Here is a sample of engineering-related books that are new to Gleeson Library. To view additional titles, see New Engineering Books on the library website.
How Technology Works: The Facts Visually Explained
“How Technology Works” is a comprehensive guide that demystifies the inner workings of everyday objects and cutting-edge innovations. From simple tools like zip fasteners to complex technologies such as driverless cars, the book explores a wide range of inventions that have shaped our world. It covers historical breakthroughs like the internal combustion engine and potential future solutions for global challenges. Using clear explanations and original graphics, the book breaks down complex devices into easily understandable components. Organized by application areas such as home, transportation, and computing, it offers readers a user-friendly exploration of STEM concepts, making it an ideal resource for curious minds seeking to understand the mechanics of the modern world.
Latin* Students in Engineering: An Intentional Focus on a Growing Population
“Latin* Students in Engineering” explores the underrepresentation of Latin* individuals in engineering education and the workforce. The book examines current challenges and opportunities for Latin* students in engineering, considering both theoretical and empirical perspectives. It addresses institutional and social barriers to their success and retention, while also highlighting emerging efforts to improve their educational experiences. The volume concludes by discussing future research directions, policy recommendations, and practical strategies to enhance opportunities for Latin* students in engineering. This work is crucial for meeting the growing demand for engineering skills in the U.S. workforce and promoting equity in the field.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s biography by Walter Isaacson reveals a complex innovator shaped by childhood trauma and his father’s influence. The book explores Musk’s journey from a bullied child in South Africa to the world’s richest man, detailing his contributions to electric vehicles, space exploration, and AI. Isaacson, who shadowed Musk for two years, provides an intimate look at the entrepreneur’s risk-taking nature, mood swings, and intense drive. The biography examines Musk’s compulsion for drama and his acquisition of Twitter, questioning whether the same demons that drive him are necessary for innovation and progress.
Ethics and Engineering: An Introduction
The world population is growing, yet we continue to pursue higher levels of well-being, and as a result, increasing energy demands and the destructive effects of climate change are just two of many major threats that we face. Engineers play an indispensable role in addressing these challenges, and whether they recognize it or not, in doing so they will inevitably encounter a whole range of ethical choices and dilemmas. This book examines and explains the ethical issues in engineering, showing how they affect assessment, design, sustainability, and globalization, and explores many recent examples including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Dieselgate, ‘naked scanners’ at airports, and biofuel production. Detailed but accessible, the book will enable advanced engineering students and professional engineers to better identify and address the ethical problems in their practice.
The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans
“The Things We Make” by Bill Hammack explores the universal “engineering method” that has driven human progress for millennia. This hidden process, used in everything from agriculture to microchip design, follows consistent steps to solve problems and create innovations. Hammack, an award-winning professor and YouTuber, reveals how this method has shaped our world, from ancient cathedrals to modern soda cans. The book offers a fascinating perspective on human ingenuity, celebrating past achievements and future potential while changing how readers view the world around them.
Long Hard Road: The Lithium-Ion Battery and the Electric Car
Long Hard Road” chronicles the development of the lithium-ion battery from academic labs to its pivotal role in electric cars. It details the battery’s journey through Japanese corporate culture, highlighting the race between Asahi Chemical and Sony to create a suitable anode. The book explores how lithium-ion technology overcame previous battery limitations, revolutionizing the electric car industry. It traces the evolution from early failures to AC Propulsion’s innovative use of small lithium-ion cells, which eventually led to mainstream adoption by major automakers. The author emphasizes that the battery’s creation was a collective effort of numerous scientists and inventors, rather than the work of a single individual or small group.
Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a STEM Trailblazer
Dr. Sandra K. Johnson’s inspiring journey as an African American woman in STEM is chronicled in this book. From humble beginnings in the segregated South, she became the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University in 1988. Despite personal challenges, her innate abilities, discipline, and resilience led her to become an IBM Chief Technology Officer and a global technology leader. Dr. Johnson’s story showcases her innovative contributions to high-performance computing, numerous patents, and technical publications. This compelling narrative highlights her triumph over adversity, demonstrating the power of persistence, faith, and soft power in achieving success in a challenging field.
Hidden in Plain Sight: The History, Science, and Engineering of Microfluidic Technology
Albert Folch’s book explores the hidden world of microfluidics, a technology that underpins many essential devices in our daily lives. From inkjet printers to DNA sequencers, Folch reveals the stories behind these miniature fluidic marvels. He traces the development of key inventions, explaining both the technical aspects and the human efforts that made them possible. The book covers a wide range of applications, including organs-on-chips for drug testing, at-home pregnancy tests, cancer detection, and 3D printing. With engaging storytelling and over 100 color illustrations, Folch makes the invisible world of microfluidics accessible to non-specialists.
Indigenous Engineering for an Enduring Culture
Indigenous Australians have engineered their landscape for millennia using sophisticated knowledge systems that integrate understanding of topography, geology, natural cycles, ecology, hydrology, and resources. This approach enables sustainable resource management and demonstrates a developed society capable of maintaining and refining accumulated knowledge. The book acknowledges Indigenous engineering’s ingenuity, grounded in principles of sustainability, reciprocity, respect, and diversity. It challenges Western engineering perspectives and provides examples of collaboration between Western and Indigenous engineering principles. The work aims to integrate Indigenous knowledge into Australian engineering curricula, aligning with the Australian Council of Engineering Deans’ 2017 position statement.
How Things Work: The Inner Life of Everyday Machines
Theodore Gray has become a household name among fans, both young and old, of popular science and mechanics. He’s an incorrigible tinkerer with a constant curiosity for how things work. Gray’s readers love how he always brings the perfect combination of know-how, humor, and daring-do to every project or demonstration, be it scientific or mechanical. In How Things Work he explores the mechanical underpinnings of dozens of types of machines and mechanisms, from the cotton gin to the wristwatch to an industrial loom. Filled with stunning original photographs in Gray’s inimitable style, How Things Work is a must-have exploration of stuff—large and small—for any builder, maker or lover of mechanical things.
Book summaries composed with AI-assistance.