Book excerpt: Engineers play a vital role in nation building. Since independence, they have been driving Singapore's efforts in industrialisation. Their vision, creativity and resilience gave Singapore a competitive edge, enabling a meteoric rise from Third World to First in one generation. Going forward, the government wants to make Singapore a "e;Smart Nation"e; - a nation where people live meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all. Engineers are vital in making this happen. This book captures 100 stories of engineering accomplishments in Singapore over a span of 30 years as told by the Nanyang Technological Institute (now known as NTU) Pioneer Engineering Class of 85. They demonstrate the breadth and depth of the engineering landscape in our nation. If this book inspires some to take up an engineering career, it will have achieved its purpose.