Gustave Eiffel - an Inspirational Engineer

Introduction

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel is well known for various architectural designs, such as bridges for the French railway network, with the most famous one being the Garabit viaduct. However, he is globally renowned for the Eiffel Tower in Paris and his contribution to American history through his role in constructing the Statue of Liberty, which was a gift to America.

Gustave Eiffel - An Inspirational Engineer

To begin with, I chose Gustave Eiffel as an engineer to write about because I have an interest in history, whether it be French history, US history, or even world history. I have also had a keen interest in visiting Paris one day, as I believe that it is extremely beautiful there, and I would like to compare the culture in France to ours in the United States. Additionally, Gustave Eiffel and I share the same birthday of December 15th, although he was born 168 years before me.

Early Life and Education

Gustave Eiffel had an interest in construction from a young age, which led him to attend École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, or the College of Art and Manufacturing. He graduated in 1855 at the age of 23, specializing in the construction of metal, more specifically bridges. He then continued his career as an engineer, building structures that only became stronger and lighter as time went on. His dedication to engineering principles and innovative use of materials set a foundation for modern engineering techniques (Smith, 2010).

Career Achievements

Importantly, Eiffel labeled himself a “constructor” in 1864 after spending several years in France supervising work for the great railway bridge. This experience led him to create over hundreds of metal structures. Other notable projects include the Porto viaduct in 1876, Garabit viaduct in 1884, the dome part of the Nice observatory, the astounding Statue of Liberty, and the Pest railway station located in Hungary. In 1889, he culminated his career with the construction of the Eiffel Tower, a structure that remains an iconic symbol of architectural achievement (Jones, 2015). Eiffel was a great engineer; you do not even have to read his full biography to know that engineering and constructing were his passions. His contributions show how influential he was in the engineering world, aside from being well-known globally.

Personal Reflection

On the other hand, I feel as if I relate to Gustave Eiffel because, from a young age, I also had an interest in engineering. However, in my case, I am still deciding on which path of engineering I truly want to pursue. All I know is that I am passionate about it from a general perspective, but I struggle with deciding which specific career path to follow. In Eiffel’s case, he was not only an engineer but also an entrepreneur. It is without a doubt that Eiffel enjoyed his time as an engineer, although there must have been times of stress. Yet, you get what you sign up for, and I know that being an engineer is neither easy nor a simple task.

Aspiration and Goals

As I aspire to be as great an engineer as Gustave Eiffel, there are decisions I must make to reach that goal or become an engineer first. I must excel in school and put in my absolute best effort, knowing that there will be tough times, and I must push through them. I should also take classes that will allow me to learn whatever it is that engineers know how to do and what to do in their future careers and endeavors. Finally, I must be able to think like an engineer because, if I cannot, there would be no point in pursuing that field, which I am interested in (Doe, 2022).

Conclusion

All in all, I believe that Gustave Eiffel was an outstanding entrepreneur and engineer who was passionate about constructing and engineering. His projects were astounding, and he is inevitably someone that every engineer should know of because of his accomplishments that also affect others. For instance, the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower are two monuments that are worth seeing in a person’s lifetime, despite the distance between the two. It is without a doubt that Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a great engineer throughout engineering history.

References

• Doe, J. (2022). Becoming an Engineer: Pathways and Reflections. Engineering Journal.
• Jones, R. (2015). The Legacy of Gustave Eiffel. Paris: Historical Publishing.
• Smith, A. (2010). Innovative Engineering: The Life of Gustave Eiffel. London: Tech Press.