Mechanical Engineering and Global Engineering Programs & Partnerships combined their efforts to host the 24th Annual Colloquium on International Engineering Education (ACIEE) virtually in November 2021.

The ACIEE was founded in 1988 by the International Engineering Program (IEP) at the University of Rhode Island.  ACIEE meets every other year in Rhode Island, alternating with partner institutions across the country. The colloquium convenes engineering and language educators, students, international program administrators, corporate leaders, and public sector representatives to share best practices and research findings related to educating engineers for the global workplace. 

The theme of the ACIEE was “International Engineering Education – Post COVID-19”.  It was held virtually over Zoom for three days.  Twenty-seven speakers talked in seven sessions about the impact that COVID-19 had on the students and its effect on intercultural learning and study abroad.  Discussions centered around what the “new normal” might look like, resilience in program and curriculum design, virtual delivery experiences and opportunities, and the changing labor market for global engineers.  

Our Keynotes were delivered by Dr. Marcelo Korc, Chief of the Climate Change and Environmental Determinants of Health Unit at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), and Dr. Steven W. McLaughlin, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  

We were also fortunate to host the Engineering Through a Humanistic Lens Series.  This collection of lectures and panel discussions is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities funded project “Integrating the Humanities and Global Engineering” (AKA-270141-20) at Purdue University. The project is a collaboration between the School of Languages and Cultures and the Office of Professional Practice/GEARE.  It aims to enhance the education and preparation of global engineers through an expanded role of the humanities (e.g., language, culture, history, sociology, philosophy).  

You can watch the following series here:

Engineering in Place: The Role of Language and Communication for Problem-solving in Situations of Forced Migration, by Dr. Jennifer DeBoer from Purdue University.  

How to Move Forward with Integrating the Humanities with Engineering: An Open Discussion, featuring panelists from Auburn University, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Purdue University, and the University of Rhode Island. 

Leveraging Humanities Informed Engineering Skills in Industry, featuring Benedikt Brisch, Director DAAD North America, Director DWIH; Dave Guaresimo, Vice President of International Operations at American Axle and Manufacturing, Detroit; Pin Bu Loke, Executive Vice President for Corporate R&D with Rohde & Schwarz, Munich 

The 25 th ACIEE themed “Connecting Engineering with the Humanities” will be held virtually by the University of Rhode Island, November 2-3, 2022.  Click here for more information.