Engineering Education in the 21st Century

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the urgent need for reform in engineering education to keep pace with the rapidly evolving field of engineering. He discusses the importance of diversity in engineering teams, the poor retention rates of engineering students, and the outdated nature of current engineering curricula. The speaker also highlights the need for technological literacy in a modern democracy and suggests that engineering education must change to prepare students for the future, not the past.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The speaker emphasizes the need for reform in engineering education, noting that the current curriculum has changed little in the past 50 years despite significant shifts in engineering practice.
• 🌏 There's an urgency to address the lack of US students pursuing engineering and science, as the country's competitiveness relies on quality education rather than just cost competition with developing nations like China and India.
• 🔄 The speaker highlights the importance of diversity in engineering, believing that a diverse workforce leads to better quality products and is necessary to increase the number of engineers in the US.
• 🎓 There's a concern about the retention rate in engineering programs, with about half of the students who start in engineering not finishing, indicating a need to improve teaching methods to retain students.
• 🎯 The speaker argues that the first professional degree in engineering should be a master's degree, not a bachelor's, which is currently the case, leading to a bloated curriculum and a lack of practical training.
• 📚 The curriculum needs to be updated to reflect new fundamentals like information technology, discrete mathematics, and biological sciences, which are essential for modern engineering practice.
• 👩‍🏫 Faculty rewards in engineering schools should be reevaluated to value creativity and practical experience in engineering, not just research and teaching.
• 🌍 Engineering education must prepare students for a global context, understanding cultural and business constraints that impact design and problem-solving.
• 📈 There's a need for technological literacy among the general public and especially among those in public policy, to ensure informed decision-making in a technology-driven society.
• 🏛️ The speaker calls for a cultural shift in engineering schools to value and reward innovation and practical engineering experience, which is currently underrepresented in faculty promotion criteria.
• 🏆 The National Academy of Engineering has taken steps to promote change in engineering education, including creating committees, electing members for contributions to engineering education, and establishing prizes and centers to advance scholarship in the field.

Q & A

What is the structural problem with genocide mentioned in the script?

The structural problem with genocide is that it tends to happen in places that are off the beaten path, not in well-known or populated areas.

What is the importance of lifelong learning according to the speaker?

Lifelong learning is important because society needs to acknowledge that learning is an ongoing challenge and it is crucial for individuals to adapt and grow.

Why does the speaker emphasize the significance of diversity in engineering?

The speaker believes that a diverse engineering team will build a better quality product, and also argues that diversity is necessary for having enough engineers considering the demographic shifts in the population.

What is the speaker's concern regarding the current state of engineering education?

The speaker is concerned that engineering education has not changed much in the past 50 years, despite significant changes in the practice of engineering.

What does the speaker suggest needs to change in engineering education?

The speaker suggests that curriculum, pedagogy, diversity, retention rates, and the perception of the BS degree as a professional degree need to change in engineering education.

Why does the speaker argue that the current curriculum is outdated?

The speaker argues that the current curriculum is outdated because it still focuses on continuous mathematics for four semesters, despite the fact that most students will not use calculus in their future careers.

What is the speaker's view on the role of creativity in engineering?

The speaker views creativity as an essential characteristic of a good engineer and argues that engineering schools should recognize and reward creative problem-solving.

What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of technological literacy for the general public?

The speaker believes that technological literacy is crucial for an educated citizenry in a modern democracy, as technology is one of the strongest forces shaping society.

What does the speaker suggest about the role of engineering schools in public education?

The speaker suggests that engineering schools should provide courses for liberal arts majors to relate technology to larger social issues and promote technological literacy.

What are the four-legged stool initiatives mentioned by the speaker to improve engineering education?

The four-legged stool initiatives are: creating a committee on engineering education, electing people to the Academy for contributions to engineering education, creating a prize for contributions to engineering education, and establishing a Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education.

Why does the speaker compare engineering education to an addiction to technological change?

The speaker compares engineering education to an addiction to technological change to emphasize that society is heavily reliant on technology and that engineering education must evolve to keep up with these rapid changes.