Charleston’s growing economy serves as backdrop for engineers’ gathering

Top leaders to hear from Anita Zucker, tour Boeing’s assembly plant

CHARLESTON, SC – Some of the nation’s top engineering experts will gather near Charleston this week, as new manufacturing plants rev up the region’s economy and create new jobs that require advanced degrees.

About 200 leaders, most from universities, will begin arriving over the weekend and will stay until the middle of next week.

Their agenda includes a tour of Boeing’s assembly plant and talks by Anita Zucker, CEO of The InterTech Group, and James E. Rogers, chairman of the board for Duke Energy.

The meeting at Kiawah Island will help showcase the Lowcountry at a time when the region’s advanced manufacturing sector is driving up the need for talent that is highly skilled in engineering and science.

The ideas shared in South Carolina could affect how engineering is taught at schools across the country.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the Lowcountry to show what’s happening right here in our backyard,” said Dr. Anand Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering and Science at Clemson University.

“Some of South Carolina’s most influential industry leaders will be gathering with some of the nation’s most influential engineering educators. We’re looking forward to a fruitful discussion.”

The event bringing them together is the annual conference of The American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Engineering Deans Institute.

For the first time in the conference’s history, top leaders from three universities will be attending:

• Freeman Hrabowski,  president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• Randy Woodson, chancellor of N.C. State University
• James P. Clements, president of Clemson University

Gramopadhye is co-hosting the conference with Dr. Tom Katsouleas, professor and Vinik Dean of Engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering.

The meeting is the major event of the Engineering Deans Council, housed at ASEE. Since 1893, ASEE has been the nation’s only society focused on engineering education across all disciplines.

The gathering comes at a crucial time for engineering education. Engineers are in high demand and commanding some of the top salaries among college graduates.

At the same time, a growing number of students are aligning their education with the 14 “grand challenges” facing the world in the 21st century.

The grand challenges range from making solar energy economical to providing access to clean water. They were first identified by the National Academy of Engineering in 2008 and have quickly gained attention across the nation, including in Washington, D.C.

Katsouleas and partners went to the White House last month to help deliver a letter signed by  the deans of 122 engineering schools across the country. They pledged to annually graduate at least 20 students who have been specially prepared to address the grand challenges.

Their goal is to educate more than 20,000 “Grand Challenge Engineers” over the next decade.

The NAE-endorsed Grand Challenges Scholars Program will be one of the centerpiece discussion topics for the conference.

The program was started by Duke University, Olin College and the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering in 2009.

It has since spread to 20 other schools, including Clemson, and more than 160 Grand Challenge Scholars have graduated.  Women comprise half the program’s graduates, although they make up 19 percent of U.S. undergraduate engineering students.

“We’ve had a tremendous response, which tells us that we’ve tapped into something powerful,” Katsouleas said. “We’re showing engineering students how they can make a real difference in the world.  I’m excited to share what we’ve learned at this year’s EDI conference.”

Students in the program major in engineering, but they also think about other pieces of the puzzle that need to be in place to solve the globe’s most complex challenges.

Students typically start in their freshman or sophomore year, and use the program to guide their academic experience through graduation.

They have to meet five components through coursework and extracurricular activities to graduate as a Grand Challenges Scholar:

•             Participate in a hands-on project or research experience
•             Include other disciplines, such as public policy or business, in their curriculum
•             Learn entrepreneurial skills
•             Fulfill a global dimension piece, often by traveling abroad
•             Join in service learning

 

More information: engineeringchallenges.org/GCcommitment andgrandchallengescholars.org

 

 

Monday

President’s Panel: Two university presidents and a chancellor will give their views on some of the most urgent questions in higher education. 8:30-10 a.m.

Energy: Hear from some of the top experts in industry and academia on how the nation will continue to produce energy. Topics include the future of the industry, low cost energy solutions, modernization of the grid and ensuring U.S. competitiveness. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Even the greatest invention does no good if it’s left to gather dust on a shelf. Engineering programs across the country have been encouraging students to get entrepreneurial so that more ideas are taken to market. Hear more about the trend from experts spanning the nation. 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Cool Ideas-Lightning Round: One university is opening a campus in Kuwait. Another gives students 48 hours to address real-world challenges. Still another is teaching computer science to children in Romania. Learn more about the some of the cool ideas that are helping create the next generation of engineers. 3:15-5 p.m.

 

Tuesday

Anita Zucker: Zucker, the CEO of The InterTech Group, will speak about the importance of education in science, technology, engineering and math. She is a former school teacher.7:30-8:30 a.m.

Community and Service Learning: Experts say that getting students involved in service-learning is a powerful way to engage students, have a worldwide impact and retain groups underrepresented in engineering. Research shows it also encourages “self-regulated learning,” a key asset for professional success. 8:30-10 a.m.

Global Engagement: A growing number engineering schools are offering students the opportunity to work on projects outside the United States. The discussion will focus on “humanitarian engineering” in developing countries. 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Advanced Manufacturing: Experts from industry and academia will talk about the future of advanced manufacturing and the role of partnerships involving industry, universities and government. 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Diversity: Experts will explore how to move beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. They will also share ideas for attracting a diverse student body, ensuring students’ success and making employers are provided with a diverse talent pipeline. 3:15-5 p.m.

 

 

To see a full program and to learn more about the conference go to: http://www.asee.org/conferences-and-events/conferences/edi/2015/program-schedule