References: Books and videos
To print, download PDF format

AMERICAN GENESIS: A CENTURY OF INVENTION AND TECHNOLOGICAL ENTHUSIASM. 
Thomas Hughes, Viking Press, 1989. 
A history of American inventors and their impact on American society from 1870-1970, with special emphasis on the emergence of large research and development organizations in corporations, universities and government, by a renowned historian of technology.

EMPIRE OF THE AIR:  THE MEN WHO MADE RADIO. 
Tom Lewis, Harper Collins, 1991. (Book and accompanying 2-hour videotape series by Ken Burns.)
Fascinating stories of the inventors and entrepreneurs who turned wireless communication into a mass medium.

MICROCOSM: THE QUANTUM REVOLUTION IN ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY. George Gilder, Simon and Schuster, 1989. 
The invention of the integrated circuit and how it changed the computer from a scientific monster to a home appliance.

CONNECTIONS. James Burke, Little Brown & Co., 1978. 
The author presents a unique perspective on how seemingly unrelated events in history are connected by technological breakthroughs which have had unforeseen consequences.

ENGINES OF CHANGE: THE AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, 1790-1860. Brooke Hindle and Steven Lubar, Smithsonian Press, 1986.  
How technology changed America in the 19th century and how those changes have created American society as we know it today.

LONGITUDE: THE TRUE STORY OF A LONE GENIUS WHO SOLVED THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC PROBLEM OF HIS TIME. Dava Sobel, Penguin Press, 1995.  
A short and beautifully written story of John Harrison, the British inventor and clockmaker who spent a lifetime perfecting the chronometer which seamen use to navigate the globe.

THE MAKING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB. Richard Rhodes, Simon and Schuster, 1986.  
The authoritative history of the scientific and engineering venture that not only ushered in the Nuclear Age, but created a completely new concept of science and technology as a national enterprise.

DIESEL: TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY IN INDUSTRIAL GERMANY. Donald E. Thomas, U. of Alabama Press, 1987.  
Rudolf Diesel was not only a brilliant engineer and inventor, but a deep thinker about the role technology should play in the creation of a just society. This biography details his quest to bring his invention, the Diesel engine, from concept to practical reality as well as his attempts to influence German social conscience in the early 20th century.

JOURNEYS OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING: NO UNIVERSAL CONSTANTS. Susan A. Ambrose, Barbara B. Lazarus, and Indira Nair, Temple University Press, 1997. (Avail. APL)  The authors recount the joys and troubles of women working as scientists and engineers in the U.S. today. Especially appropriate for young women considering careers in science and engineering.

THE INNOVATORS: ENGINEERING PIONEERS WHO MADE AMERICA MODERN. David Billington, John Wiley & Sons, 1996. 
Stories of the innovations which were basic to our modern industrial society, explored from three perspectives: what great engineers actually did, the political and economic conditions under which they worked, and the impact of their achievements on our nation.

BUCKY WORKS: BUCKMINSTER FULLER’S IDEAS FOR TODAY. J. Baldwin, John Wiley & Sons, 1997. 
The major concepts and innovations of Buckminster Fuller, as told by one who worked with him for over 30 years, and the implications for building a better future.

21ST CENTURY JET: THE MAKING AND MARKETING OF THE BOEING 777. Karl Sabbath, Scribner, 1996. (Book and associated PBS video series available) 
Fascinating story of the largest commercial aircraft development project ever undertaken. Gives excellent insight into what engineers do, the role of computers in modern engineering, and the global nature of modern technology.

THE PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS, DAVID MCCULLOUGH, SIMON AND SCHUSTER, 1978.  
An engrossing history of the building of the Panama Canal, from the aborted initial attempt by the French to the final completion.  Includes information on the initiatives and political reasoning of President Teddy Roosevelt as well as the fight against yellow fever.  Written by one of our foremost and most interesting historians.

THE GREAT RAILWAY: THE NATIONAL DREAM/THE LAST SPIKE, PIERRE BERTIN, MCCLELLAND AND STEWART, 1992. 
The epic story of the construction of the transCanada railways. The original surveys rival in in difficulty anything faced by early explorers of the American west. The natural obstacles to construction and their final defeat by the civil engineers of these railways provides inspiring reading. A good primer on the interaction of politics with a major engineering challenge.

MICROGRAVITY--A TEACHER'S GUIDE WITH ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY, offers more experiments like this one. You can download this book at http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov/ by selecting Instructional Material, then NASA Educational Products, and then Microgravity.

IS THERE AN ENGINEER INSIDE YOU? A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CAREER DECISIONS IN ENGINEERING, Celeste Baine. 
Discusses the importance of engineering, and provides tips on preparing for making it through engineering school. See http://www.engineeringedu.com.  

STUDYING ENGINEERING - A ROAD MAP TO A REWARDING CAREER, RAYMOND B. LANDIS, DISCOVERY PRESS, 1994. 
For Engineering students and those considering the field. Contains valuable information about the engineering education system and strategies for success.

BECOMING A MASTER STUDENT, DAVE ELLIS, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY, 1998. 
Comprehensive guide to every aspect of being a successful student: managing your time, handling stress, perfecting study habits, even job hunting.