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Preparing Future Engineers

  • 1.  Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-26-2019 03:12 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-29-2019 12:36 PM

    The world is certainly changing - what challenges will this present to civil engineers in 2040? 2060? 

    ASCE and the Department Heads Council (DHC) is sponsoring a Civil Engineering Education Summit, to be held on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, May 28-30 to discuss how engineering education can better prepare civil engineers for these challenges. I would like to start the discussion in this thread.

    Any/all persons interested in civil engineering education -- academics, practitioners, students, and others - How can we prepare future civil engineers to anticipate these challenges and adapt to societal needs?


    ------------------------------
    Kevin Hall Ph.D.,M.ASCE
    Univ Of Arkansas
    Fayetteville AR
    (479) 575-8695
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-27-2019 03:57 PM
    My two cents are the areas of sustainability and resiliency. As the faculty who teaches hydraulics and hydrology (and this seems to be prevalent in all areas of civil engineering), we teach to current code, which is treated as a static force until a new code is issued. We try to inject issues of uncertainty into the discussion, but at its heart, we are teaching to code. Concurrent with their university education, most of our students have internships. Very few civil engineering firms in our area are designing to anything above the level needed to obtain the appropriate permit, so the students and employers want to ensure that the graduates are grounded in current code.

    We know that this is not right, but it is what we do. My students take a 400-level statistics class (which is an improvement on the 200-level basic one we used to require), but nowhere in there is uncertainty analysis covered. Students do not understand how to take a model and run multiple simulations on future scenarios based on appropriate ranges of certain parameters - in my case these are rainfall rates and extreme storm events that are becoming less extreme and more common. We can touch on this in capstone, but it is later than it should be in the curriculum. 

    Sustainability and resiliency require that students truly adopt the idea of life-long learning because our knowledge is constantly growing. It also requires an acceptance of uncertainty analysis and being able to interpret the results from those analyses. How can we redesign our classes and curriculum (and accreditation requirements) to push these ideas forward?

    ------------------------------
    Shirley Clark Ph.D.,P.E.,D.WRE,F.EWRI,M.ASCE
    Professor
    Penn State Harrisburg
    Middletown PA
    (717) 948-6127
    Penn State HarrisburgProfessor
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-28-2019 12:17 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-28-2019 12:17 PM
    I agree with Dr. Clark. As a hydrologist, I have been concerned about the increasing irrelevency of past hydrologic events in anticipating frequency and intensity of future hydrologic events. Our core ethics are dependent upon our ability to design systems that protect human life and property, yet our ability to effectively design these systems is in question. My mentor in stochastic hydrology, Dr. Tom Haan, made this threat clear to us in 1994 - our abiltiy to predict future hydrologic events is fully dependent upon the conditions that created the hydrologic record not changing. Well, those conditions have changed. Dr. Clark suggests we expand our curriculum at the undergraduate level to include more extensive experience in uncertainty analysis, risk assessment, and scenario analysis. I fully agree. I teach these concepts in my graduate Environmental and Ecological Risk Assessment course, but I think we should expand these skill sets into senior-level design instruction.

    Finding room in an already crowded curriculum is not easy. However, creating engineers who can design sustainable and resilient systems is also not easy.

    Marty D. Matlock, PhD, PE, BCEE
    Professor of Ecological Engineering
        Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department
    Executive Director, UA Resiliency Center
        Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design
    Sustainability House
    University of Arkansas
    Fayetteville, AR





  • 4.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-28-2019 09:13 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-28-2019 09:12 PM

    In preparation for this year’s education summit, it would be interesting to ask what lessons have we learned from the ASCE's first Education Summit held in Denver, CO in 1995, and what has been done in Academia to address those lessons. 

    In June 1995, at the culmination of some 3 years or so of preparation, led by professor Dr. Jim Yao, Texas A&M, resulted in an "ASCE Education Conference" in Denver, CO. At the end of that conference session, there was a lively 'give and take' as attendees* raised questions about matters presented. There were four main "gaps" noted that were recommended to be included in the formal education of the next generation of civil engineers. They were knowledge and skills related to:
    Leadership, Teamwork,
    Communications and Business Knowledge.
    That information was founded on some 3 years of advance preparation involving business leaders, managers and academics in teaching and administration.

