Engineering education

For an engineer to be able to effectively develop a design solution, he or she must be able to deeply understand the problem, the stakeholders, and the context in which the designed artifact will function. To train engineers to be effective upon graduation, we must not only adapt to the changing requirements of engineering, but better understand what are the best techniques for teaching engineering and what it means to progress from novice to expert. The Sienko Research Group is looking into how engineering students learn design, design ethnography, front-end design, prototyping, and how they engage with stakeholders. By understanding where students currently are in their development and how they are applying industry best practices, we are better able to develop the design tools and pedagogy to prepare them for design post-graduation.