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Show 1 mit A LESSON ON GEEKS, PHYSICS AND MULTITASKING L‘ mai 1111 111 BY TAYLOR ALMOND /STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY CHRIS SAMUELS T ypically, engineering students are stereotyped as geeks. But there is more to this stereotype than meets the eye. According to the U's Office of Budget and Institutional Analysis, there were more than 4,400 declared engineering undergraduate and graduate students in the fall of 2013 out of the U's nearly 32,000 students. Luke Berhold, an electrical engineering student, said a degree in engineering is one of the only undergraduate degrees that guarantees a high-paid salary job after graduation. Because of this, he also said engineers can sometimes seem arrogant. Derek Moore, a chemical engineering student, said he is positive about the financial promises an engineering degree entails. 4 THECHRONY "I could be a math major:' Moore said, "but what do you do with that?" Spencer Shiveley, an electrical engineering student, said there isn't anything wrong with using the word geek to describe engineering students. He feels it's more of a term of endearment. "It's not derogatory, because I am one:' Shiveley said. Sergey Makitrin, also an electrical engineering student, said the term `geek' is justified by the challenging courses engineering students take. Christian Luciani, a junior in biomedical engineering, said non-engineering students have a much different college experience than engineering students. "One of the most complex engineering problems is how non-engineering students walk and breathe at the same time': Luciani said. "It's a lot of multitasking." Bonnie Ogden, who has been an academic advisor at the U for mechanical engineering for eight years, said in order to understand engineering students, people should focus on the projects they work on rather than the classes they take. Ogden said most engineering students fit the geek stereotype, an attribute necessary for their math and science requirements, but the College of Engineering also emphasizes fulfilment of other general education requirements like art and humanities. t.almond@chronicle.utah.edu @SeymourSkimmer OF 39 STLIDEDT5 THEM • BY MARY ROYAL /STAFF WRITER p ull out those wide-rimmed glasses, pocket protectors and suspenders, because geek is in. Although historically viewed as a term referring to someone who lacks social prowess, the definition of geek is quickly changing. Geeks have always been well represented on popular television. With his suspenders, big glasses and poor posture, Steve Urkel from the '90s sitcom "Family Matters" became the poster-child for geekdom. Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj from "The Big BangTheory" exemplify the lovability of geeks in more recent popular culture as well. What is a geek, then? And is a nerd the same thing? Many students at the U weighed in. Katie Smithson, a junior in anthropology, believes in most cases the terms 'geek' and 'nerd' can be used interchangeably. "However, being a geek is more about how the person looks than how smart they are:' Smithson said. "There are physical stereotypes associated with being a geek, whereas nerds are just really smart' Bob Miller, a sophomore in Asian studies, said he sees little difference between the two descriptions. "Anyone who is obsessed with something can be considered a nerd or a geek about that interest': he said. "I'm a sports geek and proud of it' Nora Abu-Dan, a senior in economics, said everyone is a little bit geeky, but in a good way. "No one is put-together all the time," Abu-Dan said. "I think everyone should allow themselves to show their geeky side every once in a while. If that's how you roll, that's coor When straw polled, a majority of U students said the "geekiest major" on campus is engineering. Abu-Dan said metallurgical engineering, specifically, is the geekiest major offered at the U. "I don't even know what that is, but it just sounds like you have to be really smart to study it," Abu-Dan said. Emily Van Allen, a senior in urban ecology, said nuclear engineering is most geeky in her opinion. "I should know, I used to be one:' she said. "I also love math and science, watch 'Doctor Who' and own a pink Power Rangers t-shirt. I guess I am a geek." Brian Christensen, a junior in computer science, said being a geek is cool in today's culture. "Geeks tend to get the highest-paying jobs and be remembered:' Christensen said. "Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were probably considered geeks when they were in school too, and look at their legacy now:' Amy Brown, a senior in English literature, said we have geeks to thank for modern innovations and technologies. "Geeks change the world': Brown said. "If it weren't for geeks, we'd probably still be reading by candlelight and riding horses for transportation:' m.royal@chronicle.utah.edu @mary royal 5 |