Ninja-neering

As engineers, we often get asked what we do. I generally struggle (even more than other engineers) to answer this simple question. Recently, my wife asked our three-year-old daughter, “What does Daddy do at his job?”. She confidently replied, “He is a ninja-neer” (initially we thought she was trying to say engineer).

My wife followed up and asked, “Well, what does he DO while at work?”

“HE FIGHTS BAD GUYS!” she replied enthusiastically.

I got a kick out of her response. Even if I consider our programs to “fight” (or reduce) E-Coli loadings in rivers or main breaks in water distribution systems, my work isn’t quite as exciting as my daughter’s imagination.

At the same time, maybe we need to introduce a little more innovative energy into our work. Particularly on water projects, we typically try to draw as little attention as we can to our treatment and conveyance projects. Those who proceeded us in the profession didn’t seem to have the same philosophy. I am thinking of the prominence of projects such as the Roman aqueducts, or Hoover Dam.

Maybe I need to introduce a little more innovative energy or “ninja-neering” into my own work. If successful, I might even update the title on my business card…