|
For additional spotlight stories please visit the Archive page.
|
Member Views of Materials News |
Perspectives on the Most Significant Materials Education Stories of 2009
Posted on: 12/8/2009 12:00:00 AM... ‘Tis the season when various media outlets are highlighting what they believe are the top news stories of 2009. Materials Technology@TMS decided to join their ranks this year, but with a pronounced materials science and engineering twist. We also wanted to offer the perspectives of those on the front lines of the profession, rather than simply summarizing what “made the news” over the past 12 months. For this reason, we asked members who are involved with pertinent TMS committees or participate actively in educational outreach activities to comment on what they believe the most important news was in 2009 related to materials education. What follows are their responses. (Please note that the opinions expressed here are solely those of the authors and not of their places of employment or TMS).
CHESTER VAN TYNE
FIERF Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Colorado School of Mines
Past Chair, Accreditation Committee
|
|
Chester Van Tyne
|
The most significant development in materials education this past year has been the initial response to and further thinking about the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering developed by the National Academy of Engineers (NAE), which were first published in 2008. If you examine these challenges, there is much that we in the materials education field can do to properly prepare our students to face them and make meaningful contributions. These challenges have led to some thoughtful discussions at a number of materials science and engineering departments throughout the country. I expect that they will provide an impetus to those in university education to examine carefully the curriculum and structure of their various programs to ensure that students have the proper education to not only provide a technical solution, but also an understanding of the societal and political consequences of the various approaches to these challenges.
This development has not made the headline news and is one that that is still ongoing. I think that the NAE has had a significant effect on materials science and engineering education in 2009 and the ramifications will be felt for years to come.
For More Information:
Access the NAE Grand Challenges Web Site.
KATSUYO THORNTON
Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Michigan
2007 Early Career Faculty Fellow
Chair, Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Technical Committee
|
|
Katsuyo Thornton
|
It’s truly an exciting time to be a scientist. President Obama’s initiatives in support of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have been remarkable. The increased research funding has clearly stimulated research and development activities and allowed more young researchers to pursue high-risk/high-payoff projects. In addition, the recently launched “Educate to Innovate” campaign plans to reach 10 million students through public-private partnership. If successful, we will have a wave of new generation mathematicians, scientists, and engineers ready to attack the problems the nation and the world face today. This is a chance to make a difference, and all of us should contribute to the cause in some way.
In the shorter term, I expect that there will be an increased number of major scientific discoveries and engineering innovations based on the enhanced research and development funding. While there is no magic bullet, education is key to overcoming many challenges we are facing, including the economy. However, the impact is long-term, since the youngsters who benefit from the policy today will only reach the workforce in five, ten, or more years. Therefore, it is essential that support for education is sustained.
For More Information:
Read ”Educate to Innovate” News Article on Materials Technology@TMS.
DAVID A. SHIFLER
Program Officer, Naval Materials Division
Office of Naval Research
Professional Development Director, TMS Board of Directors
|
|
David A. Shifler
|
My interests lie in the future of materials education and its relevance to solving today's and tomorrow's materials and energy issues. For this reason, a significant development that I would propose for this year was what I encountered on a recent visit to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). There, I witnessed an energetic, comprehensive undergraduate program that is engaged in cradle-to-grave, in-depth learning of metallurgical engineering and ceramic engineering. They are establishing a solid foundation for understanding extraction, casting, materials properties, processing, sintering, and materials recovery that are critical to future technical advancements and discovery of new materials.
A second significant event this past year was the 2009 Gordon Research Conference on Physical Metallurgy. There, we learned the status of Integrated Computational Materials Science (ICMS) and Engineering (ICME). Combining materials science with advanced mathematical and computational methods, new materials and processes can be created without the extensive experimental and development processes of the past. Manufacturing processes have been developed using ICME that are using less energy and are reducing costs for components. ICMS offers the potential to visualize materials in 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D perspectives that could revolutionize our understanding of materials, materials properties, and materials processing. This could create an explosion of new material discoveries that will meet future critical technical challenges.
We need to have educational institutions that promote the in-depth, specialized learning of materials technologies such as metallurgy, ceramics, electronic materials, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, and biomaterials without ignoring other materials classes in a given program. Integrated Computational Materials Science and Engineering offers a new direction that could provide a unified approach to understanding, creating and developing new materials.
For More Information:
Access Gordon Research Conference Program.
Launch Missouri S&T, Department of Materials Science and Engineering Web Site.
CHANDLER BECKER
Materials Research Engineer
National Institute of Standards and Technology
TMS E-Mentor
|
|
Chandler Becker
|
At the National Academy of Sciences in April 2009, and again during the launch of the "Educate to Innovate" campaign on November 23, 2009, President Obama issued a challenge "to encourage folks to think of new and creative ways of engaging young people in science and engineering." This campaign will combine the efforts of public and private institutions and individuals to "find and replicate successful science, math, and technology programs." These are projected to include such activities as after-school programs, National Lab Day to encourage hands-on participation, science-related television and video games, and a science fair to be held annually at the White House.
While these comments alone do not signify major accomplishments in improving STEM education, they highlight an emphasis on science and technology that includes a strong focus on education and public outreach. They are a call to action for the scientific and engineering community to reach out to kids and teens and help them get excited about the various subjects necessary to address the many challenges faced by our society. As President Obama said, "Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and entertainers as role models, and here at the White House we're going to lead by example. We're going to show young people how cool science can be."
Only by educating our students today and tomorrow can we create a population that is sufficiently scientifically and technically literate to face the daunting challenges that await us. Fostering future scientists and engineers is a crucial aspect of this, and as our society is increasingly reliant on technology, it is also necessary to have an educated electorate and officials who set policy.
For More Information:
Read the transcript of President Obama’s Remarks at the National Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, April 27.
JEFFREY W. FERGUS
Professor, Auburn University
Vice Chair, Accreditation Committee
Past Chair, Professional Registration Committee
TMS E-Mentor
|
|
Jeffrey W. Fergus
|
Although not a significant development, there are some tentative signs that the recent decrease in representation of female students in undergraduate engineering programs may finally be reversing. According to data from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the percentage of females among engineering bachelor degree recipients decreased from 21.2 percent in 1999 to 18.1 percent in 2007. In 2008, the percentage of female graduates was only slightly lower (18 percent) and the percentage of female students enrolled in engineering was slightly higher (17.5 percent to
17.9 percent) than in the previous year. Hopefully, this is the start of a new trend rather than a statistical aberration.
Women and members of other groups currently underrepresented in engineering, including ethnic minorities and first-generation college attendees, comprise an underutilized resource for engineers and scientists. Drawing talent in engineering and other STEM fields from the entire population is critical to maintaining an adequate workforce for technological developments. In addition, the diverse workforce resulting from tapping this resource would be better prepared to consider and respond to the needs of a diverse society.
For More Information:
Access American Society for Engineering Education.
LAURA M. BARTOLO
Professor and Director, Center for Materials Informatics
Kent State University
Member, Education Committee
|
|
Laura M. Bartolo
|
Two important events for materials and STEM education in the past year have been The National Academies’ report on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) and President Obama's investment in STEM education.
Recent reports have noted the insufficient exposure to computational materials science and engineering at the undergraduate level. Integration of experimental and observational data with modeling and simulation can expedite the way materials and components are designed, developed, and used in industry. ICME and renewed commitments to STEM education demonstrate the importance and great opportunities for an integrated, community-driving and community-wide infrastructure for materials data, data provenance, and analysis and visualization of data through partnerships among universities, industries, professional societies, and national laboratories.
For More Information:
Read National Academies Report.
For additional spotlight stories please visit the Archive page.
|