Symposium on Engineering & Liberal Education May 10, 2008 Converging Technologies and Beyond Doug...

Symposium on Engineering & Liberal Education May 10, 2008

ConvergingTechnologiesand Beyond

Doug Klein,

Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies

April 7, 2008


C.T. @ Union

Interdisciplinary activities (courses, programs, research) which involve engineering and technology.

… ideas which spill across disciplinary boundaries will define innovation in the 21st century

Bridget Austin, ME, ’07, “The Alula and its Aerodynamic Effect on Avian Flight.” http://www.union.edu/ct/

http://www.union.edu/ct/

http://www.union.edu/ct


CT & the NSF

Unification of science based on unity in nature and its holistic investigation will lead to technological convergence and a more efficient societal structure for reaching human goals.


The Medici Effect

“I’ve always enjoyed learning about science and creating art. These may seem different, but both are fundamentally about creating something. I’ve always admired people like DaVinci and Franklin, who pursued science, art and politics. When you explore between different fields, that’s when interesting things happen.”

Michael S. Bono '09Goldwater Fellowship winner


Bioengineering

Biology

Computer Science

Engineering

Biomaterials

Biomedical imaging

Biomechanics

Biomedical instrumentation

Biological signal processing…

Supported by HHMI

1 mm

hand

wrist

elbow

shoulder

scapula(shoulder blade)

1 mm

hand

wrist

elbow

shoulder


1 mm

hand

wrist

elbow

shoulder


1 mm1 mm1 mm

hand

wrist

elbow

shoulder


humerushand

Spine implant research

Biomechanics research

Grasshopper research

http://www.union.edu/ct/


Nanotechnology

Supported by NSF and IBM

Introductory Course

Student research projects

Chemistry

Engineering

Physics

Biology


Engineering and the Arts

Computer Science

EngineeringVisual and Performing Arts

•Digital Art courses:

•Digital Art

•The Processed Pixel

•Web Aesthetics

•Real and Recorded Time

•Physical Computing

• Engineering Acoustics course

• Many student projects…Robotic art


AerogelsEngineering

Chemistry

Ultra-light matrix material, insulator

Student-initiated project - Ben Gauthier ’02 (now at Stanford)

Grants, patents, industry interest39 student research students80% went on to graduate school

Faculty advisors: Ann Anderson (Mechanical Engineering)Mary Carroll (Chemistry)

Supported by NSF


Engineering Economics Entrepreneurship Seminar

Engineering

Liberal Arts

http://engineering.union.edu/me_dept/Entrepreneurship

http://engineering.union.edu/me_dept/Entrepreneurship


Designing Union

• Modules

• Team-taught courses

• Paired courses

• New ID programs

• ID team research projects

• General Ed-Tech Lit courses


Environmental Science, Policy and Engineering

Engineering

Sciences:Bio; Chem; Geo; Math; CS

Social Sciences:Eco;PS;History;Anthro;Sociology

Humanities: ethics; arts; literature


Environmental Science, Policy and Engineering

Science Policy Engineering

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Common Intro to Environmental Studies

Common Capstone SeminarEn

gin

eeri

ng

tra

ck


Beyond CT

A typical course

Time


Modules 1

A typical course with a module

Time

Examples: Many; just like having a guest speaker.


Modules 2

Two courses with modules

Time


Paired

Paired courses

Time

Examples: Acoustical Engineering and Baroque Music Neurobiology and Signal Processing

(See the “Connections” program at Wheaton College:http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/Catalog/CONX/ )

http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/Catalog/CONX/


Team

BIO basics taught to CS students

CS basics taught to Bio students

Mid-level ID course without prerequisites (team taught)

Time

Example: Bioinformatics (http://cs.union.edu/~fernandc/bio283/ )

http://cs.union.edu/~fernandc/bio283/


Massively ID

All Modules All the TimeTechnology, Culture and Society

Med

ieval Tech

nolo

gy

Pre

gn

an

cy &

Ch

ild

bir

th

En

vir

on

men

t, a

nd

Glo

bal W

arm

ing

Gen

der

& T

ech

nolo

gy

Inte

llig

en

ce

Fro

m T

ele

gra

ph

to C

ell P

hon

e

Food

Tele

vis

ion

Un

inte

nd

ed

Ou

tcom

es


Across-the-Curriculum initiatives

Ethics36 internal grants to date

Entrepreneurship~12 courses impacted so far

http://ethics.union.edu/

http://ethics.union.edu/


Challenges

• Staffing – hiring; promotion and tenure criteria; incentives;

• Curriculum – balancing breadth and depth; finding homes for non-traditional courses; staffing non-traditional and ID courses

• Space, Facilities, Budgets – management of shared resources; living in a discipline-based environment


Final Thoughts

• The urgent and essential learning outcome is to solve the C.P. Snow problem, and restore the ability to communicate, both to promote good and prevent bad.

As we approach a technological crisis of

unprecedented complexity, it makes

sense to try to improve our institutions for judging important technical facts. How else can we guide the leading force and minimize

the threat of terminal incompetence?

Symposium on Engineering & Liberal Education May 10, 2008 Converging Technologies and Beyond Doug...

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