Airplanes are a vital form of transportation in today's world. Imagine participating in the intricate process of creating a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft! Structural Engineers are involved in this exciting method of building airplanes everyday. Consider showing a structural engineer developing a high-tech airplane, a vehicle that can be used in drama, adventure, comedy or romance story-lines!

Engineering is not only a profession but also a hobby.  Like Stacie's grandfather, many people use engineering in their recreational pursuits, whether while building model boats, flying small airplanes or using a ham radio.  Consider depicting a character who uses engineering in their favorite leisure activities.

Like Stacie, many high school students are unaware of what engineers do and the skills engineers apply to aerospace, the automobile industry, and the creation of modern structures, such as skyscrapers. Embrace the opportunity to bring the knowledge of engineering to young generations!

Joe was the seventh child in a family of 12 kids and he remembers older siblings showing him advanced mathematical formulas and shortcuts when he did his homework.  Years later, when Joe learned these methods in school, he was way ahead of his peers.   Because of family support and encouragement, Joe came to love "playing with numbers."
 
Joe also loved playing with mechanical puzzles.  When he was 11 or 12, his dad cleaned out his desk and found two puzzles that could be taken apart and put back together - but only with a lot of hard work.  The euphoria he felt when solving the puzzles hooked him on problem  solving.

When Joe first heard about engineering early in college his initial reaction was "Someone will PAY me to solve math puzzles?!" Joe never gave his career choice a second thought.  Today, Joe still loves solving complex problems, "Being with a team of engineers completing a complicated task, such as flight testing an aircraft, is very rewarding because not only do I get paid but I also get to do what I love.  And after all, isn't that the real goal in life?"

The love of solving puzzles can lead to aerospace engineering: designing flight vehicles and innovative aircraft. Perhaps a character, like Joe, who grows up with a passion to solve puzzles, can one day land a career in flight testing!

Focus on the familial aspect of solving a puzzle or a logic problem together. Not only did Joe and his family learn when they came together to help each other with math problems and solve puzzles, but this activity allowed them time to spend together and bond.  Consider depicting how family time can influence future life decisions, such as the decision Joe made to study aerospace engineering.

Sometimes people say that happy endings only happen in the movies, but Joe Turner's story shows that isn't true - his childhood dream of playing with numbers turned into a career of doing math puzzles as an engineer.  Consider depicting  real people like Joe, who turn simple childhood hopes into lifelong careers.