THE UNIVERSE AND OTHER THINGS

Year Published: 1960s

Creator: Calvin Company

Description: Produced in the 1960s by the Calvin Company, "The Universe and Other Things" was created to promote consulting engineers and aims to define what they do, as their role is often misunderstood. It highlights their rigorous training, professionalism, and the wide range of complex problems they solve. Consulting engineers are portrayed as generalists who apply scientific thinking to practical solutions, working within time and budget constraints. They are involved in diverse projects, from designing medical equipment to addressing global issues like pollution and urban decay. The script emphasizes their crucial role in shaping the future and improving people's lives, even though their contributions often go unrecognized. 00:00 Engineers, often unseen, are vital. While college engineers are recognizable (slide rules), professional consulting engineers undergo rigorous training, licensing similar to healthcare. 1:54 nuclear bomb detonates at Operation Crossroads. 2:13 Canadian National locomotive type FPA-4 pulls a train past camera. 2:31 college students enter an engineering building. 3:22-: Unlike some professions, engineers lack a strong public image; consulting engineers are particularly misunderstood (not railroad workers). Surveys reveal varied, simplistic perceptions. 3:26 college graduates in caps and gowns. 3:37 a female student reads a book. 3:53 The Yellow Pages. 4:35: Consulting engineers tackle complex problems (medical equipment to pollution). Their expertise is diverse. They sell time/talent, making key design choices (plans/specs), operating as businesses (economics/politics). 5:11 Boy building a treehouse. 5:35: Voyager space probe. 5:48: Doctors in an operating room. 7:06 Floor of a political convention. 7:23: Despite global impact (science/tech), their contributions are often unseen. While some specialize, many are generalists, adapting to diverse global projects. 9:29:Their work is public, no hiding failures. Their ethics are ancient (service to mankind). 11:00: Engineering applies science to practical problems (jet engines, water treatment), distinct from pure science. A broad view is key (pollution, urban decay). 11:05: Interior of Major League Baseball stadium. 11:21: view of a communications satellite in orbit. 11:39: airplane model for wind tunnel. 12:06: periodic table of elements. 12:48: Consulting engineers address complex issues using advanced analysis. System failure is disastrous. They forecast future needs (infrastructure) for sustainability. 12:51: a TV commercial or movie set. 14:20: a modern computer with magnetic tape data storage. 15:31: a cityscape with tall buildings. 15:56 Checker taxicabs and buses move through busy Chicago streets. 16:05 The Golden Gate Bridge. 16:51: Police surround a building as part of a stand off with criminals. A large fire in a city where riots are causing lawlessness. 17:40: Their goal: improve design beyond guesswork. Planned cities show their systems approach, involving diverse experts. Smaller innovations (eye device) show impact. At 17:42, a game of 3-D chess is played. 18:09 a mathematician or engineer in front of a chalk board with equations. 20:35: Industries benefit from their optimization. Despite essential contributions (World's Fair, Gateway Arch), they lack recognition. Cheap engineering can be unsafe. 18:56 an ambulance driver gets out of his vehicle and a patient is unloaded and moved to the emergency room. 19:34 Sanitary District of Chicago sign at sewage treatment plant. 20:31 a public library. 20:35: an ophthalmologist studies the eye of a patient. 21:12 factory smokestacks 21:41 town of North Hempstead New York power plant, United Nations building. 21:55 exterior of Madison Square Garden, the Sheraton, and Lincoln Center, Space Needle, Sears Tower, St. Louis Arch, 23:22:"Consulting engineer" isn't common childhood play, perhaps due to lack of understanding. Future generations must value engineering. Knowledge exists, but action often lags; consulting engineers act. Kids play ring around the posy. 24:40:Narrator asks if you, the viewer, are thinking of becoming a consulting engineer.

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9U6f81JIxM

Metadata Source:YouTube