Schulich associate dean elected to board of ASEE

Marjan Eggermont, associate dean (teaching and learning) and senior instructor in the Department of  Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering has been elected to a two-year term on the board of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), a not for profit organization with more than 14,000 members.

The organization enhances professional opportunities for faculty and promotes the profession of engineering in order to attract top students into the field.  As well as 400 post-secondary institutions, dozens of corporations, government agencies and professional associations belong to ASEE and much of the group’s work is aimed at facilitating dialogue among these groups.

Eggermont has been attending ASEE’s annual conference for a decade and over the years she’s taken on different positions within ASEE’s Design in Engineering Division.  “The reason I’ve always gone to the ASEE conference is because it’s very multidisciplinary,” she says. “And different divisions present on engineering education—from community engagement, technology literacy, libraries, ethics—to name just a few.”

Problem solving requires perspective
Eggermont, who is a designer and biomimicry researcher, will assume the role of chair of ASEE’s  Professional Interest Council II which governs a wide range of divisions including Biomedical Engineering, Design in Engineering Education, Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering, Materials Engineering and Multidisciplinary Engineering.

She says when solving problems, engineers need to look at a well-rounded set of requirements including the user, the impact on environment and other broader societal implications.

“Engineering education should be a renaissance style education,” Eggermont says. “Problem solving is technical but it’s also has a lot to do with knowing about different cultures in the world, about how to communicate and becoming a well-rounded individual.”

Innovation requires engineers
Eggermont’s duties on the board begin in June 2014. ASEE’s mandate, to help the public understand that “our competitive edge is built upon innovation and innovation requires talented, well-trained engineers,” is based on bringing different elements of the profession together to appeal to the public and potential students.

Eggermont, who is not an engineer, is uniquely qualified to help. “I have been told I bring a completely different way of looking at a problem because I tend to look at things from the sociopolitical corner not so much from a technical one,” she says.

“And, as we’re trying to have the students become more globally aware, that’s becoming more and more important to keep in mind.”