who wants to be an engineer?
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ENGINEER. Who Wants to Be an Engineer?. Monica F. Cox, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Engineering Education Purdue University. Questions. What are the characteristics of a typical engineer? What is engineering?. Presentation Overview. Engineering Defined Science & Engineering Statistics - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Who Wants to Be an Engineer?
Monica F. Cox, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Engineering
EducationPurdue University
ENGINEER
Questions
What are the characteristics of a typical engineer?
What is engineering?
Presentation Overview
• Engineering Defined• Science & Engineering Statistics• Why focus on engineering in K-12
classrooms?– Initiatives, New Departments,
standards, programs
What Do These People Have in Common?
Engineers are diverse relative to– Gender– Ethnicity– Age– Occupational Choice– Personality Type– Area of Specialization– Contribution to Society
They are all engineers!
What is Engineering?Engineering is the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice, is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)
What Do Engineers Do?• Design structures for earthquake resistance (Civil)• Devise new ways of harvesting crops and flowers
(Agricultural)• Develop cost-effective processes for recovering raw
materials from the ocean or outer space (Chemical)• Build and test prototype space shuttles and artificial
organs (Mechanical)• Devise and build equipment like cellular phones or
hand-held personal organizers (Electrical)• Design workstations, equipment, or facilities that are
ergonomically correct (Industrial)
and much more!
U.S. Engineering Trends
Engineering Student Diversity
Source: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2004 (NSF 04-317)
S&E doctorates awarded, by country/region:
Most recent year
Eighth Grade Science Proficiency (2000)
Source: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Science and Engineering Indicators 2006. Arlington, VA (NSB 06-01) [February 2006]
*States in alphabetical order, not data order.
1st Quartile (44%–35%)
2nd Quartile
(34%–28%)
3rd Quartile (27%–23%)
4th Quartile (22%–14%)
No Data
Connecticut Illinois Alabama Arkansas Alaska Idaho Indiana Arizona California Colorado Maine Kentucky Georgia Hawaii Delaware
Massachusetts Missouri Maryland Louisiana District of Columbia
Michigan New York North
Carolina Mississippi Florida
Minnesota Oregon Oklahoma Nevada Iowa Montana Utah Rhode Island New Mexico Kansas
Nebraska Virginia Tennessee South
Carolina New Hampshire
North Dakota Wyoming Texas New Jersey Ohio West Virginia Pennsylvania
Vermont South Dakota Washington Wisconsin
Key Findings•Nationwide percentage of 8th grade public school students who performed at or above the proficient level in science was 30% and was slightly higher in the 8th grade than in the 4th grade (28%).
•Proportion of 8th graders who reached the proficient achievement level was 41% for whites, 7% for blacks, 12% for Hispanics, 37% for Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 14% for American Indians/Alaska Natives.
•Sex differences in science proficiency were larger in the 8th grade (9%) than in the 4th grade ( 7%).
• Given these trends, what might be done to increase students’ exposure to engineering?
• What are some initiatives that are in place to positively influence engineering trends?
• What can we do to improve STEM academic achievement at the K-12 level?
Public Exposure to Careers
Since television is the main source of information about science and technology according to NSF findings, where’s the primetime show about engineering?
Forensics
Medicine
Law
Mathematics
Engineering Initiatives
• Pre-College Science & Engineering Recruitment Programs – http://tbp-highschool.mit.edu/highschool/
• On-Campus Retention Programs– Tutorial Services, Women in Engineering
Program, Minority Engineering Program
• Academic Departments– Engineering Education Degree Programs
at Purdue University, Virginia Tech, Tufts University, Utah State, Carnegie Mellon
Purdue University Department of Engineering
Education• Department of Engineering Education (ENE)
established in April 2004
• Graduate degree programs in Engineering Education approved by Indiana Commission of Higher Education in February 2005
• First ENE Graduate Cohort Admitted in Fall 2005
– 10 new PhD students, 1 Post-Baccalaureate
– Women: 50%; Minority: 33%
– International Representation: Taiwan, Indian, Trinidad, Singapore, & Puerto Rico
– Engineering Disciplines: ECE (4), Civil (2), IE (2), ME (2), IDE (1)
Access, Access, Access • Proactively conduct Internet searches to learn
about new research and resources• Expose students, parents, and administrators
to science and engineering opportunities at area colleges and universities
• Form university contacts in your field of study• Pursue professional development
opportunities that give you additional insight about ways to introduce students to engineering
• Plan field trips to university engineering labs and facilities
Contact Information
Monica F. Cox, Ph.D.400 Centennial Mall Drive, ENAD 220
West Lafayette, IN 47907Office: (765)496-3461
E-mail: [email protected]