Tam Huu Phan

What you are currently doing?

As a Design Engineer, I am applying my school knowledge in Software and Computer Engineering, Hardware Design, Analyzing, and producing Technical Publications. I work with hardware interfaces that deal with data acquisition and control for the CIWS (just look it up).

How do you feel about your BS degree in Engineering Technology?

My degree in ET has given be a broad breadth of disciplines in the areas of Engineering. No matter how much you try to learn about a system, the endpoint is inevitable. I feel ET has prepared me to approach problems from "out of the box" perspective in respect to other disciplines.

How does ET distinguish you from electrical engineers or technicians that you work with?

I've noticed the differences of my peers being different disciplines create a team of unity. The EE's are more in depth of their theory, for ET's they apply the theory, as for the technicians test the theory. ET's are the bridge between disciplines in regards to Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, and Integration/Test Engineering.

Recommendations (from what I've experienced).

For the Defense and Aerospace Industry

• Software Engineers:
  • Should be exposed to Real Time Operating System (RTOS)
  • Embedded Programming
  • Learn tools such as Visual C, C++, Java, Windows Programming, VxWorks, Linux, Unix, etc
• Hardware Engineers:
  • Drafting
    • Pro/Engineer
    • AutoCad
    • Solid Works
  • Communications and Signal Processing
    • RADAR Theory and Analysis
    • Physics
    • Analyzing ballistic characteristics of kinematic objects with RADAR Theory.
  • Tools such as MatLAB, MathCAD, LabVIEW
• Systems, Integration, and Test Engineers:
  • Applying Processes (such as Requirements)
  • Testing and Analyzing
  • Field Testing