Engineering Education

Advancing Sustainable Development: Emerging Factors and Futures for the Engineering Field

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Advancing Sustainable Development: Emerging Factors and Futures for the Engineering Field Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/10/2023 - 18:00 Amy Javernick-Will , Emma Stine

This study set out to identify emerging trends in advancing engineering for sustainable development, supporting the engineering workforce to address wicked problems, and strengthening pathways between engineering education, industry, and policy. The following question guided this work: What are the emerging factors impacting the future of global sustainability efforts within engineering, and how can these be amplified to increase the impact of engineering for sustainable development? Using an adapted Delphi method with surveys, focus groups, and member-checking interviews, we hosted the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 2022 Engineering Global Development (EGD) Stakeholder Summit. The summit convened industry leaders, innovators, and academics to explore emerging factors impacting the future of global sustainability efforts in engineering. This manuscript synthesizes emerging trends and proposes recommendations for engineering, particularly in the specific focus area of engineering for sustainable development (e.g., ‘humanitarian engineering’, ‘global engineering’). Critical recommendations include the adoption of emerging cultural mindsets, which include: (1) take an interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach, (2) consider dynamic and interconnected systems, (3) increase humility and intercultural competence, (4) prioritize diversity and inclusion, (5) increase localization and center community perspectives, (6) challenge the perception that engineering is neutral, and (7) broaden the goals of engineering. Ultimately, this study highlights pathways forward for the broader engineering community to more effectively contribute to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Burleson, G., Lajoie, J., Mabey, C., Sours, P., Ventrella, J., Peiffer, E., Stine, E., Stettler Kleine, M., MacDonald, L., Austin-Breneman, J., Javernick-Will, A., Winter, A., Lucena, J., Knight, D., Daniel, S., Thomas, E., Mattson, C., Aranda, I. (2023). “Advancing Sustainable Development: Emerging Factors and Futures for the Engineering Field”. Sustainability. 10.3390/su15107869.

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Aligning learning objectives and approaches in global engineering graduate programs: Review and recommendations by an interdisciplinary working group

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Aligning learning objectives and approaches in global engineering graduate programs: Review and recommendations by an interdisciplinary working group Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/30/2022 - 17:00 Amy Javernick-Will

Despite decades of global development programming, poverty persists in the low-and-middle-income countries targeted by these efforts. Training approaches to global development must change and the role of engineers in these efforts must evolve to account for structural and systemic barriers to global poverty reduction. Rapid growth in Global Engineering graduate programs in the United States and Canada creates an opportunity to unify efforts between academic institutions and ensure that programs align with the sector's needs as identified by practitioners. To build consensus on how to equip engineering students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary, we convened practitioners, faculty and graduate students for a two-day workshop to establish an agreed-upon Global Engineering body of knowledge. The workshop was informed by a pre-event survey of individual participants and representatives of participating academic institutions with graduate programs in Global Engineering or a related field. Through the workshop breakout sessions and post-event work by the authors, we developed the following priority learning objectives for graduate education in global engineering: Contextual Comprehension and Analysis; Cross-cultural Humility; Global Engineering Ethics; Stakeholder Analysis and Engagement; Complex Systems Analysis; Data Collection and Analysis; Data-driven Decision Making; Applied Engineering Knowledge; Project Design; Project Management; Multidisciplinary Teamwork and Leadership; Communication; Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resilience; Global Health; and Development Economics. Although technical skills are central to preparing the next generation of Global Engineers, transversal and interdisciplinary skills are equally important in equipping students to work across sectors and account for barriers to global development and equity.

