The Girl, the Internet, and the Pontiac Fiero

[PGlaves]

Pay attention Dads and Moms.

"Dearborn, Michigan (CNN) -- A couple years ago, Jerry DiMaria signed up for an online forum and started a new thread: "A few months ago," he wrote, "our 12 year old DAUGHTER came in and said, 'Dad, Mom, can we talk for a minute?'"

Kathryn had a proposition for them: She wanted to build a car, a Pontiac Fiero."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/24/tech/g...?iref=obinsite

[SeabeckS]

Cool story!

[womanridge]

Way to go, Kathryn!
Who knows. Maybe she'll buy an old BMW bike next. Paul could be her mentor.

[SQUAREHEAD]

I had a Fiero with a V6, I was a fun little car, sold it before it became a maintenance nightmare.

[pffog]

Great story, too many kids just playing video games and burying their noses in their cell phones. She will be 20 steps ahead in Engineering school, and a desirable hire when graduated, because of the understanding of interaction and REAL things, not just the math part.

[lkchris]

Yes, there's night/day difference between being a mechanic and an engineer and I'd too hope she goes to school.

Related: http://m.theatlantic.com/technology/...eering/262373/

[pffog]

Yes, there's night/day difference between being a mechanic and an engineer and I'd too hope she goes to school.

Related: http://m.theatlantic.com/technology/...eering/262373/

Well as a life long mechanic/troubleshooter, and someone that earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering at the ripe young age of 44, I don't completely agree with the night/day comment.

There are a LOT of shared skills, the most important is the curiosity to find solutions, the understanding of how things work, the desire to improve things, and the connection between systems, and how one effects the other. Both are the foundation of a good tech and ME, IMHO.

A degree opens doors, it does not necessarily change a thought process.

[36654]

She will be 20 steps ahead in Engineering school, and a desirable hire when graduated, because of the understanding of interaction and REAL things, not just the math part.

I wouldn't go too far with that line of thinking. In most research universities, the ability to turn a wrench or solder a connection is a quaint thing that the strange students do.

[braddog]

Great story, thanks for sharing. I see they referenced the Tyler Shipman story in that article as well. This story is not only about a young lady's dreams and efforts, but also how the online community can really support someone. Many of us have experienced that right here, from these very forums, or other forums we may frequent.

[ChaseH]

I had a Fiero with a V6, I was a fun little car, sold it before it became a maintenance nightmare.

You need an adolescent daughter to handle that part of it for you.

[clowry]

I love seeing stories like this! Our 23 year old daughter became a fully licensed Automotive Service Technician in August. Although it's not what we expected she'd be doing, we're behind her 100% and couldn't be more proud of her!

[PGlaves]

Well as a life long mechanic/troubleshooter, and someone that earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering at the ripe young age of 44, I don't completely agree with the night/day comment.

There are a LOT of shared skills, the most important is the curiosity to find solutions, the understanding of how things work, the desire to improve things, and the connection between systems, and how one effects the other. Both are the foundation of a good tech and ME, IMHO.

A degree opens doors, it does not necessarily change a thought process.

I would add that in mechanical repair, there is a huge difference between learning to swap parts on newer vehicles, and learning to innovate and fabricate when restoring old vehicles. While the skills may overlap a bit, in many ways they are totally different.

[PGlaves]

I wouldn't go too far with that line of thinking. In most research universities, the ability to turn a wrench or solder a connection is a quaint thing that the strange students do.

Which is sad, and should serve as an indictment of the attitudes at those universities.

[36654]

Which is sad, and should serve as an indictment of the attitudes at those universities.

Associate professors become full professors by publishing in journals. Once the associate prof becomes a full prof, they need to maintain a constant stream of grad students and proposals (which fund the grad students). In most cases, that requires low risk research.....computational models in the engineering world.

Undergraduates with high GPA's are recruited for the graduate work and enter system. In many cases, the students on this track and their professors have never been to, or even know the location of, the career placement office at their colleges/universities. Their careers have little to do with the market economy, they are focused on the lucrative education industry.

It's a strange world. But, always "World Class". At each and every school!

[PGlaves]

Associate professors become full professors by publishing in journals. Once the associate prof becomes a full prof, they need to maintain a constant stream of grad students and proposals (which fund the grad students). In most cases, that requires low risk research.....computational models in the engineering world.

Undergraduates with high GPA's are recruited for the graduate work and enter system. In many cases, the students on this track and their professors have never been to, or even know the location of, the career placement office at their colleges/universities. Their careers have little to do with the market economy, they are focused on the lucrative education industry.

It's a strange world. But, always "World Class". At each and every school!

Which is sad, and should serve as an indictment of the attitudes at those universities.