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ASME’s Vision 2030’s Import for Mechanical Engineering Technology

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Conference

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

San Antonio, Texas

Publication Date

June 10, 2012

Start Date

June 10, 2012

End Date

June 13, 2012

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Engineering Technology Futuristic Planning

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology

Page Count

10

Page Numbers

25.210.1 - 25.210.10

DOI

10.18260/1-2--20970

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/20970

Download Count

807

Paper Authors

biography

Scott Danielson P.E. Arizona State University, Polytechnic

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Scott Danielson is the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Technology and Innovation at Arizona State University. Before assuming that role, he had been the Interim Chair of the Engineering Department and the Chair of the Engineering Technology Department. He has been active in ASEE in the Mechanics Division and the Engineering Technology Division. He has also been active in ASME, being awarded the 2009 Ben C. Sparks Medal for excellence in mechanical engineering technology education, serving as a member of the Vision 2030 Task Force, serving as chair of the Committee on Engineering Technology Accreditation, serving on the Board of Directors of the ASME Center for Education, and serving as a member of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department Head Committee. He has been a Program Evaluator for both the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and ASME, and he currently serves on the Technology Accreditation Council (TAC) of ABET, representing ASME. He also serves on the SME’s Manufacturing Education and Research Community steering committee. Before joining ASU, he had been at North Dakota State University, where he was a faculty member in the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department. His research interests include machining, effective teaching, and engineering mechanics. Before coming to academia, he was a Design Engineer, Maintenance Supervisor, and Plant Engineer. He is a registered Professional Engineer.

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Thomas Perry P.E. American Society of Mechanical Engineers

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Allan T. Kirkpatrick P.E. Colorado State University

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Abstract

ASME’s Vision 2030’s Import for Mechanical Engineering TechnologyIntroductionStarted in July 2008, when the ASME Center for Education formed an engineering educationtask force, the Vision 2030 group has been led by representatives from industry and education,including engineering and engineering technology educators. The project investigated thecurrent state of mechanical engineering education and practice within industry throughassessment of recent literature addressing the shape and content of engineering and engineeringtechnology education and through conducting workshops among stakeholders at key conferencesand gatherings.To develop its recommendations, the Task Force identified key areas of knowledge, skills andabilities needed for mechanical engineering and mechanical engineering technology graduates tobe successful in a global economy, whether working in small companies or large. Focusing onthese key skills, the project developed and conducted extensive surveys in 2009 and 2010 ofthree key stakeholder groups in ME and MET: department heads, industry supervisors, and earlycareer engineers, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of mechanical engineering educationgraduates. Responses were received from academic leaders at more than 80 institutions, frommore than 1,400 engineering managers, and more than 600 early career engineers with less thanten years of practice.Paper ContentsThe Task Force found many reasons to advocate for fundamental changes in mechanicalengineering education. Arguments for change come from recent engineering education studies,analyses of the engineering profession and unique to this study, extensive current surveys ofacademia, industry, and early career engineers. Of importance to mechanical engineeringtechnology, major findings of the full V2030 report included the following. • According to nearly two-thirds of the over 1,000 industry managers surveyed by the V2030 task force, significant shortcomings exist in graduate’s grasp of practical engineering knowledge, engineering codes and standards and systems thinking. • Technical solutions are not enough and the roles to be played by mechanical engineering professionals in addressing business and societal challenges should not be limited to technical knowledge and solutions. • Mechanical engineer’s capacity for invention must be matched by a commitment to all aspects of innovation, including assessment of sustainability, life-cycle analysis, and other societal impacts. • Developing a technological workforce that can maximize the leverage of talent demands a priority on increasing the diversity of the mechanical engineering student body and faculty.The paper will briefly discuss these findings as background information and the strengths andweaknesses of mechanical engineering technology educational systems as viewed through theVision 2030 lens. How should mechanical engineering technology education change to addressthese findings? Such areas for change encompass a wide range, spanning the educationalpathways of mechanical engineering technology to the increasingly diverse practice ofmechanical engineering. The Vision 2030 Task Force has made specific recommendations asstrategies and actions for educators, industry, and government to pursue. Theserecommendations and how mechanical engineering technology educators can respond arediscussed.

Danielson, S., & Perry, T., & Kirkpatrick, A. T. (2012, June), ASME’s Vision 2030’s Import for Mechanical Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--20970

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