Construction techniques and architecture.

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Hello!, this is a master program in engineering I would like to take(5-year program, it is a lot of them here in Norway). It is mostly an engineering program, but with a little architecture. From what I have understood there is stuctual engineering involved, but you also get training withsome drawing.
So, do you guys think this is something to go for if you have Asperger's syndrome?, are there any benefits or something negative with this?

All a plus to me. I have the math and spatial, attention to detail, never had a shot. Engineers are not rated for social ability, they are supposed to see a world that does not yet exist. I think it a perfect place for an aspie.

So is Norway, met some, looked around, I am impressed. Except for the constant snow during the summer and the seas being full of Kraken. My advice to someone else was to label their winter pictures as summer, it is too nice to let the world know.

Again I was impressed by the seed bank. Not the UN, not the Superpowers, not the Common Market, just Norway, doing the most important thing that could be done.

Asperger's is but a slight delay in social stuff, and a boost in other areas. I think it would be a help to you.

America leads in some things because it is vast, clusters produce, but two blocks away is poverty and crime. Norway is producing a broad technological culture. The drive for jobs and taxes is not allowed to make ugly.

The world will be short of Engineers from now on. I can not think of a better thing to do, or a better place to do it.

OMG! That is nearly exactly what I am trying to get into!! !
Let me give a brief explanation: I was in the Navy as an electrician; I hated the field but loved engineering and the Navy in general. When I got out and into college, I went for Marine Engineering, but that wasn't offered at any State schools, so they suggested Aerospace, since it is nearly the same. So I completed my AA in pre-engineering at community college, and got accepted into the Aerospace program at UCF.

After being in the program for a while, I figured out that AE wasn't my first love, and that while I could be happy doing it, I dreamt of buildings instead of planes, or a combination of both, like building space stations and the interior of planes and shuttles. All the other people in AE either want to work on body design or engines, I wanted to do the workspace.

I have the math and spatial skills as well, and I love the sciences. The Navy was ideal for me with AS, and the only problems I have had in school relate to either my ADD or having to work in groups and get extracurricular activities. (One of my professors who also worked full-time for Lockheed Martin said that while a 4.0 gpa is a plus, job recruiters also want to see that we can work in groups and socialize, and we had clubs like building a working go-kart and RC airplane competition. We also had a club that built RC robots to compete against other colleges.)

Thanks for the input! My biggest concern is that in all the adds where they are searching for constructuion/civil or structural engineers they specify that the people who apply has the be social as f***. I mean they state it so clearly in every ad.

I was lucky in that I worked in a couple of places where I 'had' to be social, and though it was very stressful for me to do it, I managed somehow to meet the minimum neccesary. I did notice one thing about NTs: most of them are so self-centered that all you have to do is pay a little attention to them at first, and they think it is great. Just be careful not to show your boredom and impatience later in the conversation.

One of the jobs I had was at Taco Bell, and I had to work drive-thru, and I told my district manager that I couldn't because I wasn't a "people person"; his answer: "You are now." Thanks to the brainwashing I had in Navy boot camp, where I was programmed to follow orders given by a superior, I felt compelled to really try, and did okay.

My brother, who still thinks I can change if I try hard enough, sent me the following article he found on AOL:
12 Tips for Making Small Talk
CareerBuilder.com

A study at the Stanford University School of Business tracked a group of MBAs 10 years after they graduated. The result? Grade point averages had no bearing on their success -- but their ability to converse with others did.

Being able to connect with others through small talk can lead to big things, according to Debra Fine, author of 'The Fine Art of Small Talk.' A former engineer, Fine recalls being so uncomfortable at networking events that she would hide in the restroom. Now a professional speaker, Fine says the ability to connect with people through small talk is an acquired skill.

Fine and her fellow authorities on schmoozing offer the following tips for starting -- and ending -- conversations:

1. As you prepare for a function, come up with three things to talk about as well as four generic questions that will get others talking. If you've met the host before, try to remember things about her, such as her passion for a sport or a charity you're both involved in.

2. Be the first to say "hello." If you're not sure the other person will remember you, offer your name to ease the pressure. For example, "Charles Bartlett? Lynn Schmidt ... good to see you again." Smile first and always shake hands when you meet someone.

3. Take your time during introductions. Make an extra effort to remember names and use them frequently.

4. Get the other person talking by leading with a common ground statement regarding the event or location and then asking a related open-ended question. For example, "Attendance looks higher than last year, how long have you been coming to these conventions?" You can also ask them about their trip in or how they know the host.

5. Stay focused on your conversational partner by actively listening and giving feedback. Maintain eye contact. Never glance around the room while they are talking to you.

6. Listen more than you talk.

7. Have something interesting to contribute. Keeping abreast of current events and culture will provide you with great conversation builders, leading with "What do you think of ... ?" Have you heard ... ?" What is your take on ... ?" Stay away from negative or controversial topics, and refrain from long-winded stories or giving a lot of detail in casual conversation.

8. If there are people you especially want to meet, one of the best ways to approach them is to be introduced by someone they respect. Ask a mutual friend to do the honors.

9. If someone hands you a business card, accept it as a gift. Hold it in both hands and take a moment to read what is written on it. When you're done, put it away in a shirt pocket, purse or wallet to show it is valued.

10. Watch your body language. People who look ill at ease make others uncomfortable. Act confident and comfortable, even when you're not.

11. Before entering into a conversation that's already in progress, observe and listen. You don't want to squash the dynamics with an unsuited or ill-timed remark.

12. Have a few exit lines ready, so that you can both gracefully move on. For example, "I need to check in with a client over there," "I skipped lunch today, so I need to visit the buffet," or you can offer to refresh their drink.

When should you exit a conversation? According to Susan RoAne, author and speaker known as the "Mingling Maven," your objective in all encounters should be to make a good impression and leave people wanting more. To do that, she advises: "Be bright. Be brief. Be gone."


Debra Fine is an author, speaker and founder of The Fine Art of Small Talk, a company focused on teaching professionals conversational skills for use at networking events, conventions and clients. For more information about Debra and her work, visit www.debrafine.com.

Susan RoAne is the nation's most widely published networking expert. Her books include 'How to Work a Room, 'The Secrets of Savvy Networking,' 'What Do I Say Next?' and 'How to Create Your Own Luck.' To learn more about the art of Susan and get more pointers on schmoozing, go to www.susanroane.com.

While you won't be able to do it anything like an NT, some of the advice really does help, and the rest is just faking it.