The Case for Liberal Engineering

Prof. Jonathan ColtonZeigler Outstanding Educator AwardZeigler Outstanding Educator Award

LectureFebruary 26 2008February 26, 2008

Jack M Zeigler (ME 1948)Jack M. Zeigler (ME 1948)• Thanks for supporting this award and lecture.• Mr. Jack M. Zeigler received his bachelor's degree in

mechanical engineering after interrupting his education with 3½ years of service in the U.S. Army. Whil t G i T h h t d t tWhile at Georgia Tech, he was a co-op student at two companies, where he worked primarily as a draftsman. In one company he earned $1.25 an hour; this was a raise from $0 55 per hour at the otherthis was a raise from $0.55 per hour at the other company.

• Mr. Zeigler is the retired President and Owner of Fabrication Engineering Service Company IncFabrication Engineering Service Company, Inc. (FESCO). FESCO specializes in the made-to-order fabrication business using high quality alloy steels to produce tanks for the chemicals industry and p ypressure vessels for textile manufacturers.

Previous winnersPrevious winners

• William Black• Said Abdel-Khalik• Farrokh Mistree• Robert Fulton• Robert Fulton• James Hartley• David McDowell • Robert Nerem

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

• My students• Ray Vito – Georgia TechRay Vito Georgia Tech• James Duderstadt – U. Michigan

Ch l V t MIT• Charles Vest – MIT

Bully Pulpity p

• Current UG engineering education is g gincreasingly outmoded and irrelevant.

• We need a new paradigm inWe need a new paradigm in engineering education to produce future technological leaders.future technological leaders.

Liberal EngineeringLiberal Engineering

• Prepares students for lives that go beyond short-term, practical problem y , p psolving.

• Provides students with critical skills andProvides students with critical skills and interests in the larger problems of living in societyin society.

The World is Flat

• Perception – jobs going to India and China due to lower costs

Engineering Degree Production in S l t d C t iSelected Countries

Thousands

China

JapanS KoreaUSAUKGermany

NSF

Germany

Disturbing TrendsDisturbing Trends

• Commoditized engineering jobs are being lost overseasg

• Reduced production of US engineers– due to lack of interest?– due to lack of interest?– due to lack of careers opportunities?

The World is Spiky - PatentsThe World is Spiky Patents

The Atlantic Monthly, October 2005

Scientific Citations

The Atlantic Monthly, October 2005

Where is the New Science in Corporate R&D?

Science, Vol 314, 8 December 2006, 1547

Characteristics of Non-fungible, On-shored Jobs

• Very high value-added contributions• Idea generatorsg• Define problems within the context of

the local societythe local society

U.S. Goals for GraduatesEducating the Engineer of 2020

• Technically Proficient• Broadly EducatedBroadly Educated• Think of Themselves as Global Citizens

C b L d i B i d P bli• Can be Leaders in Business and Public Service

• Ethically Grounded

GT Strategic PlanGT Strategic Plan

Georgia Tech will define the technological research university of the 21st century and educate the leaders of a technologically

driven world.

So, what are we doing to educate these leaders?

1 f bi ti f ll l l• 1 year of a combination of college level mathematics and basic sciences

• 1½ years of engineering topics, consisting of engineering sciences and engineering design

• A general education component g p• A curriculum culminating in a major

design experiencedesign experience

ME RequirementsME Requirements

Chemistry Calculus DifferentialChemistry, Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Physics, English Humanities Social ScienceEnglish, Humanities, Social Science, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering Ethics StatisticsEngineering, Ethics, Statistics, Economics, Engineering Economics, Computing History WellnessComputing, History, Wellness

ME RequirementsME Requirements

Engineering Graphics, Computing, Dynamics, Design, Mechanics, DefBods, y , g , , ,Fluids, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Controls, Machine Design, Thermal , g ,Design, Experimental Methods Lab, Systems Lab, Manufacturing, Capstone y , g, pDesign…

Educational ExperienceEducational Experience

• Over-loaded with (technical) courses• Over-loaded with (technical) courses– Average time to graduate 4.5+ years– Hold-over from quarter-system– Hold-over from quarter-system

• No time to explore without delaying graduationgraduation– Personal interests (sleep)– MinorsMinors– Double majors– Junior year abroadJu o yea ab oad

Five Minute University

Father Guido SarducciFather Guido Sarduccihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8x8eoU3L4

ME Five Minute UniversityME Five Minute University

• MechanicsMechanics– Free-body diagram

Fluids• Fluids– Bernoulli

• Thermodynamics– Control volume

• Dynamics– Rotation about a fixed axis

Technological leaders are produced in spite of what we do

Students somehow find the time

Today’s Engineering EducationToday s Engineering Education

• 21st century students• 20th century curriculum20 century curriculum• 19th century institutions

• Changes one grave at a time• Hasn’t changed much in 100 years

What Should We Do?What Should We Do?

