Author
C.A. Land
Bio: C.A. Land is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Aging in the American workforce & Engineering education. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 1 citations.
Papers
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01 Sep 2008
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the shortage of post secondary science and engineering students in the United States and propose a solution to this problem by shrinking the gap that exists between the start to a student's science education and their future destination (i.e. school).
Abstract: Go to any symposium, any conference, any trade show having to do with anything technical and what do you hear? Everyone's work load is exploding, with new and exciting research and technical requirements that is calling for hiring more engineers, more scientists. But then you will hear the back end of the discussion, ldquobut we can't find the people.rdquo We have all heard this so many times, so why can't we fix the problem. This is truly a resonating problem in the area of marine science and engineering as identified by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME): ldquoDid you know that for every undergraduate degree awarded in the United States today, China graduates 100? Did you know that today, while the United States graduates approximately 70,000 engineers yearly, India graduates 350,000, and China graduates 900,000? In fact, the US has fallen from 3rd in total number of engineering graduates to 17th in the world. These numbers paint a disconcerting picture for the future of the engineering profession in the US. The US government has become increasingly concerned about the recruitment vulnerability in naval architecture, marine and naval engineering, and has concluded that a lack of quality technical education will ultimately result in a decrease in the level of competitiveness in the country. As it stands currently, there are not enough engineers in the pipeline to replace the aging workforce, set to retire within the next ten to fifteen years.rdquo The purpose of this paper is to catalyze a meaningful dialogue concerning the shortage of post secondary science and engineering students today in the United States. Science and engineering students today need to be challenged at a high level like never before. It is my premise that the solution to this problem lies in shrinking the gap that exists between the start to a student's science and engineering education (i.e. school) andtheir future destination (i.e. industry). Schools need to do a better job at giving students a better and more solid academic background so that when they enter the workforce, industry can mold them into the particular niches that they need, and thus create the "experts" of tomorrow. On the other side, industry must take a more strategic and influential role in the development of education today. Funding is always an issue to be sure, but sincere interest is just as important. The overriding problem of insufficient post-secondary science and engineering students cannot be solved by schools or industry by themselves. A true lasting solution can only come from establishing unprecedented relationships between education and industry.
1 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors propose an enseignement transversal permettant d'effectuer the synthese des connaissances acquis durant la scolarite.
Abstract: Le bureau d’etude « Conception Machine » (COMACH) propose aux eleves de 3eme annee option TEMA (Transformation de l’energie et Mecatronique Avancee) du Departement Genie Electrique Automatique de l’ENSEEIHT est un enseignement transversal permettant d’effectuer la synthese des connaissances acquises durant la scolarite. Sur la base d’un cahier des charges de systeme electromecanique pour l’aeronautique propose par l’industriel donneur d’ordre (AIRBUS), les eleves, organises en groupe de projet (4 equipes animees par un eleve chef de projet), fournissent une proposition technique complete selon un deroulement d’appel d’offre industriel. Guides en cela par un industriel expert de ce genre de demarches (NOVATEM), les eleves appliquent les methodologies academiques enseignees, visualisent leurs limites et apprehendent une approche industrielle pragmatique pour le dimensionnement d’un tel systeme. Le groupe d’eleves est considere par Airbus comme un equipementier mis en competition parmi d’autres. Les eleves se retrouvent donc idealement places entre un environnement purement industriel (tendant a favoriser le juste choix technico-economique) et un cadre scolaire de bureau d’etudes rassurant (favorisant les solutions alternatives et la prise de risques). Les enseignants de la thematique conversion electromecanique du departement deviennent une ressource qui donne des conseils et des voies de recherche dans la definition de la solution. En fin de bureau d’etude, les eleves livrent leur solution a Airbus lors d’une presentation devant un jury dirige par les industriels en justifiant les choix et dimensionnement effectues ainsi que les technologies employees (structure de moteurs, d’electronique, capteurs, systeme de commande, plans mecaniques et materiaux choisis). Les eleves montrent un reel enthousiasme dans la realisation de ce projet car ils sont dans une situation qui leur donne une vision realiste des contraintes du milieu industriel que ce soit d’un point de vue scientifique, technique ou meme relationnel et de gestion de projet.