Electrical Engineers

Electrical engineering had its true beginnings in the 19th century. In 1800, Alexander Volta made a discovery that opened a door to the science of electricity—he found that electric current could be harnessed and made to flow. By the mid-1800s, the basic rules of electricity were established, and the first practical applications appeared. At that time, Michael Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. Further discoveries followed. In 1837, Samuel Morse invented the telegraph; in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone; the incandescent lamp (the light bulb) was invented by Thomas Edison in 1878; and the first electric motor was invented by Nicholas Tesla in 1888 (Faraday had built a primitive model of one in 1821). These inventions required the further generation and harnessing of electricity, so efforts were concentrated on developing ways to produce more and more power and to create better equipment, such as motors and transformers.

Edison's invention led to a dependence on electricity for lighting our homes, work areas, and streets. He later created the phonograph and other electrical instruments, leading to the establishment of his General Electric Company. One of today's major telephone companies also had its beginnings during this time. Alexander Bell's invention led to the establishment of the Bell Telephone Company, which eventually became American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T).

Advances in technology continue to change the field. For example, engineers are using virtual and augmented reality in the design and prototyping process, as well as for training purposes. They are also using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) in their work. For example, electrical engineers are using advanced AI to analyze vast datasets of electrical components and design rules in order to generate optimized circuit layouts, perform predictive maintenance, and create virtual simulations of electrical systems (helping engineers to avoid having to build costly and time-consuming physical prototypes).