tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/engineering-degree-22333/articlesEngineering degree – The Conversation2021-07-15T19:27:55Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1613562021-07-15T19:27:55Z2021-07-15T19:27:55ZWhy we need engineers who study ethics as much as maths<p>The recent apartment <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/10/us/miami-dade-building-collapse-saturday/index.html">building collapse</a> in Miami, Florida, is a tragic reminder of the huge impacts engineering can have on our lives. Disasters such as this force engineers to reflect on their practice and perhaps fundamentally <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/miami-building-collapse-could-profoundly-change-engineering/?fbclid=IwAR2qlAz9yZ7JKFbEkLIGckuTfQ6PQlRPpAcbRZ8rxprb0qXR5nMzaK3NcHU">change their approach</a>. Specifically, we should give much greater weight to ethics when training engineers. </p>
<p>Engineers work in a vast range of fields that pose ethical concerns. These include artificial intelligence, data privacy, building construction, public health, and activity on shared environments (including Indigenous communities). The decisions engineers make, if not fully thought through, can have unintended consequences – including building failures and climate change. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-did-the-miami-apartment-building-collapse-and-are-others-in-danger-163425">Why did the Miami apartment building collapse? And are others in danger?</a>
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<p>Engineers have ethical obligations (such as <a href="https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2020-02/828145%20Code%20of%20Ethics%202020%20D.pdf">Engineers Australia’s code of ethics</a>) that they must follow. However, as <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/sites/default/files/documents/CVEN-UNSW-Ethical-Vision.pdf">identified at UNSW</a>, the complexity of emerging social concerns creates a need for engineers’ education to equip them with much deeper ethical skill sets.</p>
<p>Engineering is seen as a trusted and ethical profession. In a <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/1654/honesty-ethics-professions.aspx">2019 Gallup poll</a>, 66% rated the honesty and ethical standards of engineers as high/very high, on a par with medical doctors (65%). </p>
<p>However, ethics as a body of knowledge is massive. There are nearly as many academic papers on ethics as mathematics, and clearly more than on artificial intelligence. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=221&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404647/original/file-20210606-13-pmvav8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Comparison of numbers of research papers by keyword (mathematics, ethics and AI).</span>
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<p>With such a rich backdrop of knowledge, engineers must embrace ethics in a way that previous generations embraced mathematics. Complex societal problems make much greater demands on engineering thinking than in the past. We need to consider whole and complex systems, not just issues as individual challenges.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/most-buildings-were-designed-for-an-earlier-climate-heres-what-will-happen-as-global-warming-accelerates-163672">Most buildings were designed for an earlier climate – here's what will happen as global warming accelerates</a>
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<h2>Ethics and the construction industry</h2>
<p>The construction industry provides a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-13/fair-traiding-finds-issues-at-major-sydney-apartment-development/100107048">topical example</a> of such complexity. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/25/sydney-olympic-park-opal-tower-evacuation-51-units-deemed-unsafe">Opal Tower in Sydney</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-25/residents-evacuated-after-fire-in-melbourne-cbd-apartment-build/5914978">Lacrosse building in Melbourne</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-22/600-towers-with-cladding-undergo-urgent-safety-checks/8643370">Grenfell Tower in London</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-04/fire-tears-through-residential-skyscraper-torch-tower-in-dubai/8773662">Torch Tower in Dubai</a> became household names for all the wrong reasons. </p>
<p>Importantly, these issues of poor quality and performance don’t arise from new technology or know-how. They involve well-established technical domains of engineering: combustible cladding, fire safety, structural adequacy and so on. A fragmented design and delivery process with unclear responsibility and/or accountability has led to poor outcomes. </p>
<p>These issues prompted the Australian Building Ministers’ Forum to commission the <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/building-confidence-building-ministers-forum-expert-assessment">Shergold Weir Report</a>, followed by a task force to <a href="https://www.abcb.gov.au/Initiatives/All/building-confidence-report-implementation-team">implement its recommendations</a> across Australia.</p>
