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Engineering Education and the Challenges of the 21st Century Charles M. Vest President, National Academy of Engineering Samuel Ginn Lecture in Engineering Auburn University September 22, 2009
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Engineering Education and Challenges 1.21st century Engineering and Science 2.Globalization 3.Grand Challenges 4.Innovation 5.Engineering Education
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21st Century Engineering and Science New Frontiers Interdisciplinary Interrelated Use-Inspired
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Frontiers of Technology
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Frontiers of Technology Macro Systems Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Tiny Systems
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Macro Systems Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Social Science Natural Science Tiny Systems Frontiers of Technology
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The Payoff will come from Bridging the Frontiers MACRO SYSTEMS Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics … TINY SYSTEMS Bio Info Nano Bio-based materials Biomemetics Personalized, Predictive Medicine Synthetic Biology Biofuels Etc.
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Interdisciplinary
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Genomic Research
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Biology Genomic Research
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Clinical Insight Robotics And Automation Biology Microfabrication Combinatorial Mathematics Genomic Research
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Interdependent
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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
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Brain Research Cell Biology Complex Systems Computation Micro Sensors Imaging
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Brain Research Cell Biology Complex Systems Computation Micro Sensors Imaging
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Increasingly Use-Inspired
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NoYes No Pure Basic Research (Bohr) Pure Applied Research (Edison) Research is inspired by: Consideration of use? Quest for Fundamental Understanding? Adapted from Pasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, Donald E. Stokes 1997 R&D is increasingly performed in “Pasteur’s Quadrant”
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NoYes No Pure Basic Research (Bohr) Pure Applied Research (Edison) Research is inspired by: Consideration of use? Quest for Fundamental Understanding? Adapted from Pasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, Donald E. Stokes 1997 R&D is increasingly performed in “Pasteur’s Quadrant” Use-inspired Basic Research (Pasteur)
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NoYes No Pure Basic Research (Bohr) Pure Applied Research (Edison) Research is inspired by: Consideration of use? Quest for Fundamental Understanding? Adapted from Pasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, Donald E. Stokes 1997 R&D is increasingly performed in “Pasteur’s Quadrant” Former University Presidents (Vest) Use-inspired Basic Research (Pasteur)
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Globalization R&D Higher Education Movement and Integration
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Globalization of R&D and Talent
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New R&D Investments Data for 2002 Source: Science and Engineering Indicators, NSF 2008 R&D Expenditures and Share of World Total
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New Players Where the Expertise is Source: Competitiveness Index 2007, Council on Competitiveness, Washington, DC
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Source: Science and Engineering Indicators 2006, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC First Engineering Degrees (China Rises.) China US Japan thousands
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Source: NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 How do we compare with the Rest of the World?
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Source: NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 What About the Rest of the World? A Problem
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Globalization of Higher Education
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Research University Globalization Phase I Germany Humboldt University 1800s USA Johns Hopkins 1800s MIT, Caltech, RPI, … 1800s / 1900s Berkeley, Stanford, Michigan, UC, … 1800s /1900s IITs India 1960’s Acceleration Asia 2000’s Bologna Europe 2010 2000s!
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Research University Globalization Phase II Physical Presence in Other Countries –Campuses –Laboratories Strategic Alliances Between Universities Virtual Presence in Other Countries –Distance Education Synchronous Asynchronous –Open Content: The Emerging Meta-University Teaching Materials Scholarly Archives Telepresent Laboratories
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Research University Globalization Phase II Physical Presence in Other Countries –Campuses –Laboratories Strategic Alliances Between Universities Virtual Presence in Other Countries –Distance Education Synchronous Asynchronous –Open Content: The Emerging Meta-University Teaching Materials Scholarly Archives Telepresent Laboratories
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MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) Concept: Make the basic teaching materials for 1,900 MIT subjects available on the Web to teachers and learners everywhere free of charge. Publication -- Not Teaching per se. An adventure!
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41.9% 18.0% 4.4% 1.4% 19.6% 4.9% 8.4% MIT OCW – Traffic by Region % web hits since 10/1/03
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The Meta University A Personal View What we are observing is the early emergence of a Meta University -- a transcendent, accessible, empowering, dynamic, communally-constructed framework of open materials and platforms on which much of higher education worldwide can be constructed or enhanced.