    Q. As we gear up for another such initiative:<u1:p class=""></u1:p>


    A. What progress has been made in academia for any one or more of the identified four (4) subject areas since 1995?

    B. What lessons have we learned from those gaps and shouldn’t we revisit this as part of this year’s summit so we are not reinventing the wheel?

    Respectfully,
    Bill

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-28-2019 10:19 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-28-2019 10:19 PM
    Hey Bill...

    Thanks for the post!  Indeed, the summary report from the 1995 Education Conference is one of the "read-aheads" that participants in the upcoming Summit are asked to review. The initial afternoon of the Summit will involve a 'look back' at not only the 1995 ASCE conference, but also the two NAE publications The Engineer of 2020 and Educating the Engineer of 2020 (as well as some other materials).  I absolutely agree that we need to take care and not reinvent the wheel.

    ------------------------------
    Kevin Hall Ph.D.,M.ASCE
    Professor
    Univ Of Arkansas
    Fayetteville AR
    (479) 575-8695
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-29-2019 07:33 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-29-2019 07:33 AM
    Kevin and Bill:


    In response to your request and suggestions, and sounding like I am beating an old horse, I urge CE educators to explicitly teach students brain basics and how to use that knowledge to be more creative/innovative. Problem solving knowledge, skills, and attitudes are great but, given the caliber of students drawn to engineering, we and they can do more.

    Some of my ideas are presented in my paper "A Half Brain is Good, A Whole Brain Much Better" which is available here: 

    A Half Brain is Good: A Whole Brain Much Better
    Helpingyouengineeryourfuture remove preview
    A Half Brain is Good: A Whole Brain Much Better
    U.S. engineers, beginning as students, should be more creative and innovative and the tools are available to accomplish the formal education part of that goal.
    View this on Helpingyouengineeryourfuture >





    ------------------------------
    Stu Walesh PhD, PE
    Consultant - Teacher - Author
    219-242-1704
    www.HelpingYouEngineerYourFuture.com
    stuwalesh@...
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers
    Best Answer

    Posted 04-29-2019 10:02 AM
    Edited by Kevin Hall 05-14-2019 02:54 PM
    I teach an on-line graduate course at the University of Florida, Principles of Sustainable Engineering Design, focused primarily on civil infrastructure.  The theme of the course, starting with the first lecture, is the past is no longer prologue.  For civil engineers working in the built environment, the obscure but foundational assumption of stationarity (the statistical properties of engineering design parameters will be the same in the future as they have been in the past) is no longer valid for environmental parameters.  The ASCE Committee on Sustainability (COS) has been charged by the ASCE Board of Direction to "transform civil engineering," which we've interpreted as helping civil engineers and other practitioners to understand that non-stationarity is the new normal and what that means to the future of civil infrastructure.  We're also creating educational materials, new standards, certifications and engineering design methodologies. 

    What we've struggled with is a general reluctance by the ASCE leadership to publicly recognize the cause of non-stationarity--climate change--and doesn't want to alienate them.  Many of the members are climate change skeptics, ranging from "Gee, I haven't thought about it much" to "I get my science from Fox News."

    What COS is also struggling with is how to reach the academic community.  If we're going to "transform civil engineering" we need to transform the engineering curricula.  Based on my experience, albeit limited, the engineering students and the newly minted engineers understand the issues and impacts of non-stationarity and want to learn more.  In advertising my course, my pitch is this:  Take this course and you will be able to discuss the issues of sustainability confidently with your friends, clients, customers or bosses, identifying opportunities and risks they never imagined they had.