<p>There are real shortcomings in the legal and contractual processes for allocating and “commoditising” risk in the industry. However, ethics should do the heavy lifting when legal frameworks are lacking. One key question is whether erosion of professional ethics has played a part in this state of affairs. The answer is a likely “yes”. </p>
<p>Engineers face ethical dilemmas such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>“Should I accept a narrow or inadequately framed design commission within a design and build delivery model when there is no certainty my design will be appropriately integrated with other parts of the project?”</p></li>
<li><p>“How can I accept a commission when my client provides no budget for my oversight of the construction to ensure the technical integrity of my design is maintained when built?” </p></li>
<li><p>“How do I play in a commercially competitive landscape with pressures to produce "leaner” designs to save cost without compromising safety and long-term performance of my design?“</p></li>
<li><p>"Do I hide behind the contractual clauses (or minimum requirements of codes of practice) when I know the overall process is flawed and does not deliver quality and/or value for money for the end user?” </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Or worse: “Do I resort to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/small-business-flattened-by-dodgy-builders-in-phoenixing-epidemic-20191125-p53drr.html">phoenixing</a> to avoid any accountability?”</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lacrosse-fire-ruling-sends-shudders-through-building-industry-consultants-and-governments-112777">Lacrosse fire ruling sends shudders through building industry consultants and governments</a>
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<img alt="Cranes over a city centre construction project" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C11%2C7928%2C5285&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404650/original/file-20210606-80132-z4b58d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The ethics of engineering involve much more than ensuring buildings don’t collapse.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/146321178@N05/49374353772/">Chad Davis/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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<h2>Engineering on Country</h2>
<p>The enduring connection of Aboriginal Australians to Country requires engineers to navigate <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-24021-9_3">ethical considerations in Indigenous communities</a>. Engineers must reconcile the legal, technical and regulatory requirements of their projects with Indigenous cultural values and needs. They might not be properly equipped to navigate ethical scenarios when they encounter unfamiliar cultural connections, or regulations are insufficient.</p>
<p>Consider, for example, the sacred sites of the McArthur River Mine. Traditional owners have raised concerns that current mining activities do not adequately protect sacred and cultural heritage sites. Evidence given by community leaders provides <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-06/northern-territory-aboriginal-site-inquiry-juukan/100117774">insight into the intimate and diverse relationship</a> that traditional owners have with the land.</p>
<p>In considering such evidence, engineers must be able to evaluate both <a href="https://www.globalwaterinstitute.unsw.edu.au/mcarthur-river-mine-environmental-reporting-synthesis">physical site risks</a> (such as acidification of mine tailings and contamination of water bodies) and cultural risks (such as failing to identify all locations of cultural value).</p>
<p>How might we tackle such complicated projects? By properly engaging with traditional communities and by having diverse teams with multiple worldviews and experiences, along with strong technical skills. The broad field of ethical knowledge provides the skill sets to attempt to reconcile the diverse considerations.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/juukan-gorge-inquiry-puts-rio-tinto-on-notice-but-without-drastic-reforms-it-could-happen-again-151377">Juukan Gorge inquiry puts Rio Tinto on notice, but without drastic reforms, it could happen again</a>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/404648/original/file-20210606-52826-pfieih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Cornell Dam on the Croton River near Croton-on-Hudson, New York, was the tallest dam in the world when completed in 1906. The dam was built with beauty and the environment in mind, but protests and disputes still impacted its construction.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/malindaratz/15189998922">Malinda Rathnayake/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>What should the curriculum look like?</h2>
<p>Engineering students’ ethical development requires a holistic approach. One assessment <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2012.tb00058.x">suggested</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“[…] that institutions integrate ethics instruction throughout the formal curriculum, support use of varied approaches that foster high‐quality experiences, and leverage both influences of co‐curricular experiences and students’ desires to engage in positive ethical behaviours.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/sites/default/files/documents/CVEN-UNSW-Ethical-Vision.pdf">curriculum should include</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>skills/expertise</strong> – the underlying intellectual basis for discerning what is ethical and what is not, which is much more than codes of conduct or a prescriptive, formulaic approach</p></li>
