The new engineer: between employability and social responsibility

Abstract

4349AbstractThe reasons behind the demand for what is sometimes called the New Engineer are critically examined and it is argued that a focus on employability alone is not sufficient to prepare socially responsible engineers. By examining issues around work organisation and sustainability it is proposed that engineers need to understand the wider social context in which they work. It is argued that the focus of ethics education should be broadened to focus on the social structure and the way it both enables and constrains socially responsible conduct. There is a call to refocus engineers' attitudes towards the systems of regulation so they see them not only as constraints but as potential enablers supporting socially responsible engineering.

Chemical engineering in an unsustainable world: Obligations and opportunities

“…developed by Beder (1998) and elaborated by Conlon (2008) among others. This is a new, unfamiliar and perhaps daunting place for engineers equipped only with traditional skills and outcomes, though conversely a potentially far more exciting, influential, society transforming and fulfilling place to be.…”

“…being of benefit to people and society, were the two of the factors with the greatest potential to engage people with engineering. Embracing sustainability is therefore likely to result in increased levels and quality of enrolments to chemical engineering programmes (Clift, 2006), while failure to modify programmes in a timely manner could negatively affect recruitment and ultimately present accreditation difficulties (Desha et al, 2009) Embedding sustainability into engineering programme curricula also offers the potential to increase the proportion of females in the profession (Conlon, 2008). "Making a difference to the world" was shown to be the number one aspiration of female students at a London university, but only featured third among males (Alpay et al, 2008).…”

“…Sustainability informed practice would align with the latter mode, thereby bringing engineers into new, less familiar territories and into contact with other professions and stakeholders, and ultimately more in concert with the needs of society (Mitchell, 2000;Batterham, 2003;Symkowiak, 2003;Chau, 2007;Conlon, 2008;Jennings, 2009;Allenby et al, 2009). In this way the engineer can draw upon much more than just dispassionate objectivity; they can harness the additional store of "intuition, feelings and passion" that only comes thorough making both "physical and emotional connections" with the issue at hand, thereby achieving a degree of "dynamic objectivity" (McIsaac and Morey, 1998).…”

“…It may also typically conceive engineering as being apolitical (though conforming to the dominant techno-economic focused paradigm). On the other hand, failure to envisage a broader remit for engineering, and in doing so failure to embrace a sustainability informed paradigm, has contributed to "concern that the status of engineering is being undermined as engineers are identified with environmentally damaging technologies" (Conlon, 2008). …”

Engineering Sustainability: A Technical Approach to Sustainability

“…Engineering activities are significant contributors to economic development, standards of living and well-being of a society, and impact its cultural development and environment. Engineering is continually evolving as a profession [1,2], and engineering education is correspondingly continually changing [3].…”