MacDonald, L., Thomas, E., Javernick-Will, A., Austin-Breneman, J., Aranda, I., Salvinelli, C., et al., (2022). Aligning learning objectives and approaches in global engineering graduate programs: Review and recommendations by an interdisciplinary working group. Development Engineering, p.100095. 10.1016/j.deveng.2022.100095

MacDonald, L., Thomas, E., Javernick-Will, A., Austin-Breneman, J., Aranda, I., Salvinelli, C., et al., (2022). Development Engineering, p.100095. 10.1016/j.deveng.2022.100095

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A body of knowledge and pedagogy for global engineering

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 23:00:00 +0000

A body of knowledge and pedagogy for global engineering Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/30/2021 - 17:00 Evan Thomas , Carlo Salvinelli , James Harper , Amy Javernick-Will , Karl Linden

Global engineers must be taught to consider the historical and present causes of persistent poverty and systematic barriers to prosperity. Such training will better inform the choices engineers make and help move the engineering sector away from a product and community-level focus towards working to address the root causes of poverty. A framing for Global Engineering has recently been proposed by the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, building on over 15 years of curricular efforts. Global Engineering, as taught by the Mortenson Center, positions the field as a complement to Global Health and Development Economics while further embracing a historically contextualized and anti-colonial training.

Thomas, E., Salvinelli, C., Harper, J., MacDonald, L., Klees, R., Platais, G., ... & Linden, K. (2021). A body of knowledge and pedagogy for global engineering. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 16(1), 37-57.

Thomas, E., Salvinelli, C., Harper, J., MacDonald, L., Klees, R., Platais, G., ... & Linden, K. (2021). International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 16(1), 37-57.

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Revealing (mis)alignments between household perceptions and engineering assessments of post-disaster housing safety in typhoons

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Revealing (mis)alignments between household perceptions and engineering assessments of post-disaster housing safety in typhoons Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/02/2020 - 23:00 Casie Venable , Amy Javernick-Will , Abbie Liel

Building capacity for disaster risk reduction requires integrating local and scientific knowledge. We focus on local and scientific knowledge of the safety of housing in typhoons’ wind, focusing on roof and wall systems. To identify alignments and misalignments between household and engineering understanding of safe housing, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 170 households that received new houses from organizations following Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. We qualitatively coded and analyzed these interviews to identify what housing components households expect to fail first, their preferred failure, and how they plan to modify their house to be safer in typhoons. We compared these responses to three results from engineering assessments: the governing failure mode, the failure mode that best meets safety performance objectives, and the quantified impact of design modifications. Household perceptions and engineering assessments were well-aligned when focusing on the damage expected to a single component and how to improve the performance of a single component. However, perceptions and assessments were misaligned at the housing level as households did not consider how housing components worked together as a system to influence performance. Households often did not recognize that modifying one component, such as the roof, would have an adverse impact on the performance of other components, such as the wall. This study is one of the first to systematically compare perceptions and assessments of housing safety and advances understanding of alignment, or misalignment, of local and scientific knowledge of safe building practices. We recommend that future post-disaster training programs incorporate discussions of a house’s load path to focus on how components work together, enabling design and modification decisions that support improved housing performance.

Venable, C., Javernick-Will, A., Liel, A. B., & Koschmann, M. A. (2021). Revealing (mis) alignments between household perceptions and engineering assessments of post-disaster housing safety in typhoons. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 53, 101976.

Venable, C., Javernick-Will, A., Liel, A. B., & Koschmann, M. A. (2021). International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 53, 101976.

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Embedding Systems Thinking into EWB Project Planning and Development: Assessing the Utility of a Group Model Building Approach

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 06:00:00 +0000

Embedding Systems Thinking into EWB Project Planning and Development: Assessing the Utility of a Group Model Building Approach Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/01/2017 - 00:00 Kimberly Pugel , Jeffrey Walters

Amongst growing sociotechnical efforts, engineering students and professionals both in the international development sector and industry are challenged to approach projects more holistically to achieve project goals. Engineering service learning organizations must similarly adapt their technological projects to consider varying cultural and economic structures, ensuring more resilient social progress within development efforts. In practice, systems thinking approaches can be utilized to model the social, economic, political, and technological implications that influence the sustainability of an engineering project. This research assesses the utility of integrating systems thinking into Engineers Without Borders (EWB) project planning and development, thereby improving project impact and more effectively engaging members. At a workshop held at an EWB-USA 2016 Regional Conference, the authors presented a planning and evaluation framework that applies group model building with system dynamics to foster systems thinking through factor diagramming and analysis. To assess the added value of the framework for EWB project planning and development, extensive participant feedback was gathered and evaluated during the workshop and through an optional post-workshop survey. Supported by thoughtful observations and feedback provided by the EWB members, the model building workshop appeared to help participants reveal and consider project complexities by both visually and quantitatively identifying key non-technical and technical factors that influence project sustainability. Therefore, system dynamics applied in a group model building workshop offers a powerful supplement to traditional EWB project planning and assessment activities, providing a systems-based tool for EWB teams and partner communities to build capacity and create lasting change.