<li><p><strong>practice</strong> – practical know-how in terms of ethical solutions that engineers can apply</p></li>
<li><p><strong>mindset</strong> – having an individual and group culture of acting ethically. The engineers’ problem-solving mindset must be supplemented by constant reflection on the decisions made and their ethical consequences.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Ethics is not an “add-on” subject. It must permeate all aspects of tertiary education – teaching, research and professional behaviour.</p>
<p>While the arguments for acting now are strong, market realities will also drive the process. The upcoming generation will likely displace those who are slow or reluctant to adapt. </p>
<p>For instance, engineering firms are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/21/leading-engineers-turn-their-backs-on-new-fossil-fuel-projects">under pressure from their own staff</a> on the issue of climate change. More than 1,900 Australian engineers and nearly 180 engineering organisations have signed a <a href="https://engineersdeclare.org.au/">declaration</a> committing them to evaluate all new projects against the need to mitigate climate change. </p>
<p>Future engineers must transcend any remaining single-solution mindsets from the past. They’ll need to embrace a much more complex and socially minded ethics. And that begins with their university education.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/161356/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>S. Travis Waller is a Director at Mobility Thinking Pty Ltd. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Transport for NSW, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd and CISCO Systems.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kourosh Kayvani is a Principal of HKA. He is Board Director at Engineers Australia and Australian Steel Institute. He is a Good Design Ambassador with Good Design Australia. He has served on the Australian/NZ Standards code committees for Concrete Structures and Wind Loads for over 15 years.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucy Marshall receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert F. Care AM is Chair of Red R Australia and RedR International, Director of Care-Collaborative Pty Ltd, and Director of Common Purpose Asia Pacific Limited. He regularly consults to Arup Group and he is affiliated with Engineers Australia. </span></em></p>The Miami apartment collapse is a grim reminder of why engineering matters, and why comprehensive education in ethics should be embedded in the training of engineers.S. Travis Waller, Professor and Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW SydneyKourosh Kayvani, Adjunct Professor of Engineering, UNSW SydneyLucy Marshall, Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW SydneyRobert F. Care AM, Professor of Practice, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/885812017-12-06T13:35:21Z2017-12-06T13:35:21ZEngineering research in Africa is growing but it’s still a patchy picture<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197773/original/file-20171205-22967-swwkhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Engineering can greatly bolster any country's development and growth.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Africa’s vast land mass and rich natural and mineral resources make it strategically important and an increasingly significant <a href="https://na.unep.net/atlas/africa/downloads/chapters/Africa_Atlas_English_Intro.pdf">global player</a>. It is also a dynamic young continent: about 60% of its residents are aged <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34188248">below 25</a>.</p>
<p>The African Union is trying to harness this enormous potential through its <a href="https://au.int/en/agenda2063">Agenda 2063</a>, which includes elevating Africa through improved education and application of science and technology in development. </p>
<p>Engineering is an important branch of science and technology. It has a significant impact on the overall development of any nation, region or continent. It is, as Professor Calestous Juma <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/opinion/Engineering-is-the-engine-that-will-power-Africa-s-growth-/440808-2309528-pq151w/index.html">has written</a>, an engine to power growth – especially in Africa.</p>
<p>The World Bank predicts that Africa needs to spend about <a href="http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/opinion/Engineering-is-the-engine-that-will-power-Africa-s-growth-/440808-2309528-pq151w/index.html">USD$93 billion per year</a> in the coming years to improve its infrastructure. Part of this investment must be in world class engineering education and research.</p>
<p>Given the discipline’s importance, I wanted to understand how Africa is performing in terms of engineering research. How much are the continent’s researchers contributing to new ideas and thinking around engineering? To find out, I <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20421338.2017.1341732">searched, downloaded and analysed</a> scholarly publication data from academic publisher Elsevier’s citation and abstracting service, <a href="https://www.scopus.com/">Scopus</a>®. It’s a huge index of articles, covering 22,800 journals belonging to more than 5,000 international publishers across disciplines. </p>