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Movement and Integration
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Brain Drain Then
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Brain Drain Brain Circulation Then Now
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Brain Drain Brain Integration Brain Circulation Then Now Next
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source: Prof. David Baker, University of Washington
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MIT Center for Collective Intelligence Core research question: How can people and computer be connected so that collectively they act more intelligently than any person, group, or computer has ever done before?
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Grand Challenges
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Grand Challenges for Engineering Proposed by a committee of amazingly accomplished and innovative people. Extremely challenging and important. Deemed to be doable in the next few decades.
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Grand Challenges Committee Bill Perry, chair Sir Alec Broers Farouk El-Baz Wes Harris Bernadine Healy Daniel Hillis Calestous Juma Dean Kamen Ray Kurzweil Bob Langer Jaime Lerner Bindu Lohani Jane Lubchenco Mario Molina Larry Page Rob Socolow Craig Venter Jackie Ying
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Make Solar Energy Economical Manage the Nitrogen Cycle Advance Healthcare Informatics Prevent Nuclear Terror Advance Personalized Learning Provide Energy From Fusion Provide Access to Clean Water Engineer Better Medicines Secure Cyberspace Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery Develop Carbon Sequestration Methods Restore and Improve Urban Infrastructure Reverse Engineer the Brain Enhance Virtual Reality Engineering Grand Challenges
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Energy Environment Global Warming Sustainability Improve Medicine and Healthcare Delivery Reducing Vulnerability to Human and Natural Threats Expand and Enhance Human Capability And Joy Engineering Grand Challenges www.engineeringchallenges.org
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Innovation New Systems Drivers
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New Systems for Innovation?
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Life Sciences and Information Technology 21st century Innovation
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Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges 21st century Innovation
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Macro Systems especially Energy 21st century Innovation
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A new Enabling Technology? 21st century Innovation
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Future of Venture Capital? 21st century Innovation
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Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation
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Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Duderstadt / NAE Brookings / Energy
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Aalto University Olin College Singapore
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Singularity University
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Wikipedia Roseta@Home.Org IBM Innovation Jam Social Networking
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation X Prizes
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Evolution of current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation
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Drivers of Innovation
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“We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Sept. 28, 2008 “We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Sept. 28, 2008
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“We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Sept. 28, 2008 “We need to get back to making stuff based on real engineering not just financial engineering.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Sept. 28, 2008 “… with more than 50,000 new jobs, the renewable energy industry in Germany is now second only to its auto industry.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Sept. 18, 2009
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Relentless Change Grand Challenges Distributed Intelligence S&T Acceleration Globalization Internet Democracy
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Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital ? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation Relentless Change Grand Challenges Distributed Intelligence S&T Acceleration Globalization Internet Democracy
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Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital ? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation Evolution of Current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Relentless Change Grand Challenges Distributed Intelligence S&T Acceleration Globalization Internet Democracy
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Life Sciences and Information Technology A new Enabling Technology? Macro Systems especially Energy Future of Venture Capital ? Disruptive Technologies For Grand Challenges Globalization of R&D Education Workforce 21st century Innovation Evolution of Current Innovation System Virtual Communities Discovery Innovation Institutes New Universities New Educational Organizations Inducement Prizes 21st century Innovation Relentless Change Grand Challenges Distributed Intelligence S&T Acceleration Globalization Internet Democracy To Be Determined by A New Generation
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Engineering Education
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Macro Systems Energy Environment Health Care Manufacturing Communications Logistics Nano Bio Info Social Science Natural Science Tiny Systems Engineering Education must reflect this.
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Energy Environment Global Warming Sustainability Improve Medicine and Healthcare Delivery Reducing Vulnerability to Human and Natural Threats Expand and Enhance Human Capability And Joy Engineering Education must be oriented to the grand challenges.
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Engineering Education must reverse this.
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By Changing the Conversation A National Academy of Engineering Project Engineers help shape the future. Engineering is essential to our health, happiness, and safety. Engineers are creative problem solvers.
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And by rediscovering The Amazing Disappearing Word
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ENGINEER
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We need to get it back into the vernacular.
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What is important in Engineering Education Making universities and engineering schools exciting, creative, adventurous, rigorous, demanding, and empowering environments is more important than specifying curricular details.
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What is important in Engineering Education Making universities and engineering schools exciting, creative, adventurous, rigorous, demanding, and empowering environments is more important than specifying curricular details. That ’ s what I learned at MIT.
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Thank you.
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