Educating Engineers in the Sustainable Futures Model with a Global Perspective 2nd International Conference on Sustainability Engineering

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Educating Engineers in the Sustainable
Futures Modelwith a Global Perspective2nd
International Conference on Sustainability
Engineering ScienceFebruary 20-23, 2007

• James R. Mihelcic, Kurtis G. Paterson, Linda D.
  Phillips,
• Qiong Zhang, David W. Watkins, Brian Barkdoll,
• Valerie J. Fuchs, David R. Hokanson
• Civil Environmental Engineering
• Sustainable Futures Institute
• Michigan Technological University
• Trussell Technologies, Pasadena, California
• www.cee.mtu.edu/sustainable_engineering
• www.sfi.mtu.edu

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Lets review five motivators for our
efforts(figure from Mihelcic Hokanson, 2005)
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Existing Emerging Environmental Issues (UNEP,
2002)
Globalization, trade development Coping w/
climate change variability The growth of
megacities Human vulnerability to climate
change Freshwater depletion and
degradation Marine and coastal degradation Populat
ion growth Rising consumption in developing
countries Biodiversity depletion Biosecurity
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Top 10 Causes on Minds of Young People(Cone
Inc., AMP Insights, 2006)
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Millennium Development Goals, Health, and
Sustainable Development

• Healthy life is an outcome of sustainable
  development, as well as a powerful and
  undervalued means of achieving it. We need to see
  health both as a precious asset in itself, and as
  a means of stimulating economic growth and
  reducing poverty.
• Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland,
• Director-General Emeritus,
• WHO, 2005

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Opportunities to increase diversity
We need to understand why in a society so
dependent on technology, a society that benefits
so richly from the results of engineering, a
society that rewards engineers so well,
engineering isnt perceived as a desirable
profession. . . . Our profession is diminished
and impoverished by a lack of diversity -William
A. Wulf, President of the National Academy of
Engineering
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Mission Statement of Michigan Technological
University Civil Environmental Engineerings
International Sustainable Development Initiative

• In the upcoming decades, engineers will play a
  critical role in the eradication of poverty and
  hunger and facilitation of sustainable
  development, appropriate technology, beneficial
  infrastructure, and social change.
• Our mission is to promote international
  sustainable development engineering by nurturing
  and educating young people to value and implement
  this vision of a better world.

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International Sustainable Development Initiatives
Available to Students

• Engineers without Borders-USA
• International Senior Design
• 3-year Engineering Enterprise
• Masters International Graduate Program
• Water Society Centers partnerships with Mexico
  Canada
• National Science Foundation Doctoral Training
  Program (IGERT) in Sustainability
• National Science Foundation Program that
  Integrates an International Research Experience
  in Bolivia with Sustainable Development
  Engineering Education

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Locations where students serve, learn, and
perform research
Macedonia
Uzbekistan
Mauritania
Jamaica
Belize
D.R.
Mali
Philippines
Honduras
Uganda
Samoa
Palau
Panama
Ghana
Kenya
Cameroon
Vanuatu
East Timor
Bolivia
Madagascar
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Service Serving Learning Engineers without
Borders International Senior Design
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International Senior Design

• Goal is to provide students a service-learning
  design experience situated in the developing
  world so they can explore the technical,
  economical and social implications of engineering
  design and construction.
• Integration of the U.S. Accreditation Board for
  Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation
  criterion throughout the design experience is
  crucial to this activity.

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International Design Experience within context of
Undergraduate Certificate in International
Sustainable Development Engrg
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
ENG 3530 Undergraduate Colloquium
in Sustainability (1 Credit)
French/Spanish Language or Culture (3 Credits)
Business International Elective (3 credits)
HU4702 (3 credits) Ethical Theory or HU4625 (3
credits) Risk Communication
CE4905/4910 International Senior Design (3
credits)
CE3503 Intro Environmental Engineering (3
credits)
SS Technology Society Elective (3 credits)
In Country Construction Design Experience
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Masters International Program

• Partnership with U.S. Peace Corps in a
  scarce-skill area
• Coursework at Michigan Tech for 2-3 semesters
• 2-3 months of Peace Corps training (cultural,
  language, technical)
• At least 2 years of service in Peace Corps
  (student maintains full-time enrollment status)
• Return to Michigan Tech to complete research
  requirement

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Integrating Graduate Education with Service
Research

• Masters International program is integrated
  with a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability
  that combines breadth and depth in sustainability
  through coursework in social, economic,
  environmental, and integrated systems

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Specialized Courses

• Rural Community Development Planning and Analysis
  
• Field Engineering in the Developing World
• Colloquiums in Sustainable Development
• French and Spanish Language

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International Sustainable Development Engineering
Research Experience
International SustainableDevelopment Eng.
Certificate
Graduate Certificate in Sustainability
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Program Integration
Sonora Water Resource Class
AquaTerra Tech Enterprise
Masters International Peace Corps
Sustainable Dev. Research
Sustainable Dev. Research
Int. Senior Design
International Sustainable Development Eng.
Certificate
Engineers Without Borders
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2
3
4
5
6
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Academic Year
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Student Numbers

•  

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Does Sustainable Futures Model integrate with an
International Experience?

• In response to a question about what he learned
  from his international experience, a graduate
  student answered that along with gaining
  valuable engineering skills, he also learned what
  it was like to put engineering into practice
  while taking into consideration the social,
  economic, and environmental limitations of the
  developing world.

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To date approximately 300 students (49 female)
that represent 11 engrg and 9 non-engrg
disciplines have partnered with communities in 21
countries
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Learn More
Acknowledgements

• Mihelcic, JR Educating Tomorrows Global
  Engineer through a Unique Partnership with the
  U.S. Peace Corps, Woman Engineer, 30-33, Fall,
  2004.
• Mihelcic, JR, Educating the Futures Water
  Professional, Water Environment Technology,
  16(9) 86-92, 2004.
• Mihelcic, J.R. and D.R. Hokanson, Educational
  Solutions For a more Sustainable Future, in
  Environmental Solutions, Eds N.L. Nemerow and
  F.J. Agardy, Elsevier, 2005.
• Mihelcic et al., Integrating a Global
  Perspective into Education Research
  Engineering International Sustainable
  Development, Environmental Engineering Science,
  23(3) 426-438, 2006.
• Paterson, K., D. Watkins, J. Mihelcic and L.
  Phillips, International Service Engineering
  Across Academic Borders, Proceedings American
  Society of Engineering Annual Conference
  Exposition, June 18-21, Chicago, IL, 2006.
• Fuchs, V.J. and J.R. Mihelcic, Engineering
  Education for International Sustainability
  Curriculum Design under the Sustainable Futures
  Model, Proceedings of 5th Annual ASEE Global
  Colloquium on Engineering Education, Rio de
  Janeiro, Brazil, October 9-12, 2006.
• Hokanson et al., Educating Undergraduate
  Graduate Engineers to Achieve a More Sustainable
  Future Education Diversity Initiatives with a
  Global Perspective, International Journal of
  Engineering Education, in press, 2007.

• Our International Partners
• U.S. Peace Corps
• U.S. National Science Foundation

Questions?
www.cee.mtu.edu/sustainable_engineering