<p>I also examined how many times articles from Africa were being cited, which is crucial to map the relevance and impact of any research. For instance, one of the criteria for winning a <a href="http://www.lindau-nobel.org/blog-on-fundamental-science/">Nobel Prize</a> in science is how frequently a researcher’s work has been cited.</p>
<p>The data I analysed shows that scholarly research output in terms of journal articles, conference papers and so on in engineering fields from Africa has increased over the past two decades. The number remains small in comparison to other, more developed continents and countries. But the continent’s contribution to global thinking and understanding about engineering is growing, and this should be celebrated.</p>
<h2>Analysing data</h2>
<p>My analysis reveals that Africa has recorded a tremendous growth in its output of academic engineering research over the past 20 years. In total, 75,157 scholarly articles about engineering subjects emerged from Africa between 1996 and 2016. About 1,500 of these were published in the first seven years under review. In the past three years, about 9,000 engineering articles from Africa were published annually. That’s a significant percentage increase.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197855/original/file-20171205-23009-1tqh4ia.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Africa’s engineering research output over 20 years.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.scimagojr.com/countryrank.php">Scimago</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The problem is that African countries’ outputs are not uniform. South Africa leads the pack, with 22,156 articles over 20 years. This puts it at 41st in the world for output in engineering research. It is followed by Algeria (16,617 articles) and Tunisia (14,805 articles). Some countries have barely contributed to engineering research: Cape Verde produced only nine articles in 20 years; the Central African Republic just seven and Somalia only six.</p>
<p>The continent is also not producing nearly as much engineering research as others and other regions.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/197935/original/file-20171206-910-pqurdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Africa’s engineering research output is still lower than other continents and regions, but its growth over 20 years has been encouraging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Scimago</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>I also wanted to know how often African researchers’ work was being cited by others. This is a good way to understand the impact a piece of research has, and is called citation analysis. It counts the number of times an author’s article is cited in other scholarly works. And <a href="https://medium.com/@write4research/why-are-citations-important-in-research-writing-97fb6d854b47">citations are important</a> because they reveal that a piece of research is being used by others.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20421338.2017.1341732">The results</a> are encouraging. The average citation for academic engineering papers from Africa is 5.48 per paper. This is almost equal to the performance of papers from Asia, and is well above the average citations received by papers from Eastern Europe. This suggests that African engineering research is influencing others’ thinking and contributing to global knowledge about the discipline.</p>
<p>So how can Africa improve its engineering research output, especially with an eye to meeting the goals of Agenda 2063? Collaboration will be crucial.</p>
<h2>Collaborative work</h2>
<p>South Africa does well with collaboration. Articles from the country tend to involve more than one research organisation or institution. Co-authored articles are common. Its researchers work with others on the continent and with global partners. Countries in North Africa, however, are less active when it comes to collaboration. </p>
<p>Africa-Africa collaboration, involving institutions and individuals across the continent, needs to be strengthened. This is because only African countries can truly understand the continent’s pressing needs, and develop appropriate solutions. Countries like South Africa that perform well collaboratively can offer support and advice to others. </p>
