Engineering pioneers – it's all a matter of opinions

The survey, carried out by GE, asked the question, “Who do you consider to be your hero/icon in your field?”

The survey, carried out by GE, asked the question, “Who do you consider to be your hero/icon in your field?”

A survey of nearly 900 UK engineering undergraduates has identified Isambard Kingdom Brunel as the most iconic engineer of all time.

The students gave a fascinating range of answers, from well-known historical figures such as Brunel, Einstein and Newton, to modern day technology icons such as Steve Jobs and James Dyson. Reassuringly, of the top ten selected, half of them are British innovators whose work is still very much in evidence in today’s society.

Here is the Top 10 Engineering Heroes:

1. Isambard Kingdom Brunel – leading civil engineer of 19th Century, built bridges, dockyards and railways.

2. James Dyson – industrial designer who developed a new generation of vacuum cleaners and actively supports engineering projects in the UK.

3. Steve Jobs – co-founder and chief executive of Apple.

4. Nikola Tesla – inventor and engineer whose work formed the basis of modern alternating current electric power systems.

5. Bill Gates – co-founder and chairman of Microsoft, who developed the industry standard operating system for personal computers.

6. Frank Whittle – RAF engineer who is credited with inventing the first jet propulsion engine.

7. Isaac Newton – physicist and theoretician who developed the concepts of mechanics, gravity and the laws of motion and invented the reflecting telescope.

8. Albert Einstein – theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity and is considered the founder of modern physics.

9. Charles Rolls & Henry Royce – developed early engine technology and luxury motor vehicles.

10. Thomas Edison – inventor of the first commercially viable light bulb, motion picture camera and phonograph who revolutionised electrics and communications.

It looks to me to be a pretty decent line-up of engineering heroes. For me, personally, Sir Frank Whittle would have been higher up the list, as his work with aero-engines had such an impact on the modern world.

But what do PE's readers think? Is there an engineer you think should have been included on the list? Add your views below.