<p>This need for informed, balanced perspectives is particularly important in engineering, a field that has profound social and ethical implications – for example, when building safer bridges and buildings or developing defense tactics. “Engineers are the people who can bring inventions and resources and technology to bear on human needs,” Jones notes. “Ideally, engineers should be at the absolute interface of these social and political conversations.” </p>
<p>A Focus on Outcomes</p>
<p>Because the program seeks to develop well-rounded students prepared to engage in multiple “conversations,” its list of outcomes goes well beyond basic engineering skills. With goals such as, “the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences,” and “the ability to appreciate continual intellectual advancement and a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning,” the program expects students to develop more than just technical abilities. This goal closely aligns with the Accrediting Board of Engineering and Technology’s vision for engineering programs, a vision that emphasizes the development of multiple professional skills, including solving unstructured problems, communicating effectively, and working in teams. In order to foster these outcomes, Picker faculty utilize reflective writing sessions and, recently, portfolio development. These practices are designed to encourage students to internalize the process of learning and its important outcomes – instead of simply checking off tasks.</p>
<p>“It’s not just about achieving the outcomes…it’s about transformation,” says Jones, who believes that when students recognize the changes they have undergone since arriving on campus, they can better realize and appreciate their education and its effects. And portfolios are not only about chronicling and improving skills, but expanding on them as well –Jones encourages students who have success in one area of their portfolios to “take the next risk” and push themselves to the next skill level.</p>
<p>Interesting article, mini. One of my Ds attends the Univ. of Toronto, where the Deans of Law, Medicine, and Engineering are now women. The woman who was named to head the Engineering department was the third to have received such an appointment at a Canadian university last year. All of the engineering schools are attempting to halt the slide of the number of female engineering students, and are hopeful to boost them to the levels exhibited in medicine and law.</p>
<p>It's about time; I can't for the life of me understand why more young women are not going into engineering. Those that do find the world of engineering a very welcoming place :). </p>
<p>I've worked in several places, as a business person, and the best work environment I found was in an engineering company (even though I wasn't an engineer). There was very little political maneuvering, very straighforward relationships, nonexistent backstabbing, total objectivity. I don't know if this is the case with all tech companies, but it was a joy to work there.</p>
<p>"All of the engineering schools are attempting to halt the slide of the number of female engineering students, and are hopeful to boost them to the levels exhibited in medicine and law."</p>
<p>I think Linda Jones the program director (as well as the new ABET standards) provides key understanding of the slide: the increasing disconnect between the necessarily exacting standards of increasing technocratic engineeering education and the ultimate needs it is supposed to serve.</p>
<p>If you are smart enough to do engineering you can probably do other majors and move into much better jobs with more $$$ upside--ie banking, consulting, business, comp sci.,etc. The problem is the career incentives are not that great.</p>
<p>I've not seen evidence that engineers do not have opportunities for $$$, either coming in or going out. Starting salaries are generally very good- comparable to or better than business. And as far as long term growth- the same opportunities for upward mobility exist for engineers as do business people; only their opportunities are with engineering companies instead of banking. Most engineers who climb the ladder to VP or private ownership do have some business background- either an MBA or an MBA-type program offered through their company. My husband attended one of these programs years back, on the company's time and money.</p>
<p>Of course, an engineer can stay put at pure engineering (lab work) all her life, and unless she becomes something like a "senior scientist" she probably won't do as well as the ones who eventually go into management. But usually those folks have weighed the benefits and choose to stay in the engineering ranks because they enjoy it so much.</p>
<p>I have several friends who are women engineers and have had families. They were able to work flex time, part time, and take extended leaves during their childbearing years. They maintained a very good salary base to jump right back in and continue their careers without missing a beat after their kids left the nest.</p>
<p>"If you are smart enough to do engineering you can probably do other majors and move into much better jobs with more $$$ upside--ie banking, consulting, business, comp sci.,etc. The problem is the career incentives are not that great."</p>
<p>The stated purpose of the program is to train future female engineering managers.</p>
<p>Good article mini! Too many people fail to understand the factors necessary to be engaged in a successful engineering career. Ms Linda Jones touched on many-teamwork skills-effective communication to diverse audiences-creativity-life long learning, etc. The successful engineer needs to be accomplished in all of these and have the necessary techincal skill set.</p>
<p>It is funny how discussion here about engineering always comes around to salary. The undergraduate engineering degree will almost always out earn any other BS degree. And in many businesses the BSEng/MBA is a coveted combination, even in i-banking circles because of the quantative skills engineers have. In addition engineering lends itself to consulting opportunities and one good engineering invention can be highly renumerative.</p>
<p>And some people just want to be engineers irregardless of the pay.</p>
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If you are smart enough to do engineering you can probably do other majors and move into much better jobs with more $$$ upside--ie banking, consulting, business, comp sci.,etc. The problem is the career incentives are not that great.
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Computer Science is generally considered engineering and is often in the School of Engineering at a particular college (UCLA and UCSD among them). Both of my D's are pursuing a CS degree. Females are certainly in a minority in that major (maybe 15% of the class).</p>
<p>DH teaches mechanical engineering at our local state university. In his opinion one problem is in the name. "Mechanical engineering" suggests gears and engines while really it can apply to a variety of subjects such as wildfire spread and kelp movement in the oceans. His best students tend to be ones of the female persuasion who can look beyond the name and to what the industry offers.</p>
<p>csleslie, that is why prospective engineering students should look a college web sites. Every one will provide a good description of specialties in the field. And yes, ME's can specialize areas like fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and nanotechnology. Nary a gear of camshaft to be found.</p>
<p>Its ironic that many of the "outcome" objectives in the ABET list are made more difficult to acheive because of the narrowness imposed by the ABET requirements.</p>