<p>It may also be time to set up an exclusively African citation database. Even Scopus®, the world’s largest indexing and abstracting database, offers very limited coverage of African science. By developing a resource that focuses only on African engineering research, the continent will be able to get a more complete, clear picture of its output and respond accordingly. The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa is creating an <a href="http://africancitationindex.org/">African Citation database</a>, but it will be some time before this is a fully fledged searchable database.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88581/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Swapan Kumar Patra receives funding from National Research Foundation, Republic of South Africa, Post doctoral research fellowship, through Tshwane University of Technology</span></em></p>Africa has recorded a tremendous growth in its output of academic engineering research over the past 20 years. Greater collaboration can increase this growth even more.Swapan Kumar Patra, Tshwane University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/498142015-11-10T19:23:26Z2015-11-10T19:23:26ZEngineers don’t just build things, they can help save the world<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101337/original/image-20151109-29341-17ei8g1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dagne Mojo (centre) and Petr Matous (right) discuss resource-conserving technologies with the inhabitants of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tatsuya Ishikawa</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Engineers like to claim their <a href="http://www-eesd13.eng.cam.ac.uk/proceedings/papers/22-engineers-as-problem-solvers-el-zein-and.pdf">primacy as problem solvers</a>. But while this ability will always be critical for engineers, there is more to engineering than just solving problems.</p>
<p>Engineering careers have become highly diverse over the past 50 years. They are now tackling complex social issues such as poverty, inequality, disaster recovery or climate change. Their work is in mega cities and small towns, remote communities and in both high and low-income countries.</p>
<p>But universities still need to catch up with this new reality. A mission to improve the living conditions of the least privileged citizens of the world – in Australia and overseas – seems to be almost entirely absent from engineering education in Australia.</p>
<h2>Why women avoid engineering</h2>
<p>Serious engagement with the bigger social challenges, locally and globally, might be just what some highly motivated students are missing in this field. It could be one of the reasons why some potential students, especially women, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/how-to-attract-female-engineers.html">choose to avoid engineering</a> as a career option.</p>
<p>Some disciplines, such as biomedical engineering, have clearly articulated their links to enhancing human lives and, at the University of Sydney at least, do attract many female students.</p>
<p>But that’s not the case in other areas of engineering study, where the proportion of female students is as <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/degrees-of-separation-more-women-enrolling-at-universities-20131124-2y46e.html">low as 14%</a>, despite women making up <a href="http://www.universityrankings.com.au/gender-balance-ratio.html">about 55%</a> of all undergraduate students in Australia.</p>
<p>Engineering educators should make sure that students understand that, as future engineers, they can go beyond just learning how to design and build things. We need them to understand that engineering is also about dealing with issues of public interest.</p>
<p>We need to attract students interested in problems such as those faced by people living in slums in Manila, refugee camps in Jordan and remote communities in Australia. For this to happen, engineering teaching should include more content addressing such issues, including topics that have been traditionally in the domain of social sciences.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=592&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101338/original/image-20151109-29321-1tqo2mb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=744&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A joint team of local and international students and practitioners analyse results of their training and survey of resource-conserving technologies in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shota Yamaguchi</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ideally, engineering degrees should give students who are interested in these issues the opportunity to directly learn from people living in these areas by interacting with them. Such experience should include project-based work directly connected to theoretical content provided in the classroom. </p>
<h2>Don’t patronise</h2>
<p>We need to avoid two types of risks when developing new formats of engineering education with global social issues at their heart. </p>
<p>First, the curriculum should not be framed as “engineering for poor people who cannot help themselves”. </p>
<p>A survey commissioned by the University of Sydney showed that words such as “humanitarian engineering” resonate well with Australian students. But they are less attractive to international students, many of whom understand the conditions in developing countries first hand.</p>
<p>A student from India might be interested in more contextually relevant education for work in her home country but would not necessarily consider work in India as “humanitarian”.</p>
