Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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October 31, 2018
Now Open - World’s Longest Sea-Crossing Bridge
A new world record was broken last week when a bridge connecting Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macao saw its initial trip. The 34 mile bridge will be the world's longest and includes multiple viaducts, three cable-stayed bridges, and a 4 mile tunnel. Currently, the ferry connecting the cities takes more than 90 minutes, but the bridge will slash that travel time to 30 minutes. Take a look at some gorgeous images of the transportation system in this Asia Times article. - Shannon Warchol, PE - DTC Civil Structural Instructor
October 29, 2018
TESTIMONIAL OF THE WEEK - Problem Identification - A Key to Success
“Dr. Tom's 20-week review course was very helpful at breaking down the mountain of information that is Mechanical Engineering into small bite-sized pieces. I had taken the PE twice before, and my biggest concern was problem identification and time management. I knew that these two strategies are critical to passing. On previous exams, I often times would not be able to quickly identify the question type and, therefore, wouldn’t know how to begin to solve it. I believe this was the main reason I did not pass before, and the other review course I took did not help out much with that.
It was apparent early on in Dr. Tom’s 20-Week Review course that problem identification was one of the main focuses. With the way the course topics were divided, as well as with use of the Personalized Resource Notebooks, I was able to identify problem types significantly faster than before. I believe this was the main reason I passed. Dr. Tom seems to really care about his students and course attendees, and I’m grateful his devotion has lead to such an effective review course. Dr. Tom’s course was much more effective than the other review course I took, and I would recommend Dr. Tom's 20-Week Review to others preparing for the ME PE Exam, without a doubt.”
- William Allred, PE, LEED AP BD+C, RS&H, Merritt Island, Florida
It was apparent early on in Dr. Tom’s 20-Week Review course that problem identification was one of the main focuses. With the way the course topics were divided, as well as with use of the Personalized Resource Notebooks, I was able to identify problem types significantly faster than before. I believe this was the main reason I passed. Dr. Tom seems to really care about his students and course attendees, and I’m grateful his devotion has lead to such an effective review course. Dr. Tom’s course was much more effective than the other review course I took, and I would recommend Dr. Tom's 20-Week Review to others preparing for the ME PE Exam, without a doubt.”
- William Allred, PE, LEED AP BD+C, RS&H, Merritt Island, Florida
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 25, 2018
Expanding Table - Engineering Magic
I would suspect that most of us have a dining room table that has the ability to expand to allow additional seating. Some require you to store separate sections away from the table, however newer models have the extra sections built into the table itself. We have one like this, and it is really neat how it works.
But my humble table pales in comparison to the ingenious design of the expanding tables made by Johnson Furniture in England. I challenge you to watch this mesmerizing video showing how the table is assembled only once. The table displays, not only precision engineering, but a dash of dramatic flair as it opens. Talk about achieving the extraordinary! The assembly might look like a piece of cake, but I think that a piece of pie would better describe this table.
Enjoy! Dr. Tom
But my humble table pales in comparison to the ingenious design of the expanding tables made by Johnson Furniture in England. I challenge you to watch this mesmerizing video showing how the table is assembled only once. The table displays, not only precision engineering, but a dash of dramatic flair as it opens. Talk about achieving the extraordinary! The assembly might look like a piece of cake, but I think that a piece of pie would better describe this table.
Enjoy! Dr. Tom
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 23, 2018
Now Is the Perfect Time To Begin Your 20-Week Review
Dr. Tom developed the 20-Week Review because he found, after many years of preparing engineers for the PE Exam, that 20 weeks is the optimal time frame for learning and retaining the knowledge and skills you need to pass the exam.
There are concepts you need to relearn, problem-solving skills you need to develop, reference materials you need to organize, and practice solving problems that needs to happen. All this takes time. Start too early and your familiarity with the material will fade over time. Start too late, and the information won’t sink in and you won’t get enough practice (more on why Dr. Tom's 20-Week Review Method is critical to your success).
