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Session 3560

Teaching the Engineering Students of Today to Sustain the Resources of Tomorrow

Saeed D. Foroudastan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Brian Rappold, Research Assistant

Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies Department Middle Tennessee State University

Abstract

The actions of the past are beginning to take their toll on the environment, the economy, and society. The consequence resulting from the carelessness of industries is beginning to show its ugly face in the form of rising health care costs and other costs associated with air pollution, lack of space for solid wastes, and diminishing sources of clean water. There is no doubt that steps need to be taken to ensure that there are sufficient recourses to sustain an exponentially growing world population.

This paper will address the most critical points affecting environmental issues such as resource conservation, sustainability, and national and international corporate responsibility, and the reasons they need to be addressed in engineering curriculums. Additionally, it will discuss creative methods that environmentally friendly practices can be integrated into the engineering curriculum through partnering with industries.

Introduction

A key phrase among many of today’s environmentalists, economists, and engineers is “sustainable development”. For this paper, sustainable development will be defined as, “The acting out of cultural and economic programs that would allow the current population to live off of the resource interest provided by environmental, economic, and social plans, concepts, projects, and innovations without lowering the value of resources for the following generations.”

It is obvious that the clear goal of business is to make money, but responsibility should be spread among international and national businesses that are contributing to the problem of pollution and anti-sustainability. Too many penalties for pollution are less than the cost for cleaning the problem, so often that the option of paying penalties is chosen over fixing the problem. For some companies, money now is more important than a future later. Nevertheless, there are industries that go above and beyond to ensure that the Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Foroudastan, S. (2004, June), Teaching The Engineering Students Of Today To Sustain The Resources Of Tomorrow Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13447