A 21st Century Imperative: Increasing the Number, Quality, and Diversity of Engineering Graduates Charles M. Vest President, National Academy of Engineering President Emeritus, MIT Summit: Assuring Michigan’s Knowledge-Based Workforce Ann Arbor October 13, 2009

Inauguration Day 2008

“We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman NYT Sept. 28, 2008

“We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman NYT Sept. 28, 2008 “Germany’s renewable energy industry, with more than 50,000 new jobs, now is second only to their auto industry.” Thomas Friedman NYT Sept. 15, 2009

“Without a renewed effort to bolster the foundations of our competitiveness, we can expect to lose our privileged position.

“You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing … after they have exhausted all the other possibilities.” --Winston Churchill

“You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing … after they have exhausted all the other possibilities.” --Winston Churchill

Develop Brainpower Unleash Innovation First: Then:

DEVELOPING BRAINPOWER

Source: NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 A Problem How do we compare with the Rest of the World?

And it gets worse … Engineering Graduates and US Population by Race

source: V. Wadhwa, Issues in Science and Technology, 2009 Immigrants have founded many Of our S&E Based Companies

INSPIRE Developing Brainpower

Make Solar Energy Economical Manage the Nitrogen Cycle Advance Healthcare Informatics Prevent Nuclear Terror Advance Personalized Learning Provide Energy From Fusion Provide Access to Clean Water Engineer Better Medicines Secure Cyberspace Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery Develop Carbon Sequestration Methods Restore and Improve Urban Infrastructure Reverse Engineer the Brain Enhance Virtual Reality Engineering Grand Challenges

Energy Environment Global Warming Sustainability Improve Medicine and Healthcare Delivery Reducing Vulnerability to Human and Natural Threats Expand and Enhance Human Capability And Joy Engineering Grand Challenges

IMPROVE EDUCATION Developing Brainpower

AP Passing Scores at 10 Dallas ISD Schools in Math and Science Source: The College Board

Minority AP Passing Scores per 1000 Juniors and Seniors in Math, Science, and English for African-American and Hispanics in 10 Dallas ISD Schools, Texas, and U.S. Source: The College Board, Dallas ISD, Texas Education Agency, National Center for Educational Statistics (2005 U.S. enrollment data is estimated through extrapolation) First Year of AP Incentive Program First Year of AP Incentive Program We can fix the K-12 Problem.

SIX-YEAR COLLEGE GRADUATION RATE* Students who passed an AP exam compared to those who did not pass an AP exam** Texas Public Colleges or Universities Source: National Center for Educational Accountability * % receiving B.A. degree within 6 years of high school graduation based on group of students graduating in 1998, and enrolling in a Texas Public College or University (67,863 students). ** Based on AP Exams in core academic subjects of English, Math, Science, and Social Studies ANGLO HISPANIC AFRICAN AMERICAN

K-12 engineering education should emphasize: Design Creative problem-solving process. It should include : Math, science, and technology concepts. It should develop 21st century skills: Systems Thinking Collaboration Communication Source: Engineering in K-12 Education, National Academies Press, 2009 Putting the “E” in STEM A National Academy of Engineering Project

Data on effectiveness are sparse. Teachers are unprepared and overloaded. Our report raises more questions than it answers. Putting the “E” in STEM Be Careful and disciplined.

UNLEASHING INNOVATION

Source: Stuart Feldman, IBM Research, Presentation at Carnegie-Mellon University, 29 June, 2005 With New Jobs U.S. % Employment by Sector History and Projection

Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation

Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation

Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital ? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation Evolution of Current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Relentless Change Grand Challenges Distributed Intelligence S&T Acceleration Globalization Internet Democracy To Be Determined by A New Generation

Two Things we must do

Change the Conversation A National Academy of Engineering Project Engineers help shape the future. Engineering is essential to our health, happiness, and safety. Engineers are creative problem solvers.

Rediscover The Amazing Disappearing Word

ENGINEER

We need to get it back into the vernacular.

Why Young People should study Engineering

1.This is the most exciting era in science and engineering in human history. Why Young People should study Engineering

Frontiers of Technology Macro Systems Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Tiny Systems

1.This is the most exciting era in science and engineering in human history. 2.Our future economy, health, security, and quality of life depends on S&E. 3.It’s really interesting and rewarding. Why Young People should study Engineering

Energy Environment Global Warming Sustainability Improve Medicine and Healthcare Delivery Reducing Vulnerability to Human and Natural Threats Expand and Enhance Human Capability And Joy Engineers can conquer Grand Challenges.

1.This is the most exciting era in science and engineering in human history. 2.Our future economy, health, security, and quality of life depends on S&E. 3.It’s really interesting and rewarding. Why Young People should study Engineering

The 15 Top Earning Degrees Starting Salaries Petroleum engineering $83,121 2.Chemical engineering $64,902 3.Mining engineering $64,404 4.Computer engineering $61,738 5.Computer science $61,407 6.Electrical engineering $60,125 7.Mechanical engineering $58,766 8.Industrial engineering $58,358 9.Systems engineering $57, Engineering technology $56, Actuarial science $56, Aeronautical engin. $56, Agriculture engineering $54, Biomedical engineering $54, Construct. Management $53,199 Source: CNNMoney.com, July 24, 2009

A FINAL THOUGHT

What is needed in K-12 Initiatives Evaluation Coherence Scale Sustained Effort

Thank you.