Nothing things are fineNothing, things are fine

• Engineers are valuable because they• Engineers are valuable because they know how to think.– Set up problemsSet up problems– Solve problems

• We teach students how to thinkWe teach students how to think.• It works: 25% of S&P 500 CEOs have

an UG degree in engineeringan UG degree in engineering.– But, what are their advanced degrees in?

Things aren’t fineThings aren t fine

W ’t ti t t• We can’t continue to create commoditized, plug-and-play graduates

h il l d b lwho are easily replaced by lower-wage, overseas engineers.

• We can teach thinking in better ways.

New Paradigm NeededNew Paradigm Needed

Liberal Engineering

Charles William EliotProfessor at Harvard & MIT

President of Harvard

“The student in a polytechnic school has a practical end constantly in view Thispractical end constantly in view….This practical end should never be lost sight of by student or teacher in a polytechnicby student or teacher in a polytechnic school, and should seldom be thought of or alluded to in a college ” (1869)or alluded to in a college.” (1869)

J.S. CoonP f f M h i l E i iProfessor of Mechanical Engineering

“It will be conceded that it is not sufficient for a course in engineering to turn out technical experts, if it can hope to do even this. But it must do much more; it must turn out menmust do much more; it must turn out men. While the schedule of subjects in this course does not indicate it, it is the prime object to send out young men to engage in the commercial work of the world with high ideals, and a keen sense of moral responsibility Goodand a keen sense of moral responsibility. Good character is of more importance to the young engineer than engineering ability.”

GST Catalog 1906-07

J.S. CoonProfessor of Mechanical Engineering

“The purpose of a course in engineering is not so much in the line of imparting p gfacts and information as it is to enable the student to form the habit of logical greasoning, to depend upon his own resources, to draw correct conclusions ,from given premises--in short, to think.”

Charles VestPresident of MIT

“Making universities and engineering schools exciting, creative, adventurous, g, , ,rigorous, demanding, and empowering milieus is more important than specifying p p y gcurricular details.” (2007)

What is Liberal Engineering?What is Liberal Engineering?

A liberal education prepares students for lives that go beyond short-term, practical g y , pproblem solving. It leaves them with critical skills and interests in the larger gproblems of living in society.

Source: a Harvard undergraduate

Why do we need it?Why do we need it?

• To keep engineering relevant– to studentsto students– to employers– to the worldto the world

• Responds to societal needs

What have others done?What have others done?

• DartmouthDartmouth– A.B. (engineering science) – not accredited – B.E. (engineering science) – one more year, ( g g ) y

accredited• Harvard

– A.B. (engineering science) – not accredited– S.B. (engineering science) – accredited

WPI• WPI– B.A. (liberal and engineering studies)

Not accredited– Not accredited

Open Engineering DegreesOpen Engineering Degrees

• CornellCornell– Independent Major

Not accredited– Not accredited• MIT

C– Course 2A– ABET accredited– S.B. in Engineering

COE Strategic PlanCOE Strategic Plan

E l ti i tiExplore creating a new, innovative, rigorous and flexible bachelor’s degree

th t ill f d ti fthat will serve as a foundation for advanced study in professions other than,

d i l di i iand including, engineering.

Proposed Mission ShiftProposed Mission Shift

Produce leaders of a technologically driven world by producing a liberally educated and technologically literate

population.

