ABSTRACT
We are living in a period of rapid technological progress that requires the constant evolution of how we think about engineering. To understand how we can ensure the evolution of our field, it is helpful to look back at the historical factors that led to the da Vincian era, that is, the Renaissance. Inventive engineers must develop a strong understanding of why engineers in general were so successful, respected, and important in the past. That brings us to the Renaissance man, an individual (who can be of either gender) who personified various Renaissance-era ideas that led to the emergence of several generations of exceptionally successful creators. These individuals were also engineers, and their fifteenth-and sixteenth-century creations still impress and inspire us today.
