Abstract

This presentation begins with the story of how I came to join the School of Engineering Education (ENE) following an eclectic career spanning nearly 30 years based in Australia yet global in reach. Becoming the head of ENE was not part of my plan when I arrived at Purdue in 2007.

Leading an emergent academic department with a majority of junior faculty who conduct pioneering research in an unconventional engineering field brings with it unique challenges and opportunities. I explore these through the lens of the creation and implementation of the strategic plan for ENE; how this was shared internally and externally with a wide variety of stakeholders and how it operationalized across our three programs; first-year engineering, interdisciplinary engineering and the graduate program.

The presentation highlights many points of pride around the major achievements of the School of Engineering Education during a period of significant transformation. I also reflect upon some fun activities and personal milestones. Using the metaphor of “career repotting”, I endeavor to make sense of my time as head in relationship to my earlier career episodes and look to the next phase of my life and work.

Biography

Professor Radcliffe is the Kamyar Haghighi Head of the School of Engineering Education and Epistemology Professor of Engineering Education. Dr. Radcliffe received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Queensland, Australia and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from Strathclyde University in Scotland.

His research focuses on the nature of engineering as a profession; how it is perceived and practiced, how it is learned especially outside the classroom, and how an engineering identity is shaped. Within this overall theme he has conducted research on the practice of engineering design thinking in a variety of industry settings, the creation and sharing of design knowledge in large and small firms, engineering education as a complex system, the design and evaluation of learning environments.

Prior to joining Purdue in 2007, he taught and conducted research at various universities in Australia, the UK and the US (the University of Queensland, Melbourne University, Adelaide University, Bath University and Stanford). Between 1999 and 2007, Dr. Radcliffe led three strategic industry-university learning partnerships involving the University of Queensland and Thiess, Boeing Australia and Hatch. He was the Inaugural National Teaching Fellow in Australia, the first Australian Boeing Welliver Fellow, founded the Catalyst Research Center for Society and Technology. He also created and led the Australasian Virtual Engineering Library, the Advanced Engineering Capability Network and the national Next Generation Learning Spaces project.

Dr. Radcliffe is a Fellow, Institution of Engineers Australia, a Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education; a Fellow of European Society of Engineering Education, and a Past President of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education.