MSEE – The First MSEE – The First Professional DegreeProfessional Degree

Presentation to the IEEE Educational Activities Board

February 17, 2007

Bruce A. Eisenstein

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The 19th CenturyThe 19th Century

• Science advanced slowly

• Engineering changed hardly at all

• Science and engineering education was an apprenticeship

• Science advanced slowly

• Engineering changed hardly at all

• Science and engineering education was an apprenticeship

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Early Part of the 20th CenturyEarly Part of the 20th Century

• Changes in Science Accelerated

• Atomic Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Relativity

• Invention increased (Edison, Bell, etc.)

• But engineering remained static

• Changes in Science Accelerated

• Atomic Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Relativity

• Invention increased (Edison, Bell, etc.)

• But engineering remained static

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Mid-20th CenturyWorld War II

Mid-20th CenturyWorld War II

• Engineers were inadequate for the needs of rapidly changing science

• Radar, atomic bomb, guidance technologies were done by scientists

• Engineering education had to change

• Engineers were inadequate for the needs of rapidly changing science

• Radar, atomic bomb, guidance technologies were done by scientists

• Engineering education had to change

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Late 20th CenturyLate 20th Century

• Engineering sciences became the model for the curriculum

• Engineers had to be well grounded in the basic sciences in order to keep up with the advances there

• Engineering practice, however, did not change

• Engineering sciences became the model for the curriculum

• Engineers had to be well grounded in the basic sciences in order to keep up with the advances there

• Engineering practice, however, did not change

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Context of Engineering21st Century

Paul Penfield, Jr. 1997 NEEDHA President

Context of Engineering21st Century

Paul Penfield, Jr. 1997 NEEDHA President

We continue to educate our students as though the context in which engineering is done is static…By “context” is meant the cultural, political, industrial, social, and work environment in which an engineer practices. In other words, we recognize that science is dynamic, but we still think context is static.

We continue to educate our students as though the context in which engineering is done is static…By “context” is meant the cultural, political, industrial, social, and work environment in which an engineer practices. In other words, we recognize that science is dynamic, but we still think context is static.

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We are wrong! Context is changing dynamically

We are wrong! Context is changing dynamically

• Gender balance among engineers• Concern for the environment and sustainable resources• New countries, new players, new cultures• Teamwork• Shorter design cycles• Individually customized design paradigms• Better design tools• Globalization• And, most importantly….

• Gender balance among engineers• Concern for the environment and sustainable resources• New countries, new players, new cultures• Teamwork• Shorter design cycles• Individually customized design paradigms• Better design tools• Globalization• And, most importantly….

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The InternetThe Internet

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Coping with changing science and changing context

Coping with changing science and changing context

• Cannot be done in the 4-years of a BS• The changes in science alone cannot be

accommodated forcing undergraduate programs to resort to “tracks”

• BS graduates are not equipped to function in the new global work environment

• Cannot be done in the 4-years of a BS• The changes in science alone cannot be

accommodated forcing undergraduate programs to resort to “tracks”

• BS graduates are not equipped to function in the new global work environment

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What should we do?What should we do?

• Make the BS a technology/science-based liberal arts program

• Emphasize creativity, design, economics, social constraints, environmental concerns, teamwork, exposure to other cultures, and aesthetics

• MS program drills deep into selected technologies

• Make the BS a technology/science-based liberal arts program

• Emphasize creativity, design, economics, social constraints, environmental concerns, teamwork, exposure to other cultures, and aesthetics

• MS program drills deep into selected technologies

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Will it work?Will it work?

• The suggested change puts engineering education on par with medicine and law

• The “new” MS graduates will have a solid liberal arts base to cope with the changing context, and a deep graduate-level understanding of the technology.

• The suggested change puts engineering education on par with medicine and law

• The “new” MS graduates will have a solid liberal arts base to cope with the changing context, and a deep graduate-level understanding of the technology.

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They will truly be “Professionals” for the 21st Century

They will truly be “Professionals” for the 21st Century