: The Role of Student Changemakers in Advancing Sustainability within Engineering EducationAbstractOver the last decade, we have seen an increase in the number of engineering programs thatintegrate sustainability. However, employer demand for green skills continues to outpace thesupply. Furthermore, most engineering students are unable to access the educational experiencesthat will prepare them for sustainability-focused careers. Engineering for One Planet (EOP) isone of the initiatives working to address this gap by using a multi-pronged approach to supportand accelerate the integration of social and environmental sustainability into engineeringeducation. Supported by The Lemelson Foundation, EOP provides a framework of
informed by established theoretical frameworks and previousresearch to ensure a comprehensive assessment of students' understanding and attitudes. Section 1: Knowledge Assessment (S1) This section employed a series of multiple-choice questions aimed at assessing students'foundational understanding of renewable energy and environmental protection concepts. Thequestions were consistent across the pre- and post-survey phases, with slight modifications inphrasing or numerical values where applicable to maintain the integrity of the evaluation and allowfor a direct comparison of knowledge acquisition (Anthony, 1996; Cattaneo, 2017; Grabinger &Dunlap, 1995). Sections 2-5: Attitudes, Behaviors, Career Decisions, and Abilities These
explore how engineering, technology, and science intersect with theenvironment, human health and welfare, and social justice. Students also critically examinedhow the practice and application of sustainable engineering solutions contributes to (andpotentially alleviates) societal inequality. This course also introduced students to the field ofHumanitarian Engineering, which emphasizes the societal dimensions of contemporaryengineering. Students expand their professional skillsets by engaging in self-reflection anddialogue about intercultural considerations for tackling wicked problems. Thus, studentsrigorously examine multicultural circumstances outside of their lived experiences. Students alsoexplore potential STEM career paths that address
andopportunities faced by graduate students and higher education institutions in navigatinginterdisciplinary research and teaching landscapes. Key themes include but are not limited to: thecultivation of a community-oriented team culture to enhance scientific team cohesion andproductivity e.g., [5]; the importance of academic motivation and teamwork diversity ininterdisciplinary context [6]; the mechanisms that facilitate team science e.g., [7], and theperspectives of graduate students and early career academics on interdisciplinary research e.g.,[8]. These studies collectively underscore the complexity of interdisciplinary endeavors, andhighlight the need for supportive institutional structures, the development of interdisciplinarycommunication and
if only offered in isolation from regular engineering content. ● To maximize reach and integration of change efforts, prioritize core and required courses ● Scaffold learning across all stages of degree, not just in first year courses, design courses, or capstones ● Engage industry partners in curricular and co-curricular activities to demonstrate the relevance to careers ● Incorporate sustainability skills, as well as professional and leadership skills such as critical thinking, communication, and teamwork. ● Faculty mentorship or a community of practice support is ideal for sustained faculty engagement and curricular change and to foster deeper understanding ● Share ideas, lessons learned and curriculum
State University’s College of Engineering.Dr. Catherine M. Kirkland, Montana State University Dr. Catherine Kirkland is an assistant professor of Environmental Engineering in the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University. In addition to her background in environmental engineering, Catherine also holds a BA in Anthropology and Sociology from Rhodes College. Her research areas include beneficial biofilms, nuclear magnetic resonance, and engineering education.Dr. Kathryn Plymesser, Montana State University Dr. Plymesser hold a B.S. (Case Western Reserve University ’01) and Ph.D. (MSU ’14) degrees in Civil Engineering. She began her academic career at Montana State University – Billings with a teaching and
Engineering, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland. Pelumi got his BSc and MSc degree in Physics from Obafemi Awolowo University, where he also served as a research assistant at the Environmental Pollution Research unit, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. As part of his contribution to science and engineering, Pelumi has taught as a teaching assistant both at Morgan State University and Obafemi Awolowo University. With passion to communicate research findings and gleaned from experts in the field as he advances his career, Olaitan has attended several in-persons and virtual conferences and workshop, and at some of them, made presentation on findings on air pollution, waste water reuse, and heavy metal contamination.Dr
on the development, implementation, and assessment of modeling and design activities with authentic engineering contexts; the design and implementation of learning objective-based grading for transparent and fair assessment; and the integration of reflection to develop self-directed learners.Grace Panther, University of Nebraska, Lincoln Dr. Grace Panther is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where she conducts discipline-based education research. Her research interests include faculty change, 3D spatial visualization, gender inclusive teamwork, and studying authentic engineering practice. Dr. Panther was awarded an NSF CAREER
introduces globalization and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [14]. Thegoal of this module is to help students recognize the implications their design decisions mayhave outside of their immediate community and identify ways their careers as designers couldinclude work toward addressing some of the SDGs.The lesson plan for this module first introduces the concept of globalization, including bothpositive aspects like economic growth and cultural exchange and negative aspects likeoverconsumption and exploitation. The UN SDGs are then presented as an international effort toalign countries and major organizations toward positive globalization outcomes. After a briefhistory of the development of the SDGs, students are encouraged to evaluate the
Integrated Rubric for Assessing Engineering Education. J of Engineering Edu 2004, 93 (2), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168- 9830.2004.tb00795.x.(20) Weber, P. M.; Lee, S.-J.; Dillon, H. Benefits of Statics Concept Mapping in Career Cognition. In 2022 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings; 2022; p https://peer.asee.org/40968.
, 2019). That model demands a “broader approach toeducation” recognizing that “interdisciplinary, experiential learning equips students to considerhow myriad factors such as budget constraints, historical context, public acceptance, andregulatory frameworks affect the design and implementation of technological solutions to societalchallenges” (NASEM, 2019). There is also a resurgent awareness among American and globalyouth of careers that positively address the connectivity of the environment, the economy, andsociety (Moore, 2014, Deloitte, 2020). Environmental and civil engineering creates innovativetools to address local, regional, and global environmental problems (ABET, 2022).In 2006, the University of South Florida (USF) was one of the
potential employers prioritizing sustainability. The exposure can encourage students toconsider career paths where they can contribute to sustainable practices while bringing a positiveimpact through their engineering talents. Additionally, real-life experiences obtained throughthese partnerships can also bring revisions or improvements to course projects seeking a focus onsustainability within that engineering discipline.These recommendations are suggestions to bring more robust and impactful sustainabilityeducation to the students at RHIT. They look to strengthen our commitment to sustainabilitywhile maintaining the goals of the institution to equip its students with the skills to address thecomplex challenges of our global society.Additional
]. Decisions under climate change are deeply uncertain, and DMDU approaches havefrequently been applied for long term planning for urban infrastructure [2]–[4]. Decision makersmust plan and take some form of adaptive action (including no action or deferred action) toaddress the impacts of climate change. These actions tend to be informed by complex modelinganalyses, and it is often difficult to communicate the modeling results as well as the advantagesand disadvantages of different actions to stakeholders and decision makers. It is equally if notmore difficult to communicate these concepts to civil and environmental engineering studentswho will be confronted with similar decisions in their future careers. Serious games may offersome solutions to these