UF to “Power” the New Engineer

The University of Florida (UF) is not new to engineering. Not even close. So their goal of creating the “new” engineer comes as a little surprising. Even an institution with a long and successful history in engineering education needs to be responsive to the changing tide. With big plans for the next generation of engineers, UF certainly won’t be washed over.

No disrespect to “old” engineers, but there has been an undercurrent of change in engineering education. The new formula is increasingly multi-disciplinary and engaged in engineering challenges from the first year of their education. Engagement, innovation and leadership are getting more and more attention and real estate in the engineering curriculum. All of these are central to Powering the New Engineer.

As described by UF, “With Powering the New Engineer, we are creating a renaissance approach to engineering that is interdisciplinary and dynamic, focused on innovation and discovery, and grounded in a human-centered approach.”

They view the new engineer as being:

·         A Leader

·         Innovative

·         Interdisciplinary

·         Entrepreneurial

They are supporting these outcomes through people, places and programs.

On the “people” side, they are seeking to ensure top quality from faculty and students. They are investing in endowed chairs and professorships to attract and keep the best and brightest teachers, and they are seeking to retain the best and brightest students through scholarships and fellowships. Looking for a job? They plan to hire 30 new faculty members as part of their initiative.

As for the “places,” they are creating a central hub for engineering. They will be renovating and expanding an outdated building at the heart of campus. This building will then be the Innovation Nexus Building, and will serve to hold hands-on freshman classes aimed at retention as well as separate collaborative spaces for graduate students and faculty to connect. This building will also serve as the location for the Engineering Innovation Institute (EII) and the Engineering Leadership Institute (ELI).

That brings us to the “programs” aspect of the new engineer. They state that the curriculum will still cover the,” traditional pillars of engineering,” but there will more to it. The ELI will help students, “…develop the integrity and character needed to take a leadership role.” The EII, “…nurtures technology entrepreneurs through all the stages of the creative and commercial processes.” The focus is to be on responsible, human-centered design.

Of course, this sort of initiative isn’t free. They are seeking to raise $50M over the next three years to help assist the effort. It isn’t easy either. In addition to establishing and updating facilities, they will be also be adapting and creating new curriculum to meet their educational goals. Among their broader aims are to increase the number of graduates (34% more B.S. degrees earned over the next 5 years), to enable more start-ups, increase the number of women, veterans and minorities and attract more research funding.  A tall order to be sure, but I feel confident they know what they’re doing and can deliver on it.

Photos: University of Florida Engineering