Double date in Nashville

ASEE Prism, May/Jun 2003 by Huband, Frank L

This year's annual conference will be held in Nashville, and I look forward to seeing you there. Best known for its country music, Nashville has been home to entertainer greats like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline. Even if country music isn't your thing, there's plenty to enjoy and savor in this sophisticated southern city. This month's article, "Hitting a High Note in Nashville," provides excellent information about where to go and what to see. It gives a good listing of restaurants (casual to upscale), as well as noting fine art museums, historic sights, and shopping for every pocketbook. Nashville offers just the right mix for the times-easy to get to, reasonably priced, plenty for the whole family to do, and down-home ease. Consequently, we are expecting a strong turnout. The annual conference will be held right after ASEE's second international colloquium, which also takes place in Nashville - in partnership with the World Federation of Engineering Organization's 6th World Congress on Engineering Education, June 20-22. There is a discounted registration package for those who attend both the annual conference and the international colloquium. These events are a great opportunity to meet and network not only with old friends but with international colleagues as well.

In the first half of the May-June Prism, you'll find the usual mix of timely and interesting articles. "The Graduate" confirms that today's business world is looking for the multifaceted engineer who has both science and soft skills. Engineering graduates getting the top jobs are the ones who can communicate effectively, have strong organizational skills, and understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context. Schools are feeling pressure to incorporate changes to the technical curriculum so that they graduate well-rounded engineers. The challenge is how to fit nontechnical courses into an already packed engineering curriculum.

NASCAR has becomes big business, and race teams are looking for every advantage. We learn in "Engineers, Start Your Engines" that engineer-led teams can provide the winning edge. Additionally, a few engineers have from moved out of the garage to behind the wheel as race car drivers.

Other stories include "Magnetic Fields," which looks at how Canadian engineering schools are working to boost the number of women graduating in engineering.

Finally, there is a delightful profile of Rose Hulman president, Sam Hulbert, who retires next year after 28 years at the helm.

If you have thoughts you'd like to share about any of the articles, I would enjoy hearing from you. And again, I look forward to seeing you in Nashville.

Frank L. Huband

Executive Director and Publisher

f.huband@usee.org