Conference Session

Aerospace Division (AERO) Technical Session 4

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Terry Bristol, Institute for Science, Engineering and Public Policy, Portland State University

Tagged Divisions

Aerospace Division (AERO)

. Nobel economist Herb Simon characterized engineering as problem solving, asattempting to move from a current state of affairs to a more desirable future state of affairs. The 9expression ‘more desirable’ is the value component. The issue isn’t about engineering ethics. It’sabout the value of engineering practice. In discussing this issue with an engineering professorcolleague we agreed that engineering was concerned with problem solving. We also agreed thatthe practicing engineer doesn’t really know what the problem is. My colleague told me that heteaches his students that they are ‘opportunity actualizes