Engineering the Future Workforce

Earlier this year, Siemens held the Sustainability Design Hack at their Realize Live 2023 event to address sustainability challenges and encourage college students to come up with creative and impactful solutions to these challenges. The idea behind this Design Hack was to provide students with real-life experience of sustainability challenges within the industry and give them access to mentors and industry experts to help them along the way.

In this episode, Shannon O'Donnell interviews two individuals who took part in this challenge: Ava Boley, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student with an aerospace concentration at Michigan State University, and Ricardo Ramirez, a recent electromechanical engineering graduate from Seneca College.

They will share with us how the Siemens Sustainability Design Hack tested their problem-solving skills and creativity and offered a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry experts and peers. Through their participation, Ava and Ricardo also share how they have gained practical insights into the complexities of engineering design, particularly in sustainability and the automotive sector. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Ava Boley:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Ricardo Ramirez:

• LinkedIn

In the world we live in, the impacts of climate change are becoming more apparent every day. Weather patterns are getting more unpredictable and severe, affecting underserved communities the most. So, what can we do through technology and education to come up with practical and sustainable solutions for these challenges?

I am your host, Dora Smith. Today, I am joined by Alberto Martinetti, an associate professor with a background in mining engineering, and Nikola Petrova, a lecturer with experience in educational science and curriculum development. In today's episode, our guests both share their individual motivations for getting involved in the field of Humanitarian Engineering.

In this episode, you will learn about the dynamic intersection of education, technology, and sustainability in Humanitarian Engineering. You will also get to hear more about the commitment of Alberto, Nikola, and the University of Twente to educating engineers who are not only technically skilled but also sensitive to the needs of underserved communities.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Alberto Martinetti:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Nikola Petrova:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Dora Smith:

• LinkedIn

Simulation technology has come a long way in recent years. Once the idea of science fiction stories, today they have become an everyday reality. 

Simulation plays an important role in revolutionizing many industries. And the aerospace industry is among the sectors that have benefited from the success of simulation applications to date. 

Joining us today is Jonas Edman, business development consultant of Simcenter academic solutions, and Dr. Tom Stoumbos, simulation and test leader at Northrop Grumman, a pioneering company responsible for some of the world's most advanced products. They will share with us the role of simulation technology in aerospace engineering, comparing past, present, and future advancements. They will also help us understand the importance of partnering with academia and other industry partners when it comes to innovation.

In this episode you will learn about the comparison of the tech of the past to the tech of today, and also the tech of the future. You will also get to hear about the transformative power of collaboration, innovation, and the integration of academia, industry, and government agencies in driving the future of simulation technology and space exploration.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Jonas Edman :

• LinkedIn

Connect with Tom Stoumbos:

Change is inevitable!

As technology students are exposed to changes, the need to change the teaching approach is becoming stronger. That’s because you want a teaching method that harnesses the skills students are gaining from their interactions with the latest technology. 

On the other hand, competition in the industry has forced companies to embrace technology. However, the shortage of personnel who are passionate about technology has been a big challenge. Academia is thus well-positioned to bridge the gap between the many tech-passionate students and the tech-starved industry.

In this episode, Dora Smith interviews Tim Simpson, a Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design and Manufacturing at the Pennsylvania State University. Tim and his students have worked with a diversified list of hundreds of companies on up to 600 projects. More recent work has ranged from finding ways to preserve the aviation ecosystem.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Tim:

When preparing students for industry, you must have the end goal in mind. You must prepare them for what the industry expects from them and what it takes to succeed and thrive beyond their classes. This can be done by ensuring that students get industry experience while still in school.

Industry experience will help them see the value in teamwork, communication skills, and new technologies. Without industry experience, students can easily close their minds to these essential life skills and only focus on good grades. This will make it harder for them to adjust to the industry’s expectations after graduation. 