<p>It is important that a curriculum tackling global challenges that are of concern to many nationalities should not simply reflect a first world view of world affairs.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101339/original/image-20151110-29326-w54arn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Inhabitants of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia, have had mobile phones donated to them in an effort to improve information exchange and education over vast areas without adequate infrastructure. The is a training session on how to use new communication technologies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ayako Ishiwata</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Second, the curriculum should not be limited to teaching technically-focused design in a low-income or disaster context. It should go beyond courses on how to design water pipes for slums, low-cost housing or sanitation. </p>
<p>From a technical viewpoint, the laws governing water flow in pipes are the same regardless of geographical location or the income of users and are routinely learnt by engineering students.</p>
<p>When dealing with water supply in slums, to continue with this example, what engineering students need to understand are ways in which slum dwellers in a particular city quarter access and use water in their everyday lives. </p>
<p>What are the power relations inside their communities and households that may give preferential water access to some individuals at the expense of others? What roles do local and central governments play in helping or obstructing universal water access?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/101341/original/image-20151110-29326-18u2u8.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Local residents of Tanggamus District, Indonesia, explain their transportation needs to Petr Matous (right).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ayu Pratiwi</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>An engineer who is driven not only by technical know-how but also by considerations of social impact and political feasibility will be more effective in helping to develop smart, long-lasting solutions.</p>
<p>We need potential students to understand that engineering is about making lives better. We also need to make a conscious effort in our degree programs to provide students with an understanding of the living conditions of those who need engineering most – those without adequate shelter and/or suitable access to water, food, energy and sanitation.</p>
<p>If we don’t, not only would we be restricting our efforts to rich-country problems, we would be depriving some of our most highly motivated students from the opportunity to apply their talents to the most pressing problems of all.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/49814/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors receive funding from the New Colombo Plan Scheme and are involved in the creation of new Global Engineering Major in the Faculty of Engineering and IT at the University of Sydney, which benefits from this funding and aims to fulfil the goals for engineering education outlined in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Abbas El-Zein does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The role of an engineer has diversified over the years to be something more than just building structures. But that is yet to be reflected in the way we teach the engineers of the future.Petr Matous, Senior Lecturer in Complex Systems, University of SydneyAbbas El-Zein, Associate Professor in civil engineering, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/496382015-11-05T11:11:11Z2015-11-05T11:11:11ZHere are some more reasons why liberal arts matter<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/100758/original/image-20151104-29082-w67djv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">What constitutes liberal arts?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ucentralarkansas/15344848005/in/photolist-pnYmGV-p6u71q-pnWMxN-oEEvfT-oekYB2-kLeyL2-owmTqV-dveBH2-5XdueK-owfKu6-zbGepm-ztBaER-a7US9d-gjQY2P-zrfmD9-vedWUa-vedQTn-azGqUh-azGrv1-azDLtr-azGrcf-azDLGT-azGr3E-azGqLj-azGrzd-9PJBvQ-ovpTMx-bhySYn-bhySyv-deLp81-ddJVFF-5SN7Zo-efBgZ5-efvw9x-efvwb2-efvwai-dnrQxK-4hLRBK-s42PJr-vedUL2-vbRY7A-uWAMxW-veu9Fn-uWHLJt-uWJ4MM-uWA3ed-vbRYnW-vbUPCq-vdDNt5-veaTPi">University of Central Arkansas</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Lately, in the <a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/2010/09/obama-advisers-call-greater-emphasis-stem-education">heated call</a> for greater STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education at every level, the traditional liberal arts have been needlessly, indeed recklessly, <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/02/the-liberal-arts-are-dead-long-live-stem/">portrayed</a> as the villain. And STEM fields have been (falsely) portrayed as the very opposite of the liberal arts. </p>
<p>The detractors of the liberal arts (who usually mean, by liberal arts, “humanities”) tend to argue that STEM-based education trains for careers while non-STEM training does not; they are often suspicious of the liberal political agenda of some disciplines. And they deem the content of a liberal arts education to be no longer relevant. The author of a recent article simply titled, “<a href="http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/02/the-liberal-arts-are-dead-long-live-stem/">The Liberal Arts are Dead; Long Live STEM</a> conveyed this sentiment when he said, "Science is better for society than the arts.” </p>
