Engineering education

Electrical Apparatus, Jun 2005 by Hoff, Joseph S

No more teachers, no more books . . .

Typically, summer ushers in a period of transition for engineering students and recent graduates. While some stop for a deep breath, others pursue course work or summer employment (or a combination thereof). In any case, it isn't a bad time to reflect on career strategies.

Amid the global competition in engineering, Percy "Butch" Shadwell, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and an independent consultant at Shadwell Technical Services, Jacksonville, Fla., offers students some tips in an article entitled "Getting an Education," from the February 2005 issue of IEEE USA's Today's Engineer.

Shadwell says "it's about getting everything you need to compete successfully in the global talent pool."

He outlines several career strategies, including: Make things-apply what you've learned; get more physics; take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam; and graduate school strategies.

Noting that much of what is taught in undergraduate classes is presented out of context, Shadwell tells students: "You should be making things that actually function, all the time."

"The more you design, build, and debug systems, the more you will integrate your education into who you are and how you perceive technical problems," he adds.

While Shadwell stresses the role of practical experience in education, he also emphasizes the importance of a thorough working knowledge of physics, explaining how a strong understanding of scientific fundamentals will expand the realm of possibilities when considering potential solutions to design problems.

After combining hands-on and classroom experience, students should be prepared for the next stage. Prior to graduation, or soon after, every engineering student should take the FE Exam, the first step toward becoming licensed as a professional engineer.

And finally, Shadwell addresses graduate school. If a person's interest lies in doing high-tech R&D that requires more sophisticated mathematics and scientific principles, graduate school may be the best choice. Some employers avoid MS applicants, however, because of their higher price tag. Besides, an undergraduate who opts to enter the workforce after graduating has an opportunity to get essential on-the-job training sooner than classmates who go directly to graduate school.

Education notes

Nanotechnology. As part of the Speaker Club Series at the Metropolitan Club in New York, Dr. Wolfgang Porod, the director of the Center for Nanoscience and Technology at the University of Notre Dame, gave a speech entitled "Nanotechnology: Shaping the World Atom by Atom." He spoke in detail about efforts sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency entitled "Smart Dust," where within 1 cubic millimeter there will be energy storage and energy harvesting capabilities much like solar cells.

According to Dr. Porod, one possible application is to take these smart agents and distribute them in the environment to do ail sorts of monitoring. If something goes wrong, the sensing element calls for help and someone can come and, for instance, clean up an oil spill.

Other applications are feasible as well. This technology could lead to advances of a wide variety, ranging from mundane household applications to cancer treatment.

Proactive Learning. IEEE Fellow Low Tech Song would like to change the way in which university students learn engineering and technology. As the founding head of Republic Polytechnic (RP) in Singapore in 2002-a four-year technical college offering diplomas in engineering, information technology, and applied sciences, as well as specialist diplomas for continuing education students-he has had the opportunity to change the way students learn.

Traditionally, students sit passively in lecture halls and listen and take notes, a process that Low describes as content delivery. With his problem-based learning approach, students at RP create their own content by learning through solving problems.

Awards. From General Motors Corp. to teachers in Rhode Island and Alabama, the 2004 IEEE Educational Activities Board Awards honored nine recipients found to have made a difference in engineering education.

The General Motors Technical Education Program received the IEEE Educational Activities Board Employer Professional Development Award. To provide the expertise it wanted, GM, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employing about 325,000 people globally, has worked with leading universities to provide job-related courses to its employees through distance education.

Two IEEE Sections were recognized for contributions to members in the areas of lifelong learning, continuing education, and professional development. The Boston Section and Florida West Coast Section each received the EAB Section Professional Development Award.

The Educational Activities Board also honored two IEEE Fellows with the 2004 Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities. William S. Clark, a finance director for BellSouth Corp. in Atlanta, was recognized for his contributions to accreditation processes.