In this episode, Dora Smith interviews Oscar Barton, Jr., the dean of Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering at Morgan State University. He’ll help us understand what it takes to prepare students for industry. He also discusses the importance of diversity in both academia and industry.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Oscar:

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Preparing students for industry involves more than just teaching them general engineering principles. It would be best to teach them how to use the industry’s tools and the teamwork culture. This will make them more confident and ease the challenge of transitioning from student to employee.

At the same time, the industry needs to adjust its approach to dealing with employees to attract new graduates. That’s because young engineers have a different set of needs, such as a preference for hybrid working environments.

In this episode, Shannon O’Donnel interviews Kathy Stevenson, senior academic teaching specialist in the mechanical engineering department at Michigan State University. She’ll share with us what she does to prepare her students for the industry after graduation. She’ll also share her thoughts on what the industry should do to prepare for younger graduates.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Kathy:

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Electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles (AVs) are here to stay!

While the benefits of transforming the transportation industry are undeniable, the true cost of making that transition is still unknown. For instance, what will happen to economies that rely on fossil fuels, and how will data-hungry AVs impact personal data privacy?

Getting a full picture of what is required to make and sustain the transition will require a multi-disciplinary approach. Such an approach will help optimize investment to maximize the expected long-term benefits. This is exactly what the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is seeking to do.

In this episode, Dora Smith interviews Elisabeth Gerber, Collegiate Professor of Public Policy and Innovator-in-residence at the University of Michigan and Founder of ViewPoint Educational Technologies. She’ll help us understand what the MOOC course entails. She’ll also share with us the benefits they have leaped from partnering with Siemens.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Elisabeth:

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The education system was hit hard during the initial stages of the COVID lockdowns but managed to bounce back fast through digital engagements. It was especially difficult for engineering students who require a lot of practical classes and collaboration with peers. However, even as people get back to their classrooms, some of the innovative digital solutions that came from remote learning are continuing to play a big role.

Another phenomenon that is being experienced is the rise of students’ engagement and networking at an early stage. They no longer wait to finish school to see the value of creating meaningful connections with students taking similar courses in different universities, and also with people already in the industry. 

In this episode, Dora Smith interviews two engineering students, Maria Laura Polo and Felipe Gomez. They are both members of SPEED (Student Platform for Engineering Education Development), a student-engagement organization. They’ll share with us how their organization promotes student involvement and engagement. Additionally, they’ll share with us their experiences with remote learning and teaching when COVID was at its peak. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Maria:

Connect with Felipe:

• LinkedIn

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For industries to attract and prepare the next generation of engineers, they have to create practical links with academia. This will make it possible for them to nurture the future workforce long before they graduate and seek permanent employment. This can be achieved by offering part-time opportunities to students as well as forming working partnerships with universities.

Students who get opportunities to work with engineering companies should try to learn as much as possible from experienced engineers. Such opportunities can inspire them to work harder in school as well as guide them when choosing what to specialize in.

In this episode, Jennifer Bradford interviews Stephan Groß (Gross) and Enes (Enis) Öksüz. They’ll share their experiences as engineering students in Germany. They’ll also share how their exposure to industry whilst studying broadened their horizons and opened doors they didn’t even know existed.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with Jennifer:

• Linkedin

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Engineering is about using science to find creative practical solutions. The question then becomes - how do we train engineers to understand the problems and work with teams to get to those solutions? The best way is to give potential engineering students an opportunity to practice the class-gained skills in the real world as part of their course. 

This will prepare them to analyze problems, communicate solutions, engage stakeholders, and create project plans, among others. It’ll also stir their passion because they’ll get to see the potential impact that real engineering can create on communities all over the world.

In this episode, Dora Smith interviews Will (Bill) Oakes, an award-winning educator and the Director of the EPICS Program at Purdue University. He’ll share with us what motivated his transition from the industry to academia. He’ll also help us understand the EPICS program, its mission, challenges, and some of its success stories.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Connect with William:

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