Everyone’s schedule is different, but if you can put in 15-20 hours per week on your preparation, now is the perfect time to sign up for a DTC 20-Week Review for the April 2019 Exam.
“Dr. Tom's 20 week course helped me learn everything I needed to pass the PE Exam on the first try. The best part about the 20-Week Review is that you develop a weekly schedule of what you need to work on. Material is not crammed into a 3 or 4 week review like some other PE courses. With the 20-Week Review, you gradually rebuild and strengthen what you learned in college so you can take on the PE exam with confidence. I just wish I could shake Dr. Tom's hand and tell him thank you for everything!”
- Michael Noll, PE, Delmar Systems in Houston, TX
There are concepts you need to relearn, problem-solving skills you need to develop, reference materials you need to organize, and practice solving problems that needs to happen. All this takes time. Start too early and your familiarity with the material will fade over time. Start too late, and the information won’t sink in and you won’t get enough practice (more on why Dr. Tom's 20-Week Review Method is critical to your success).
Everyone’s schedule is different, but if you can put in 15-20 hours per week on your preparation, now is the perfect time to sign up for a DTC 20-Week Review for the April 2019 Exam.
“Dr. Tom's 20 week course helped me learn everything I needed to pass the PE Exam on the first try. The best part about the 20-Week Review is that you develop a weekly schedule of what you need to work on. Material is not crammed into a 3 or 4 week review like some other PE courses. With the 20-Week Review, you gradually rebuild and strengthen what you learned in college so you can take on the PE exam with confidence. I just wish I could shake Dr. Tom's hand and tell him thank you for everything!”
- Michael Noll, PE, Delmar Systems in Houston, TX
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 22, 2018
ACHIEVE THE EXTRAORDINARY - Daniel Findley’s Story
Transportation and engineering played a significant role in my career and my grandfather's career. My maternal grandfather, Frank Greenberger, was a PE and graduated from Purdue University in 1948 with a BS in Electrical Engineering and 1950 with an MS in Industrial Engineering. He spent most of his working career with GE at the Transportation Technology Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was passionate about trains and his work included developing locomotives for GE. He assisted with the design of one of the buildings in Erie and was given a drawing of the mural that was painted in the facility.
The drawing now hangs proudly in my office and represents the legacy of engineer throughout history and highlights many of the modes of transportation that I've been involved with, including rail, aviation, and roads. It reminds me of the long and important legacy of transportation engineering, the role that engineers play in improving society, the debt we owe to previous generations of engineers, and the responsibility we have for future Professional Engineers. - Dr. Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor.
The drawing now hangs proudly in my office and represents the legacy of engineer throughout history and highlights many of the modes of transportation that I've been involved with, including rail, aviation, and roads. It reminds me of the long and important legacy of transportation engineering, the role that engineers play in improving society, the debt we owe to previous generations of engineers, and the responsibility we have for future Professional Engineers. - Dr. Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor.
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 17, 2018
Autonomous Pods - Our Transit Future?
Want a glimpse into future? Take a short detour the next time you're in London's Heathrow Airport in Terminal 5. A set of autonomous pods will shuttle you (for free) from the terminal to the parking lot. This may be the way transit works in the future - smaller scale, more personal, and without a driver. These pods don't interact with other traffic, so their job is a little easier than what other autonomous vehicles are attempting to do. However, the pods are able to run more frequently than a large bus, so average wait times are much lower. The interaction is based on a touchscreen (to choose between 2 destinations) and information is provided by audio and video. - Dr. Daniel Findley, DTC Civil Transportation Instructor
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 15, 2018
FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - The Binders Proved To Be a Lifesaver!
“I successfully passed the PE exam on my second attempt. I went in much more confident and I can thank your class for that. The binders that we made from the class proved to be a lifesaver and I was able to answer most of the questions simply from them alone. This saved a ton of time as I wasn't constantly flipping through the MERM and the other mountains of books desperately looking for an answer or random equation.
