WASHINGTON (1 August 2017) – What could be better than reading one of Donald Christiansen’s Backscatter columns in IEEE-USA InSight?
Why, reading 16 of these thought provoking and well-researched essays, by the respected former editor and publisher of IEEE Spectrum—all in one handy place, of course!
As with his four previous anthologies, the author organized the columns in Best of Backscatter–Book 5, around particular topics. He selected the articles in this fifth volume (as with the other four), from columns previously appearing in IEEE-USA InSight and Today’s Engineer Online. For this book, Christiansen chose columns relating to design issues, engineering writing and communicating, historical recollections, and the engineering gender gap.
He approaches each column with the same thoughtful and pragmatic style that has made Backscatter so popular over the years. Christiansen was a practicing engineer before he moved on to IEEE Spectrum, and he applies the best of the engineering mindset–analytical, logical and detail-oriented–to his writing.
In one column, “Quack, Quack?” Christiansen looks at the good and bad consequences of engineering development—noting both the advantages and consequences of using simulation as a tool for design and teaching. In another column, “Don’t Blame Us,” he waxes philosophic–that when good technology “goes bad,” people usually expect engineers to take the blame. Christiansen took the tongue-in-cheek approach, though; and he admits he tried to muster enough evidence in the column, to shift the blame to technology itself.
An IEEE Fellow, Christiansen has been contributing Backscatter to IEEE-USA publications for some years. Each of his periodic anthologies is always a good reason for engineers–and anyone else interested in technology–to be pleased. In Book 5, the latest compilation of Christiansen’s online essays, his fans have ample cause to celebrate.
In August, IEEE-USA E-BOOKS is offering this award winning, $4.79 e-book, *free* to IEEE members only.
Now through 15 September, U.S. IEEE members can get a free download of this e-book by going to http://www.ieeeusa.org/shop/views/new-ebook-best-of-backscatter-book-5/.
Log in with your IEEE Web account, add the book to your cart, and use promo code AUGFREE17, at checkout.
CALL FOR AUTHORS
IEEE-USA E-BOOKS seeks authors to write an individual e-book, or a series, on career guidance and development topics. If you have an idea you think will benefit members in a particular area of expertise, please email your proposal to IEEE-USA Publishing Manager Georgia C. Stelluto at g.stelluto@ieee.org.
IEEE-USA serves the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of nearly 190,000 engineering, computing and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE.
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