<p>I see this misunderstanding even at my own institution, as a humanist who oversees pre-major advising and thus engages with students and faculty (and parents) from all over the university. The idea that STEM is something separate and different than the liberal arts is damaging to both the sciences and their sister disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. </p>
<p>Pro-STEM attitudes assume that the liberal arts are quaint, impractical, often elitist, and always self-indulgent, while STEM fields are practical, technical, and represent at once “the future” and “proper earning potential.” </p>
<h2>STEM is part of liberal arts</h2>
<p>First, let’s be clear: This is a false and misleading dichotomy. STEM disciplines are a part of the liberal arts. Math and science <em>are</em> liberal arts.</p>
<p>In the ancient and medieval world, when the liberal arts as we know them began to take shape, they comprised <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/seven-liberal-arts-in-the-middle-ages/oclc/9557474&referer=brief_results">grammar, logic, rhetoric, music, arithmetic, geometry and astronomy</a> (the last three we would count as STEM disciplines today; and music, dealing mostly with numerical relationships through sound, was really more akin to what we would today call physics). </p>
<p>Advocates of STEM are missing the point. The value of a liberal arts education is not in the <em>content</em> that is taught, but rather in the mode of teaching and in the intellectual skills that are gained by <a href="http://cae.org/images/uploads/pdf/Majors_Matter_Differential_Performance_on_a_Test_of_General_College_Outcomes.pdf">learning how to think systematically</a> and rigorously. </p>
<p>These <a href="http://cae.org/images/uploads/pdf/Majors_Matter_Differential_Performance_on_a_Test_of_General_College_Outcomes.pdf">intellectual skills</a> include how to assess assumptions; develop strategies from problem solving; test ideas against evidence; use reason to grapple with information to come to new conclusions; and develop courses of action to pursue those conclusions. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100759/original/image-20151104-29054-3izjr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Isn’t STEM part of liberal arts?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brookhavenlab/7852456616/in/photolist-cXTTM3-egWMp9-jDyoUU-jDxxx5-jDynyC-8NUUAR-jDvomK-nEovGx-rxzshz-hxX8dX-ny9deQ-dYPgWE-fgE1w5-jDwfLR-dYPoWU-5okgm9-jbQLZq-dYPnbC-dYPjP5-dYHBvg-ffPBPT-dYHEh8-dYHBD6-dYHzV4-dYHzK2-dYPh3U-akiADg-pb3pS4-2yGPmF-djRJrz-q5G2vq-q4WybS-pPGsT3-q6SayD-bH9c2r-dkRwhy-2kht8N-akiAut-q7aPJd-akmjs3-qBcQ2L-vFRzPo-8Evc1-dN4ZLt-dNayNC-dNayzd-jBg9ur-qRukRY-qTGNQh-qBk6RZ">Brookhaven National Laboratory</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Yes, some disciplines might prepare for certain types of problem solving (how do I get a computer to integrate information from two different consumer data platforms in the most elegant fashion?) more strongly than others (what do I recommend to investors based upon my French-language research of markets in Madagascar?). </p>
<p>And some areas of knowledge might be more useful than others in certain industries.</p>
<p>But in all cases, the point of the liberal arts approach is to learn <em>how</em> to think, not simply <em>what</em> to know – especially since information itself is now so easily acquired through Google and the smartphone. If anything, content is too abundant for any single individual to master. What is much more important is knowing what on Earth to do with the glut of information available in most situations. </p>
<p>And here is where the liberal arts training comes in.</p>
<p>A liberal arts education (STEM-based or otherwise) is not just about learning content, but about knowing how to sort through ambiguity; work with inexact or incomplete information, evaluate contexts and advance a conclusion or course of action. </p>
<p>In other words, it is not about learning the prescription to achieve a textbook result. It is about having the intellectual capacity to attack those issues for which there is yet no metaphorical text or answer.</p>
<h2>Is liberal arts the choice of the elite?</h2>
<p>Now, let us take up the elephant in the room. Many people would argue an engineering degree balanced with some English courses might be a nice idea. </p>
<p>But for a student to major in English or studio art is sheer craziness. What does one do with a studio art degree except become a starving artist? What does one do with an English degree except wait tables? </p>
<p>Those who make such arguments usually conflate “liberal arts” with “humanities,” those disciplines that do not have an obvious “end career goal” or a “remuneration outcome” at the other side of the college degree. </p>
<p>When detractors hear educators like me say that “the liberal arts” are valuable, they understand us to mean that they fulfill something in the core of our souls. That is, that the humanities are personally and intellectually valuable, but not remuneratively so. </p>
<p>They hear us acknowledge that the humanities are decidedly not practical, and are thus are the purview of the elite and privileged who can afford to indulge in them. But, of course, the idea that the only remunerative professions out there are in science and technology is silly.</p>
<p>Whole industries do in fact exist that are not based on STEM premises: media, consulting, fashion, finance, publishing, education, government and other forms of public service are just a few. </p>