    ------------------------------
    Bill Wallace ENV-SP, F.ASCE
    Wilsonville, Oregon
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  • 8.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 04-30-2019 05:59 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 04-30-2019 05:59 PM

    There are some great discussions here. As pointed out, engineering education, for that matter any other education is an evolving process – in response mostly to industrial and societal needs, interests and foresights. And as always happens, educators often include elements of his or her convictions into an existing curriculum, or make a justifiable proposal to introduce an entirely new one.

    Since coining of 'Sustainable Development' in 1987 in the UN report, Our Common Future, the term became very popular, and nowadays most universities offer courses on it – in engineering and others. And most countries have this term written, perhaps many times in documents and memos. But I wonder how much implementation of the sustainability concept is really achieved in policies and projects.

    ------------------------------
    Dr. Dilip Barua, Ph.D, P.Eng, M. ASCE
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Website: https://widecanvas.weebly.com
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 05-01-2019 11:50 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 05-01-2019 11:49 AM
    Language programs our minds to eventually operate subconsciously.

    This starts from our early formative years right through university and out into our professional life. For myself, I have used NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming) to re-program/re-think those language-labels that I have found to be false and negative-reinforcing in practice.

    Please consider one such popular verbal expression as a major part of this <g class="gr_ gr_476 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling" id="476" data-gr-id="476">edu</g>-initiative going forward.

    • Subjects Addressing People, Process & Leadership:  Hard Skills for at least 75% of Engineers*.

    • Subjects Addressing Technology: Soft Skills for at least 90% of Engineers*.

    Once we agree on the 21st-century scope of the challenge most engineers face. . . .people, process, leadership...vs....technology.... we may then plan, design and implement appropriate approaches to support the learning processes.

    Thank you for patiently considering my thoughts.

    And of course, I may be wrong!

    Cheers,
    Bill
    *Educators as well as those in practice,  private sector, and public.

    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 05-03-2019 08:39 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 05-03-2019 08:38 AM
    On the outside chance, some searching for some foundational material were not aware of this next reference,
    I offer it for your study.

    And for those who may 'grunt' and think, "Well, I was there," I offer it as a "Brush up" opportunity for you to consider
    providing reinforcement to those who will be participating at this coming "Boot Camp."

    Cheers,
    Bill

    "The Summit on 
the Future of
 Civil Engineering-2025" June 21–22, 2006 [1]

    Prepared by:
    ASCE Steering Committee to Plan a Summit on the Future of the Civil Engineering Profession in 2025


    [1] https://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/About_Civil_Engineering/Content_Pieces/vision2025.pdf
      downloaded 03MAY2019

    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 06-12-2019 06:48 PM
      |   view attached
    "Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century."

    Thought you might find this recent document of interest.

    Please pass it along to colleagues.

    Cheers,
    Hayden

    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 06-14-2019 10:29 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 06-14-2019 10:28 AM
      |   view attached
    "Federal Highway Administration Resources."

    The attachment contains links to the FHA website that offers links to a number of useful resources worth your time to explore.

    Cheers,
    Hayden

    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)



  • 13.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 06-18-2019 12:45 PM
      |   view attached
    2019 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FACT BOOK 
    American Public Transportation Association
    70th Edition   
    April 2019

    APTA's Purpose Statement

    APTA leads public transportation in a new mobility era, advocating to connect and build thriving communities.

    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    APTA_Fact-Book-2019_FINAL.pdf   5.08 MB 1 version


  • 14.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 07-10-2019 02:51 PM
    Two publications are available for your review.
    1. Water Reuse - Potential for Expanding the Nation's Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater.

    2. 
    Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges (2019)

    Cheers,
    Bill


    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 07-16-2019 10:32 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 07-16-2019 12:53 PM
      |   view attached

    Earthworks Manual 

    Design and Construction of Earth-Structures


    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: Preparing Future Engineers

    Posted 07-18-2019 10:27 AM
      |   view attached

    "DISASTER INFORMATION

    MANAGEMENT FOR

    ROAD ADMINISTRATORS"

    TECHNICAL COMMITTEE E.3 DISASTER MANAGEMENT



    ------------------------------
    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
    ------------------------------