1. The Role of GCSP in Shaping the Mindset of Engineering Graduates
Richard K. Miller, Ph.D.
First President and Professor
Needham, Massachusetts
Panel on Extensions of GCSP
NAE GCSP Annual Meeting
National Academy of Engineering
Washington, DC
October 7, 2016

2. Why education must change
An existential
threat!
An existential
threat!

3. 21st century Innovators require more than technical knowledge!
Attitude:
More often than not,
your attitude determines
your altitude in life *
*not your aptitude

4. Capacity, Capability, Competitiveness
Importance of Mindset!
Attitudes, Behaviors, and Motivations:
Entrepreneurial Mindset
Ethical Behavior
Teamwork, Leadership
Global perspective
Interdisciplinary thinking
Creativity and design
Empathy, social responsibility
Employability skills
Educate to Innovate
Capacity, Capability, Competitiveness
Employability Skills
Innovation Excellence

5. Capacity, Capability, Competitiveness
Importance of Mindset!
Attitudes, Behaviors, and Motivations:
Collaborative Mindset
Entrepreneurial Mindset
Interdisciplinary Mindset
Global Mindset
Ethical Mindset
Educate to Innovate
Capacity, Capability, Competitiveness
Employability Skills
Innovation Excellence

6. Mindset – can be defined, measured, and taught!
Angela Duckworth, U. Penn
2013 MacArthur Prize

7. Mindset: Impact in Adults
James Heckman
U Chicago
(Ctr for Economics
of Human Dev)
Nobel Prize in Economics
(with Daniel McFadden)
2000
Grit is often better
predictor of success than
knowledge or intelligence
“Hopeful faculty members spread hope among
their students, while cynical faculty members
spread cynicism”
Mel Ramey – UC Davis

8. Gallup Purdue Index (2014)
Largest alumni survey in history
Behavioral Economics
Long-term outcomes
Well being: purpose, social,
financial, community, physical
KEY FINDINGS
Emotional support
(mentorship) + deep
experiential learning
(projects, etc.) DOUBLES
success in life
But only 3% of alumni get
this
However, nearly 100% of GCSP graduates have both!