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A Brief Explanation of Engineering Featuring Shane Lowney

Engineering is a broad term used to describe the application of empirical evidence, math, and economic, social, scientific, and practical knowledge. This application is then further used to design, build, and maintain machines, systems, structures, and processes. The term itself can be dated back to 1300. As a discipline, Engineering encompasses an array of specialized fields with different emphases on specific areas of applied science and technology.  Shane Lowney is a graduate of the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) who garnered a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Shane specializes in designing and manufacturing weapon systems, transportation products, and engines. Other branches of Engineering include Chemical, Civil, Electrical, and Systems.  These are just a few of the main categories. Engineering as a whole has an extensive list of sub-disciplines derived from extensions of the main branches. There is also typically an overlap between Engineering and Science. Both o

Flying High With Engineer Shane Lowney

The dream to fly is often shared by many as children.  While the dream may evolve a little bit to something more attainable sometimes this dream also continues into adulthood.  This was certainly the case for Shane Lowney – a Tampa, Florida Mechanical Engineer. From a young age Shane knew he wanted to be in the sky.  He would spend countless hours daydreaming about not only flying but building an airplane of his own.  These dreams along with growing up the son of an Engineer are what attracted Shane to the idea of becoming involved in both piloting and Mechanical Engineering. Shane attended the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) where one of these dreams would begin to blossom into reality.  Here he met his future wife Christine, who only further motivated him to achieve his goals.  They both graduated with degrees in their own respective categories of Engineering. Shane has not yet built his dream plane.  However, he has fulfilled his desire to fly.  Shane obt

Shane Lowney’s Tips on Giving Back

Volunteering one’s available resources whether it is time, money, or both can be a rewarding practice that almost anyone can and should take part in.   Shane Lowney is a successful Mechanical Engineer who has practiced a compassion for others since he was young.  Here are a few ways to start getting involved in giving back to the community: Volunteer at a local animal shelter.  Organize a garage sale and donate the proceeds to charity. Have a mild tempered pet?  Take them to local retirement homes and/or hospitals to visit. Volunteer for various children’s organizations such as a local church group, the YMCA, and daycare centers. Head down to the local soup kitchen or food bank and help hand out meals. Make essential kits containing hand warmers, gum, small nonperishable items, and other various necessities to hand out to the homeless. Participate in food drives year round and near the holidays. Join Habitat for Humanity and help build homes for those in need. Encoura

Shane Lowney - Climbing to Success

Rock climbing is a sport that has steadily gained popularity over the years.  At any of its numerous levels, rock climbing serves as an exhilarating and fun hobby and profession.  As with most sports, rock climbing is not without its own unique set of risks.  Shane Lowney has a specific set of tips that he followed as a newcomer to the sport – a lot of which he still regards now as a seasoned climber.  Here are a few of those tips: Always make sure to wear helmets and other protective gear.  This is one of the most important factors in creating a safe and fun experience. Never climb without using the buddy system.  Having a fellow climber there can serve many beneficial purposes from helping carry equipment to pointing out good spots to tie on.  Most importantly, having someone there ensures that if injured medical attention will arrive quickly. Start out small.  It is important not to rush ones progress.  There are many places that offer indoor climbing walls as a safe way to p

Be Smart About Efficiency

Efficiency is something desired in every field. No matter what you are doing, if you can complete your task quicker and with a higher quality than everyone else, you will be successful. This is true in theory, but in practice things can go the other direction. Sometimes you alienate the other employees or even management and end up with a worse result than if you just worked less hard. An important thing to remember about efficiency is that it is not always the primary goal. Here are a few tips: Being efficient is important to the point where you are still normal. The second you cross to the other side and act like a robot that only tries to be more efficient, you lose out on the social aspects of your job. This can turn around and bite you in the back later on. Never offer help when it is unwanted. This might seem intuitive, but a lot of people do it. Offering unsolicited help can be annoying and usually creates friction in the work environment. Avoid drama. Drama can be a fas

Traveling and Things You Should Consider

Traveling is hard for some people and easy for others. Many people enjoy a certain amount of traveling, but it also exhausts some. As with most things, a healthy balance must exist to make traveling a worthwhile activity. Many people enjoy going on road trips over the weekend and doing little activities such as camping or hiking. Some people would prefer to go abroad and find new places far away from where they live. Here are a few things people should consider when planning a trip: What are you traveling for? Is there somewhere or someone or something you want to see? Is there an experience you are looking for in particular? Knowing exactly what you wish to get out of a trip can be helpful. Where do you want to go? Sometimes this question is difficult to answer, and people don’t have any definite idea of where they want to go. Many people hope to go to Europe, but don’t realize it would take a year or two to tour all of that land. What do you want to do there? S

The Unsung Heroes - Engineers

One of the first things you will see at a store is their front display. However, the actual first thing you will see at a store is the exterior. You will see the design of the building, the large sign and usually an accompanying logo. When a person looks at the average building, he or she is looking for the sign and logo. This is because people are looking for a particular thing, and when that thing fits what they need, that is one of the only things they will see.  Architecture is something that almost everyone forgets about unless they enjoy the art. It is like background music in a movie: it fades into the picture and is usually unnoticeable unless you are listening to it. Engineers operate in a world of background music. They made the pieces for the space shuttles, they create engines that run off of hybrid power, and they constructed the tallest buildings in the world. People look at impressive mechanical and architectural feats and think of those as the accomplishments

Shane Lowney - Presenting Yourself on Paper

Showing potential employers how valuable you can be without meeting them is extremely difficult. However, the purpose of Resumes, CVs, Cover Letters, and applications is to allow employers and HR departments to get a feel for who you are before meeting you. Technically speaking, the documents mentioned above are to present your qualifications to an employer or department and show you are qualified for a job. However, it is quite common for multiple qualified people to apply for the same position. Because of job searching becoming streamlined on the Internet, it is common for some positions to get hundreds of applications. Should an employer have to interview every single qualified candidate? It is unlikely that they will when there are so many people who fit the bill. Instead, they or the HR department will usually pick the application materials that stand out to them. When getting an interview for a job only depends on how well you present yourself on paper, it becomes necessary