Expanding with the Times
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES EVOLVE TO MEET ENGINEERING NEEDS
BY SUSAN THWING
O
nce upon a time an engineering degree brought to mind automobiles, manufacturing processes, or a mechanical system. But today, the reach of engineering extends to six major branches of engineering: mechanical, chemical, civil, electrical, management, and geotechnical, and literally hundreds of different subcategories of engineering under each branch. From aerospace to environmental to cybersecurity and marine, there is an engineering aspect to all areas of our lives. The concept of engineering goes back thousands of years dating back to Imhotep, the first engineer known by name and achievement, as the builder of the Step Pyramid at Saqqarah, Egypt, estimated at about 2550 BCE. Engineering degrees also have a long history with three main schools as the first to offer engineering education in 1817—the U.S. Military Academy (New York) 1819, Norwich University (Vermont) 1825 and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York). Rensselaer awarded the first degree in Civil Engineering in 1835, although at the time it was only a one-year technical finishing program. From those first awarded degrees, the evolution of the industry is forever changing. So it is no surprise that Michigan universities and colleges are continually adding to their engineering degree offerings via new programs, departments and collaborations. Here’s a wrap up of just some of the new programs across the state:
BIO IS BIG!
The employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. Increasing numbers of technologies and applications to medical equipment and devices, along with the medical needs of a growing and aging population, will require the services of these workers.
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Higher education is taking this to heart. Oakland University recently elevated its bioengineering program to a department, with the first class of students graduating in 2020. The move was intended to strengthen the university’s academic profile and help students succeed in a rapidly evolving job market. The department is the first in the university’s history to be under the shared governance of core academic units, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Computer Science. Department leaders are preparing to seek accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, for the program, with the first site visit this fall.
