Engineering and research for American defense: An address delivered at the AIEE 1940 Summer convention, Swampscott, Mass., June 24–28

NOT LONG AGO I heard an engineer, whom I regard highly, say that in his opinion engineering and research were quite similar. In spite of my great respect for his ideas, I must disagree. Research demands the willingness to try anything once, however small the chance that the result will be satisfactory. The engineer on the contrary must restrain with balanced judgment his impulses toward novelty. His profession calls for a degree of conservatism. While he should be open-minded and receptive to new ideas, he should weigh the chances before going ahead. An engineer has well said that you never know how good a design is until after you have changed it. But that same conservatism may be fatal to success in research.