Engineering Education Today: Meeting the Global Challenge? National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering Division Director Gary A. Gabriele Engineering Education and Centers

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers The Context..

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers The reports... Engineering Research and America’s Future (NAE, 2005): Committee to Assess the Capacity of the U.S. Engineering Research Enterprise The Engineer of 2020 (NAE, 2004) and Educating the Engineer of 2020 (NAE, 2005) Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (NRC/COSEPUP, 2005) Innovate American: National Innovation Initiative Final Report (Council on Competitiveness, 2005)

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 4 The book... “Clearly, it is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real-time, with more people, on more kinds of work, from more corners of the planet, and on a more equal footing, than at any previous time in the history of the world”

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Another report.. Engineering occupations are the most amenable to remote location Offshore talent exceeds high-wage countries’ potential by a factor of 2 17% of engineering talent in low- wage countries is suitable* for work in a multinational company. At current suitability rates, and an aggressive pace of adoption in demand, supply of engineers could be constrained by *Suitable = quality of education, location, domestic competition “The Emerging Global Labor Market”

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 6 Knowledge and human capital have become key driving forces in a global economy. All countries, developing and industrialized, have a shortfall in S&E talent. Education has become one of the highest priorities for developing countries. Competition for S&E talent in the future is going to be a major global battleground. Summary of the current environment Arden Bement remarks at NSB Workshop on Engineering Education

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 7 Impact on Engineering Education Commodity engineering will increasingly be done through the low-cost providers. What will be the advantage that our engineers will bring to the global market? Our innovation infrastructure will depend on a strong S&E workforce. How do we attract a more diverse group of students to all levels of engineering education?

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Issues for engineering education

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 9 Interest in engineering Percent of total BS degrees granted

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 10 Undergraduate enrollments in engineering by ethnicity and sex Source: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2004 (NSF )

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 11 Graduate Enrollments in Engineering

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 12 Women engineering graduates, 2002 Source: NCES, 2002

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Statics/Linear Algebra Engineering Graphics/CAD Chemistry I Calculus I H&SS Elective Mfg Processes Materials Calculus II Physics I H&SS Elective Differential Equations Physics II Strength of Materials H&SS Elective Introduction to Design Dynamics Thermal//Fluids I Programing H&SS Elective Probability/Statistics Electronics Instrumentation Thermal Fluids II Thermal Lab H&SS Elective Embedded Control Modeling and Controls Elements of Mechanical Design Mechanical Systems Lab Technical Elective Free Elective Senior Design Technical Elective Free Elective A “typical” Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Calculus I Chemistry I Physics I Communications Elective Calculus II Chemistry II Physics II Humanities Calculus III Physics III Social Science General Manufacturing Processes Solid Mechanics I Differential Equations Physics IV Social Science Thermodynamics I Solid Mechanics II Electrical Engineering I Fluid Mechanics Thermodynamics II Metallurgy Humanities Elective Electrical Engineering II Computer Programming/ Numerical Methods Mechanics of Machines Automatic Process Cntl Humanities Elective Heat Transfer Design of Machine Elements Technical Elective Humanities Elective Production Mfg Engng Technical Elective Senior Project Humanities Elective

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 14 What’s missing? Systems design and complex problems Global and social relevance Production systems, logistic systems Project management Research experience Creativity and Innovation processes Business and marketing principles Use of modern computing infrastructure and tools

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers What is NSF doing?

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 16 NSF/ENG Programs Engineering Education Program ($10M) Develop and support a community of researchers on how students learn engineering Engineering Research Center Program ($9.3M) Focus on integration of research and education on engineered systems Requirement for K-12 outreach. Research Experience for Undergraduates (Sites) ($7M) Research Experience for Teachers ($3M) FY 05 Investments

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 17 Additional NSF-wide activities include - ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers Centers for Learning and Teaching Graduate Research Fellowships Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program Nanoscale Science and Engineering Education National Nanoscale Infrastructure Network International Opportunities for Scientists and Engineering Other ENG/EHR activities include - NSF-Navy Civilian Service Fellowship-Scholarship Program SBIR Supplemental Funding for Diversity Collaborations Research and Education NSF Programs

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers 18 Major leverage points for moving forward Curriculum research leading to informed reform. Academic leadership that understands the need for change and how to lead major change. ABET We need to change the culture of engineering educational to one that welcomes women and minorities to engineering at all levels, UG thru faculty.

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers “As we think about the many challenges ahead, it is important to remember that students are driven by passion, curiosity, engagement, and dreams.... In the long run, making universities and engineering schools exciting, creative, adventurous, rigorous, demanding, and empowering milieus is more important than specifying curricular details.” Charles M. Vest “Educating Engineers for 2020 and Beyond” Educating the Engineer of 2020

Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Thank you.