needed to take the exam fresh in their mind, efficiently preparing for your chosen exam with a strategic study and preparation plan can lead to success. As we've worked with many students who haven't been in the classroom for 30+ years, we'd like to say we know a thing or two about what helps those students out the best. 

Below are a few tips to ensure you won't miss a beat in the exam, no matter what your age: 

Take a Refresher Math Class 

There are many careers out there that you technically don't need many math skills for, but as you know, engineering is not one of them. If you're looking to take an NCEES exam and haven't studied math in a while, taking a math refresher class can help you regain the math knowledge you may have forgotten throughout the years. If you think you need a better grasp on vectors, conversion factors, or Quadratic equations, finding a free basic engineering math class will help. 

Get Insights from a Professional Engineer 

What better is there to prepare for the PE exam than getting assistance from someone who has already passed the exam? By being tutored by a Professional Engineer or even attending an online class that is taught by one, you'll get a great refresher on what will be on the PE exam and know how to approach each problem.

Featured Engineer: How One Female Helped Shape the Mechanical Engineering Field

Are you interested in becoming a licensed engineer? Becoming licensed in the engineering field has great significance in one's professional engineer- but have you ever considered how the engineering field has evolved throughout the last century to be as advanced and forthcoming as it is today? Although there are many factors that have made the engineering field so abundant, there are many individuals who helped transform the field into what it is today. 

If you're interested in becoming a PE Mechanical engineer, Kate Gleason is a great figure to point out. With her inventions, her determination, and her differentiation of being female, she made enormous strides which have affected how the engineering field operates today. 

Table of Contents

1. Who was Kate Gleason?

2. What did she do?

3. What were her accomplishments?

4. How she is celebrated today

1. Who was Kate Gleason?

Catherine Gleason, who went by "Kate," is largely known as being both a businesswoman and engineer in the late 1800s/ early 1900s. During her career, she was seen as an inspiration and role model for many aspiring female engineers, as she had many accomplishments in a predominantly male field. 

2. What did she do? 

In the late 1800s, Gleason joined her family business and worked alongside her father, eventually becoming the Secretary-Treasurer of the organization in 1890. A highlight of her work there included the design and invention of a machine which produced cheap beveled gears at a rapid pace. This invention ultimately allowed the family business to grow and flourish, and became the leading national producer of gear-cutting machinery during the First World War. 

After eventually leaving her family's business to further develop her career, she began various businesses including a construction company. Altogether, she started eight businesses. 

3. What were her accomplishments? 

Kate Gleason had many accomplishments throughout her career. Of course, being such an accomplished female engineer in a male-dominated field is an accomplishment in itself, especially during the late 1800s/ early 1900s. To top off the gender gap, Kate became the first female to join the American Concrete Institute as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. 

4. How she is celebrated today

Although Gleason died in 1933, she is still remembered and honored by engineers everywhere. In fact, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers established its Kate Gleason Award in 2011. This award is meant to celebrate female leaders in the engineering industry. 

Engineers at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) also recognize Gleason for her hard work and dedication every day, as the institution named the engineering college after her.

Structure Spotlights: Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge Designed to Withstand Earthquakes

Everywhere and anywhere we go, there are products literally everywhere that were created because of engineers. The roads that you drive on were strategically mapped out by transportation engineers; the air conditioners that keep commercial buildings cool during the summer were designed by HVAC mechanical engineers; and- the purpose of this article- the structures all around you, whether they be towering skyscrapers or bridges- were strategically designed by architectural and structural engineers. 

As an engineering licensure exam prep provider, we want to celebrate the amazing products that engineers around the world (especially our students) create. This, as well as future Structural Spotlight articles, will focus on one structure in the United States that stands out. 

For this feature, we want to put the spotlight on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina. 

If you've ever visited Charleston, South Carolina, you've probably seen colorful, colonial buildings, multiple groups of history tours, and this tall, two diamond bridge suspended over the Cooper River. 

So why did we choose this bridge to spotlight? While there are many spectacular aspects of the design of the bridge, the main reason we want to feature the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is because of the stability that was put into strong consideration in the architecture of the bridge. 

In 1886, the strongest earthquake on the east coast struck the town of Charleston, SC, causing $5-$6 billion in damages. Almost all of the buildings in the town were damaged and had to be repaired or torn down and built back up. The earthquake was measured having an approx. 6.9-7.3 magnitude- which, if you know anything about earthquakes- anything above a 6 magnitude is considered strong to major and can cause detrimental damage. 

According to an article on the matter of seismic activity in the Charleston, SC area, the area is predicted to have a high chance of a 6 magnitude earthquake in the next 50 years, whereas 42 other states only have a "reasonable chance." 

With this in mind, as well as the common thought by geologists that earthquakes typically repeat themselves every 100 years or so, modern architectural projects were built with the focus of complete stability in order to maintain the least damage possible in case of an earthquake. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina was one project that PE Architectural engineers, as well as Structural engineers, focused on. Opened in 2005, the 4-km-long bridge was designed by engineers to withstand seismic activity. With a large span, the bridge was constructed to withstand up to a 7.4 magnitude earthquake.

If you visit Charleston, SC in the near future, this bridge is a must to see! This bridge, along with various other amazing structures nationwide, were all strategically designed by PE Architectural and Structural engineers.