<p>And even those reputedly “tech” industries that STEM advocates see as our future (IT, health, energy) <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/06/24/tech-jobs-without-stem-degrees/">require all sorts</a> of nontechnical employees to get their companies to work. </p>
<p>Further, basic communication, speaking and writing skills are absolute must-haves of anyone who is going to climb the ladder in any <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2015/07/29/liberal-arts-degree-tech/">high-tech industry</a>. </p>
<h2>What defines success</h2>
<p>That said, the so-called “practical” major (and I reject the designation) might have a more obvious, path to the entry level job of a solid career. This is only because the major has an apparently known professional pathway.</p>
<p>But that does not guarantee success in that field. </p>
<p>In fact, those other disciplines that detractors of the liberal arts (read: humanities) assume are dead ends could well be <a href="http://www.liberalartspower.org/lowdown/who/Pages/default.aspx">fantastic springboards</a> to amazing professional lives. </p>
<p>They are not a guarantee of one – and <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/03/the-myth-of-the-science-and-engineering-shortage/284359/">neither is a STEM degree</a>. But they give those students who have committed seriously to the study of excelling within their college discipline (be it classics, anthropology, or theoretical physics) the capacity and the ability to achieve one. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/100761/original/image-20151104-29073-1m7ib9j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Liberal education teaches students how to think critically.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/26254305@N08/15660921595/in/photolist-pRUjnz-5D9mGQ-uouWCA-ziGMt1-osBT2E-ovtLSg-3EPUWR-edVyhz-otrRsq-dxy7He-ob9vWm-rP3vW4-4XVUDZ-dAodiu-vDrEG1-oZi4ZH-qEiLMm-rRDcFh-p1bJZX-oTC9kS-qAtVYZ-rRBsXd-4u8xQJ-eWq9XX-68ifcj-yasdBj-Ed22H-geY5bk-eBzbLM-bmRgDS-fZkC5-6cVsp3-hi3g1a-yckWZ3-8ooWry-5yb9sf-6i7qAL-yff7M-4QDJLd-9fmNFW-asyqj7-53FP23-sjJJCB-6znTf9-8UEWUz-22UAA8-yAHSDU-e4Caw7-aciix3-5zyXgV">roanokecollege</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some people talk about this as critical thinking; some as the ability to think outside of the box; some as “transferability” – the ability to carry critical intellectual skills from one challenge or industry to another.</p>
<p>In my view, done right, liberal education makes one smarter and more able to be successful and innovative on the path one embarks on. And although we can all point to exceptions (would that Bill Gates had graduated from college!), for the most part, it is those who know how to think nimbly, creatively and responsibly that end up building extraordinary careers.</p>
<h2>Why we need a liberal arts education</h2>
<p>Let us return to my earlier point about STEM disciplines. </p>
<p>We should not only accept that they are part of a liberal arts education, but we must understand that teaching them within a liberal arts framework makes the financial investment of learning them of greater value.</p>
<p><a href="http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/people/faculty/peter-robbie/">Peter Robbie</a>, an engineering professor at Dartmouth College who teaches human centered design, explains why liberal education is so critical to engineering training. He said in an email to me that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>creative design process of engineering provides the means for complex, multidisciplinary problem-solving. We need to educate leaders who can solve the ‘wicked problems’ facing society (like obesity, climate change, and inequality). These are multifactorial problems that can’t be solved within a single domain but will need liberally-educated, expansive thinkers who are comfortable in many fields. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>As we know, an engineer who has basic cultural competency skills (honed, for instance, through cultural studies) will be an attractive asset for an American engineering firm trying to branch out in China. </p>
<p>Likewise, a doctor who knows how to listen to patients will be a better primary care doctor than one who only knows the memorizable facts from medical school.
This is one reason that medical schools have recently changed the requirements of application to encourage coursework in sociology and psychology. </p>
<p>It is the ability to use these skills honed by different types of thinking in various contexts that allows people to build beyond their particular ken. </p>
<p>And that is what a liberal arts education – science, technology, humanities and social sciences – trains. It prepares students for rich, creative, meaningful and, yes, remunerative, careers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/49638/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cecilia Gaposchkin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It is those who know how to think nimbly, creatively and responsibly that end up building extraordinary careers.Cecilia Gaposchkin, Associate Professor of History, Assistant Dean of Faculty for Pre-Major Advising, Dartmouth CollegeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.