I feel like the biggest advantage that your class brings to the table is that you structure all of the information you need in a way that is much easier to find. I feel that any competent engineer should be able to answer just about every question the PE throws at them if given enough time, but the exam forces you to be fast and efficient. Even if you are the most well-versed engineer in the world if you don't have a method in place to quickly find the equation or topic that you are looking for it can make for a really tough test day.
I will definitely recommend your class to peers who are considering taking the PE in the future. Thanks for everything!”
- Brandon F., PE, Dallas, TX
I feel like the biggest advantage that your class brings to the table is that you structure all of the information you need in a way that is much easier to find. I feel that any competent engineer should be able to answer just about every question the PE throws at them if given enough time, but the exam forces you to be fast and efficient. Even if you are the most well-versed engineer in the world if you don't have a method in place to quickly find the equation or topic that you are looking for it can make for a really tough test day.
I will definitely recommend your class to peers who are considering taking the PE in the future. Thanks for everything!”
- Brandon F., PE, Dallas, TX
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
Save $25 with discount code: achieve25B
Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 11, 2018
Searching for the Fifth Force
One of the most defining quotes in the Star Wars movies is "Use the force Luke." And the force he does in fact use is a mystery, however we are told it permeates the entire universe, binds it together.
Well, scientists at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics near Rome are getting ready to perform one of the most important experiments since the discovery of the Higgs Boson in 2012. The instrument they will use is called "Padme," which stands for Positron Annihilation into Dark Matter Experiment. What they will be looking for is evidence of a fifth force, one that will confirm that there is what is called "dark matter." Scientists apparently only know about the 4% of the universe we can see. The rest is invisible, thus the term "dark matter." One of the things the discovery of "dark matter" will explain is the "ever-accelerating expansion of the universe."
Currently, there are four forces: the electromagnetic force, the strong force holding atoms together, the weak force of radiation, and the force of gravity. Gravity explains a lot about the universe, however it falls very short of explaining what the existence of dark matter would explain.
The experiment is a long shot, but as one of the scientists involved in the experiment says, "We are shooting in the dark in every sense, but if you are shooting, you at least have a chance." We wish them the best in getting a bullseye on the experiment. - Dr. Tom
Well, scientists at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics near Rome are getting ready to perform one of the most important experiments since the discovery of the Higgs Boson in 2012. The instrument they will use is called "Padme," which stands for Positron Annihilation into Dark Matter Experiment. What they will be looking for is evidence of a fifth force, one that will confirm that there is what is called "dark matter." Scientists apparently only know about the 4% of the universe we can see. The rest is invisible, thus the term "dark matter." One of the things the discovery of "dark matter" will explain is the "ever-accelerating expansion of the universe."
Currently, there are four forces: the electromagnetic force, the strong force holding atoms together, the weak force of radiation, and the force of gravity. Gravity explains a lot about the universe, however it falls very short of explaining what the existence of dark matter would explain.
The experiment is a long shot, but as one of the scientists involved in the experiment says, "We are shooting in the dark in every sense, but if you are shooting, you at least have a chance." We wish them the best in getting a bullseye on the experiment. - Dr. Tom
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
Save $25 with discount code: achieve25B
Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 9, 2018
Achieve the Extraordinary. Become a PE.
Getting your P.E. license will open up a world of possibilities for you to achieve the extraordinary. And we can help you make those possibilities a reality with our 20-Week Reviews for the Civil and Mechanical PE Exams and our comprehensive plan to prepare you to pass the exam. Sign up for any DTC Review in October and get $25 off. Just a little something to get you started on the path to greatness.
Professional Engineers are changing our world for the better every day with amazing achievements. We can’t wait to see what you will achieve with your PE!
“Dr Tom's was an invaluable program. I've been out of school for over 20 years and needed to re-learn a lot of the material. His teaching style took very complex concepts and laid the material out in a straight forward fashion with a systematic approach to solve the problems. His methodology gave me structure for studying that I would not have been able to achieve on my own. His organizational approach to the reference material was a huge time saver and assistance during the exam. Thank you Dr Tom for putting a great program together.”
