Electrical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the technology of electricity, especially the design and application of circuitry and electronic devices. It covers a wide range of topics from power generation and distribution to motors, lighting, communications, and control systems. Electrical engineers work in a variety of industries, including power generation, telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, defense, and electronics.
The history of electrical engineering goes back to the days when electricity was first discovered. The field has since evolved to encompass a wide range of technologies. Early pioneers in the field include Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, Guglielmo Marconi, John Logie Baird, Lee de Forest, Karl Ferdinand Braun, and Edwin Howard Armstrong.
Today’s electrical engineers are working on a variety of cutting-edge technologies. These include renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power; electric vehicles; batteries and fuel cells; smart grids; microgrids; nanotechnology; semiconductors; optoelectronics; MEMS (microelectromechanical systems); sensors; data storage devices; computer networks; information security; artificial intelligence; robotics; biomedical devices and imaging systems; lasers ; fiber optics ; radar ; navigation systems ; communication satellites ; aircraft flight control systems ; missile guidance systems , etc . Some electrical engineers also work in more traditional fields such as hydroelectric power plants , thermal power plants , nuclear power plants , or coal-fired power plants .