Desired Characteristics of GT GraduatesDesired Characteristics of GT Graduates

Broad range of nderstanding and kno ledge• Broad range of understanding and knowledge– Liberal arts

Technical arts– Technical arts• Problem identification and solving skills

– Define problems within societal contextsDefine problems within societal contexts– Develop multiple solutions

• Decision making skillsDecision making skills• Leadership skills

Desired Characteristics of GT GraduatesDesired Characteristics of GT Graduates

• Operates in global environmentU d t d i i i l b l t t– Understands engineering in a global context

– Knows foreign languages and cultures• Prepared for career changesPrepared for career changes

– Self-learner (life-long learner)– College is just the beginning

• Ideas person– Symbol manipulator

I d d t thi k• Independent thinker• Innovative, Entrepreneurial, Commercially

savvysavvy

Operate at ExtremesOperate at Extremes

• Nano FemtoNano, Femto• National, global

Operate at FrontiersOperate at Frontiers

BioMacroEnergy

E i tInfoNano

EnvironmentHealth Care

ManufacturingBio-based MaterialsBiomimetics g

CommunicationsLogistics

Personalized, PredictiveMedicine

Synthetic BiologySynthetic BiologyBiofuels

Charles Vest

Technologically Literate PopulationTechnologically Literate Population• Informed decisions on technical matters –

balanced views– Political – Personal

Business– Business• Examples

– Frankenfoods– Nanotechnology

or

gy

Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy• Attract larger numbers of diverse students• Undergraduate education

– Technical literacy– Liberal education– Exposure

• Graduate education– In-depth technical understanding

P f i l ti– Professional practice– Life-long process– Required for future success– Required for future success

Undergraduate EducationUndergraduate Education

• Mass customization, rather than mass ,production

• Flexible degrees– Accredited– Non-accredited– Create your own

• Multiple paths– Multiple entry points– Multiple graduation points

Self paced and self directed– Self-paced and self-directed

Flexible CurriculumFlexible Curriculum• Options

– Traditional majors– Allow for student interests

Explore various “majors”– Explore various “majors”– Create your own “majors”– Easy to change “majors”y g j

• Time available to explore other pursuits• International experience

– Semester or year overseas• Foreign language competency

Increase Technological LiteracyIncrease Technological Literacy

• GT attracts very smart studentsGT attracts very smart students• Increasing numbers are not engineering

majorsmajors• Many don’t have the mathematics and

science background needed to enterscience background needed to enter engineering immediatelyW d b f• We need to attract greater numbers of students to technology

Teaching Technological Literacy• Take in smart students

Teaching Technological Literacy

– Show the necessity for technological literacy for every career

• Teach them the material– Preliminary material (pre-calc, basic y (p

science)– Engineering

• Minors, such as Eng & Mgt, don’t address this issue

New Undergraduate TriviumNew Undergraduate Trivium

• Basic knowledge• Engineering knowledgeEngineering knowledge• Liberal knowledge

Basic KnowledgeBasic Knowledge

• Mathematics• Science• Written and oral communication• Leadership• Leadership• Humanities• Social Science• Wellness☺☺

Engineering Knowledgeg g g

• Common COE Core Courses – Design– Systems modeling and dynamics– Mechanics and materials– Thermodynamics and fluidsy– Computing– Etc.Etc.

• Taken early enough, ABET requirements can still be metrequirements can still be met

Liberal KnowledgeLiberal Knowledge

• Management • Public Policy y• Modern Languages• International Affairs• International Affairs• Science, Technology and Society• Economics• Etc.

ImplementationImplementation

• Four-hour classesFour hour classes– Fewer classes– Deeper level of understandingDeeper level of understanding

• Team taught - integrated coursesUnified rather than specialized– Unified, rather than specialized, fragmented, seemingly unrelated

Experiential learning• Experiential learning– Engineering is observation-based and

hands onhands-on

Departmental EraDepartmental Era

Di h t i th A d• Dichotomy in the Academy• Undergraduate education

– Disciplinary– Book learning

• Graduate education– Trans-disciplinaryTrans disciplinary– Experiential learning

Post Departmental EraPost-Departmental Era

“U it ” i th A d• “Unity” in the Academy• Undergraduate education

– Trans-disciplinary, experiential learning• Graduate education

– Trans-disciplinary, experiential learning

Quo Vadis Engineering Education?Quo Vadis Engineering Education?

• Recognition of need to change – Time for evolutionary changes has passed– What will my children do for jobs?

• Revolutionary change needed

Quo Vadis Undergraduate Engineering Education?Engineering Education?

Liberal Engineering

Thank you for yourThank you for your attentionattention

Questions?