Formalizing the Field of Data Engineering

Much like we have Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, it is time to formalize of field of Data Engineering. This is a special two-part series on trends and requirements leading to the formalization of the Field of Data Engineering. "Data is the new oil…in much the same way that oil fueled economic growth in the 20th century, data will fuel economic growth in the 21st century." To further raise the credibility of data as the economic fuel for the next century, "The Economist" Special Report on the Data Economy asks "Are data more like oil or sunlight?" Still, it is hard to put a definitive value on data. If data is to be the fuel for economic growth in the 21st century, don't we need to find a way to accurately determine what data is worth?