I usually write about the university innovation ecosystem from the perspective of the here-and-how. A recent experience, however, got me thinking about what lies ahead. Specifically, the health of the pipeline of future engineering students in U.S. universities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of technology-oriented jobs continues to increase, yet the number of trained and qualified engineers continues to decline. How can universities, parents and corporate employers convince teens, particularly girls and under-represented minorities, that technology-oriented careers are creative, good for humankind, and entrepreneurial?
One interesting solution may be to apply the rapid prototyping power of 3D printing to the engineering classroom. Teens need a reason to gravitate towards engineering. Rather than starting prospective engineering students off with abstract theory and math-based problem solving, why not expose them to the joys of product design by enabling them to experience, first-hand, an entire product design cycle in less than a week?
To read the full, original article click on this link: Inspiring next gen inventors: teens, engineering education and 3D printing « Triple Helix Innovation
Author: MELBA KURMAN