- Lori Van der Voort, PE, Abington, PA
Professional Engineers are changing our world for the better every day with amazing achievements. We can’t wait to see what you will achieve with your PE!
“Dr Tom's was an invaluable program. I've been out of school for over 20 years and needed to re-learn a lot of the material. His teaching style took very complex concepts and laid the material out in a straight forward fashion with a systematic approach to solve the problems. His methodology gave me structure for studying that I would not have been able to achieve on my own. His organizational approach to the reference material was a huge time saver and assistance during the exam. Thank you Dr Tom for putting a great program together.”
- Lori Van der Voort, PE, Abington, PA
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
Save $25 with discount code: achieve25B
Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 4, 2018
ACHIEVE THE EXTRAORDINARY - Dr. Tom’s Story
What does it mean to be a PE? I’m sure that’s different for every engineer, but on some level, I believe there is a common feeling that all Professional Engineers share. Not all of us will use our PE licenses in an engineering practice capacity, I certainly haven’t, but we all have a feeling of pride in our accomplishment and a sense that we have unlocked a door on our potential to achieve extraordinary things.
I have been helping people obtain their PE license through various review courses for so long that it is hard to remember when the PE process was not central to my role in the engineering profession, but I think I first heard the term “PE” when I was in my first job at Scientific-Atlanta in the mid 1970’s. That company, and the others I worked for in my early career, had large groups of engineers with only the supervisor being a PE. I left the corporate world in 1981 to pursue my PhD in mechanical engineering and teach at NC State, and even there only a couple of the thirty or so faculty had their PE.
But it was at NC State that I began teaching parts of the FE and PE Exam reviews offered there, and discovered the importance of professional licensure. Even though it wasn’t until after I finished my PhD in 1989 that I took and passed both the FE and PE Exams, I can tell you that there was no prouder moment than to receive the certificate in the mail. Yes, ten years working on my PhD was the culmination of many years of sacrifice, however becoming a PE said something about my relationship with others who had earned their PE. The feeling is almost indescribable. It is one of my most proud accomplishments. Over the mantle of our fireplace my wife has framed my BS, MS, and PhD diplomas. Above them, however, is my PE certificate.
Getting my PE was the key that made Dr. Tom’s Classroom possible and gave me my opportunity to achieve the extraordinary. Every day I get to help others do the same by helping them get their PE with our Mechanical and Civil PE Exam reviews. Then I see how it improves their lives - allowing them to start their own business, get their dream job, or develop something brand new to improve our world. When they pass the exam, we celebrate with them in “achieving the extraordinary” because they have and they will.
- Dr. Tom
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 3, 2018
Preventing Deaths with Rear Seat Belt Use Enforcement
One of our DTC instructors, Dr. Daniel Findley, recently led the publishing of a paper in the Journal of the Transportation Research Board - Transportation Research Record. Data were collected from the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System to analyze the link between primary enforcement of rear seat belt use and injury severity in fatal vehicle collisions. Specifically, this study predicted the amount of fatalities that may have been prevented had there been standard enforcement of a rear seat belt law in effect. This study recorded and compared the number of rear seat fatalities in states that did and did not have primary enforcement laws for rear seat occupants. The results predicted that the states that do not practice standard seat belt enforcement could have seen approximately 772 to 1,032 fatalities prevented from 2011 to 2015, had there been primary rear seat belt enforcement. This corresponds to an estimated national crash cost savings of $8.6 billion, or $1.7 billion annually.
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
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Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
October 1, 2018
FEATURED TESTIMONIAL - The Best Method
“I passed the Civil Geotechnical PE Exam with a score of 79. Thank you for providing excellent tools for taking the test. It really was the best method to help me prepare well. I will be telling my colleagues about your course and how well it worked for me. Thanks again!”
- PE, Texas
- PE, Texas
Dr. Tom's Classroom - Achieve the Extraordinary
Save $25 with discount code: achieve25B
Change Is Coming! You Should Take the PE Exam Now.
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