Developing a New Global Engineering Program Under Pandemic Conditions: Lessons from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Year 1
Session We1: Nov 10, 11:20 AM
Abstract:
I am the founding director, executive director and 3-country director of a newly created global engineering program (GEP) at Missouri University of Science and Technology. In this presentation, I consider the challenges of creating a new GEP under COVID conditions. First, I detail the general, structural challenges of creating a new GEP under any circumstances, and offer an “how-to” and “dos and donts” to navigate the many internal and external hurdles. Next, I consider the specific, situational challenges that COVID presents and my on-the-fly strategies to cope with these specific circumstances. Last, I examine the profile of a GEP director for a new GEP, the cognitive, affective and behavioral qualities needed to launch a brand new program and the strategies developed to cope with the pressure of the position and the mission.