Am I an engineering major?

I have cracked many jokes over the past weeks on how I write enough to be considered an English major.  If someone had told me that, in graduate school, I would be doing more reading and writing than equation solving and prototyping, I would have nodded non-understandingly.

Now, I know.



I write way more than I don't.  I write, and write, and think about how I need to finish my prototype for research, and write a bit more instead.  I write summaries of what I have read so I can read it later or use it for random surveys/background sections for papers.  I write papers for classes and conferences.  I write for fellowships and scholarships.  And I feel that I would have been better off sharpening my creative writing skills than my engineering skills when I started.  Alas, I did courses on software defined radio and game theory instead.

I know that it is impossible to tell sciency types "Hey, you will probably be doing more writing than science."  Even if you go into the work force, you have to know how to advertise your work and your self!  People aren't clairvoyant, which is frightening and empowering at times.  Frightening because effort is not the only factor for this work anymore.  Empowering because you actually have to start giving yourself credit for your good work, and you have to recognize the difference between what is, and is not, impressive.

No, I have not figure out all of this yet, but I recognize that I cannot convey my rich and diverse self well.  And that's the first step.

As a note, I am researching in the E-textiles part of engineering.  Think of it as kind of a cross between Human Computer Interaction, low power digital system design, and design/art.  Sometimes I think I am being turned into a psychology and English focused graduate student.