The world of mechanical engineering is expanding, as is the type of work mechanical engineers are involved in. You have many possibilities to make valuable contributions to society through work on jobs and projects that are stimulating, satisfying and challenging. The melding of scientific and engineering disciplines is creating new fields, such as nanotechnology, that were unheard of just decades ago, and creating many new opportunities. As various forms of engineering expertise become more intertwined, there will be more fields in which you as a mechanical engineer will be asked to provide your contributions.

Already, mechanical engineers are finding work in a number of non-traditional fields such as health care and microelectronics, as well as in the traditional fields such as the automotive and aerospace industries. You are part of the broadest of the engineering disciplines, the "glue" that holds together many of tomorrow's advanced products and processes.

Your ability to understand and communicate across disciplines and work effectively in diverse teams is critical. In addition, you will need a broad intellectual perspective in the increasingly multidisciplinary environment, and the capacity to comprehend and translate the assumptions and knowledge of other fields.

However, be aware of the risk of forfeiting in-depth knowledge and expertise in an attempt to master several different engineering or scientific disciplines. Pressure to "learn everything" may create enormous frustration for you, particularly as new disciplines emerge over the coming decades. Engineering fundamentals are even more important in a multidisciplinary environment; you must remain firmly grounded in the basics of mechanical engineering. For example, fluid flow, thermodynamics and heat transfer are critical to developments in fields as diverse as medicine and microelectronics.

Focus on how to learn effectively, and to quickly identify where knowledge resources are and how to access them as efficiently as possible. Finding an expert or accessing the right information, by learning how and with whom to network, will be a key skill for you.

While you have a broader range of career options available to you today, these options will often require you to change companies and jobs over the course of your career. You will need to proactively manage your career, building a portfolio of experiences and skills that demonstrates your agility in the changing workplace. You may find yourself working in different settings, different locations, carrying out any of a myriad of tasks.

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