Pugel, K. and Walters, J. (2017). "Embedding Systems Thinking into EWB Project Planning and Development: Assessing the Utility of a Group Model Building Approach." Journal of Humanitarian Engineering. Advance Online Publication.

Pugel, K. and Walters, J. (2017). Journal of Humanitarian Engineering. Advance Online Publication.

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Engineering in Developing Communities: Curriculum Development around Graduate Certificate and Professional MS Programs

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Engineering in Developing Communities: Curriculum Development around Graduate Certificate and Professional MS Programs Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2016 - 00:00 Karl Linden , Amy Javernick-Will , Bernard Amadei , Rita Klees , Robyn Sandekian

The University of Colorado Boulder, USA has an almost 10-year history supporting a graduate education program in Engineering for Developing Communities (EDC). This program interfaces a dynamic engineering graduate curriculum with classes and skills development specifically to bridge this engineering training to applications in lesser developed communities and non-western cultures. The program consists of a four course sequence that focuses on how engineers can work effectively in sustainable community development. Our approach promotes the integration of social, technical, economic, institutional, and environmental activities as the foundation for sustainable development. The classes include training in field work methods, global development theory and the development industry, community assessment methods, and includes an extensive field-based experience. �鶹��Ժ are required to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in their coursework and other learning experiences, and to apply theory and principles in a situation of professional practice in engineering and international development. This presentation provides an overview of the ongoing EDC graduate certificate and new professional Masters of Science Degree programs at the University of Colorado Boulder. It also presents the results of a survey conducted on past and current students involved in different aspects of the graduate certificate program. The results of the survey were used to evaluate how the EDC educational experience has shaped their graduate experience and careers.

Linden, K., Javernick-Will, A., Amadei, B., Klees, R,. and Sandekian, R. (2016). “Engineering in Developing Communities: Curriculum Development around Graduate Certificate and Professional MS Programs.” Engineering Education for Sustainable Development Conference. Bruges, Belgium.

Linden, K., Javernick-Will, A., Amadei, B., Klees, K,. and Sandekian, R. (2016). Engineering Education for Sustainable Development Conference. Bruges, Belgium.

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Socially Engaged Engineers’ Career Interests and Experiences: A Miner’s Canary

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Socially Engaged Engineers’ Career Interests and Experiences: A Miner’s Canary Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/21/2016 - 01:00 Kaitlin Litchfield , Amy Javernick-Will

Engineers that are actively engaged with both the social and technical dimensions of engineering work—socially engaged engineers—offer diversity in skill sets, values, and characteristics to the engineering workforce. This diversity can help the engineering profession better address complex global challenges. Despite the value of socially engaged engineers, the field lacks understanding about the career interests and experiences of these engineers. This study investigates EWB-USA members as a case of socially engaged engineers to explore engineering students’ career interests and practicing engineers’ career intentions and experiences. Using mixed-methods and a lens of meaningful work, this study compares differences between EWB-USA members and nonmembers. Findings indicated two main trends among EWB-USA members: females’ disillusionment with community development engineering work and practitioners’ strategies to find more personally meaningful work. This paper discusses why and how these findings should serve as a miner’s canary—a warning to the engineering field about the dangers of socially engaged engineers’ potential misalignment with current engineering careers.

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2016). “‘Socially Engaged Engineers’ Career Interests and Experiences: A Miner’s Canary.” Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education. 143 (1), 4016018. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000303.

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2016). Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education. 143 (1), 4016018. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000303.

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Social Appeal: Service Activities May Attract a More Altruistic, Broad-Minded Group to Engineering

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Social Appeal: Service Activities May Attract a More Altruistic, Broad-Minded Group to Engineering Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/01/2016 - 00:00 Kaitlin Litchfield , Amy Javernick-Will

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2016). “Social Appeal: Service Activities May Attract a More Altruistic, Broad-Minded Group to Engineering”. PRISM, JEE Selects, 39.

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2016). PRISM, JEE Selects, 39.

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Technical and Professional Skills of Engineers Involved and Not Involved in Engineering Service

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Technical and Professional Skills of Engineers Involved and Not Involved in Engineering Service Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/31/2015 - 00:00 Kaitlin Litchfield , Amy Javernick-Will , Andrew Maul

Background

Engineers must acquire increasing technical and professional skills to meet pressing global challenges, but fitting training for these skills into already crowded curricula is difficult. Engineering service may provide opportunities to gain such skills; however, prior research about learning outcomes from such activities has been primarily small-scale, anecdotal, or lacking a comparison group.

Purpose/Hypothesis

We aim to understand whether self-reported learning outcomes differ between engineers involved and not involved with engineering service activities. Specifically, do the two groups experience and learn different technical and professional skills in their engineering activities?

Design/Method

We used a sequential mixed methods approach that began with interviews and focus groups with 165 participants and continued with a questionnaire administered to over 2,500 engineering students and practicing engineers both involved and not involved with engineering service. Analyses included variable-oriented qualitative analysis and multiple linear regression models to compare perceived technical and professional skills.

Results

Quantitative results show that engineers involved and not involved with engineering service report comparable perceived technical skills, and that those involved in engineering service report significantly higher perceived professional skills, even when controlling for age, gender, and grade point average. Qualitative results indicate that higher professional skills can be partially attributed to the realistic, complex, and contextualized learning experiences within engineering service activities.

Conclusions

Engineers involved with engineering service may gain strong professional engineering skills that do not compromise their technical skills. Thus, engineering service may help educate the type of engineers the field needs to confront pressing global challenges.

Litchfield, K., Javernick-Will, A., and Maul, A. (2016). “Technical and Professional Skills of Engineers Involved and Not Involved in Engineering Service.” Journal of Engineering Education. 105 (1), 70-92. doi: 10.1002/jee.20109

Litchfield, K., Javernick-Will, A., and Maul, A. (2016). Journal of Engineering Education. 105 (1), 70-92. doi: 10.1002/jee.20109

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“I Am an Engineer AND”: A Mixed Methods Study of Socially Engaged Engineers

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 06:00:00 +0000

“I Am an Engineer AND”: A Mixed Methods Study of Socially Engaged Engineers Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 10/24/2015 - 00:00 Kaitlin Litchfield , Amy Javernick-Will

Background

Socially engaged engineering activities such as community development have grown rapidly in popularity. The engineers who participate in these activities seem more diverse and more broadly interested than the larger population of engineers in the United States.

Purpose/Hypothesis

This article compares the personal attributes, specifically personality traits and motivations to study engineering, of members of a prominent engineering service organization, Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA), with the attributes of engineers who were not members.

Design/Method

Using an exploratory, sequential mixed methods approach that combined variable-oriented analysis of interviews and focus groups with multiple logistic regression models from responses to a national survey, we compared engineers' personality traits and motivations to study engineering.

Results

Results indicate that both EWB-USA members and nonmembers exhibit strong personality traits for conscientiousness and emotional stability. Both members and nonmembers have similar intrinsic engineering interests and motivations. EWB-USA members have significantly stronger personality traits for openness to experience and agreeableness, stronger motivations for social good, and broader interests than do nonmembers.

Conclusions

EWB-USA members have personal attributes that match those of other engineers, but they have broader interests and motivations than do other engineers. These differences suggest including socially engaged engineering activities in engineering may increase the number and broaden the diversity of engineering students and practitioners.

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2015). “‘I am an Engineer AND’: A Mixed-Methods Study of Socially Engaged Engineers.” Journal of Engineering Education. 104 (4), 393-416. doi: 10.1002/jee.20102

Litchfield, K. and Javernick-Will, A. (2015). Journal of Engineering Education. 104 (4), 393-4166. doi: 10.1002/jee.20102

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