Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 218±230, 2007 0949-149X/91 $3.00+0.

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Printed in Great Britain. # 2007 TEMPUS Publications.

Enabling Sustainable Thinking in

Undergraduate Engineering
Education*
DEBORAH N. HUNTZINGER, MARGOT J. HUTCHINS, JOHN S. GIERKE and
JOHN W. SUTHERLAND
Sustainable Futures Institute, Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
In this paper we address the need for curricular changes that foster sustainable thinking and review
a number of engineering curricular changes at selected universities, drawing comparisons to medical
and other fields. For each engineering program, we examined the level at which sustainability
concepts and active-learning methods were integrated into its curricula. A majority of the
universities examined ``bolted-on'' various components of sustainability or student-centered learn-
ing into their existing programs. Only one university examined has made significant efforts to
redesign engineering education in terms of sustainability and pedagogy. A number of barriers
hindering the re-orientation of engineering curricula toward ``sustainable'' engineering are dis-
cussed.
Keywords: sustainability; problem-based learning; intellectual development

INTRODUCTION uncertainty, and to consider the social and eco-

nomic impacts of engineering choices in both a
OVER THE LAST 30 years, the concepts of national and global setting [2]. In order for future
``sustainability'' and ``sustainable development'' engineers to participate in sustainable design and
have been introduced in order to address the manufacturing, they will be required to evaluate
causes and effects of humanity's increasing and apply information from multiple disciplines,
impact on the world. Sustainability can be defined such as economics, public policy, and the environ-
as ``design of human and industrial systems to mental and social sciences. In addition, sustainable
ensure that humankind's use of natural resources development is surrounded by uncertainty and
and cycles does not lead to diminished quality of ambiguity. The modern engineer needs to be
life due either to losses in further economic oppor- equipped with the knowledge and skills to
tunities or to adverse impacts on social conditions, manage this uncertainty and make judgments
human health and the environment'' [1]. Inherent about the best course of action based on the
in the notion of sustainability is the interaction and available evidence. This requires engineers of the
connection between society, the environment, and 21st century to have creative problem-solving skills
economic/industrial development. In order to and to ``evaluate the implications of their solutions
achieve sustainable development among both beyond their immediate technical context'' [3].
industrialized and developing countries, the inter- However, critical thinking skills and the ability to
relationships between these three ``pillars'' of collect, evaluate, and utilize information are often
sustainability must be realized. However, no such not advanced in current engineering graduates.
balance can be achieved without an adequate They also have little or no experience of dealing
understanding of how societal and industrial with uncertainty and ambiguity in problem-
actions impact the environment in which we live solving. Too often, engineering curricula place
or how today's activities may impact future more emphasis on the memorization of facts and
generations. As a result, there is considerable well-established procedures than on learning the
need for increased knowledge and awareness of skills necessary to deal with large, complex
the issues surrounding sustainable development. problems. As a result, current engineering gradu-
A profession central to resource use and devel- ates are entering the market place ill-equipped to
opment is engineering. With the pressures of rising deal with the problems society is sure to face.
population and declining resources, engineers will The United Nations established the global need
be called upon to design more eco-efficient systems for a reorientation of education at the Earth
and technologies, to deal with ever-increasing Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 [4]. One of the
results of this conference was the document known
* Accepted 15 December 2006. as Agenda 21, which emphasized the importance of

218
 Enabling Sustainable Thinking in Undergraduate Engineering Education 219

effective teaching methods. In addition, at the sustainability and student-centered learning

World Summit on Sustainable Development in become integral components in a multi-disciplin-
Johannesburg in 2002, the UN identified the ary course on sustainability indicators.
need to reform existing education policies,
programs, and practices so that they foster the
concepts, skills, motivation, and commitment INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
needed for sustainable development [5]. The
UN's new vision of education includes ``linking Intellectual development or growth is described
social, economic, political, and environmental as the ``progression from ignorant certainty to
concerns,'' which ``demands a deeper, more ambi- intelligent confusion'' [8]. Empirical work by
tious way of thinking about education, one that Perry [9] indicates that intellectual development
retains a commitment to critical analysis while takes place in distinct stages which are character-
fostering creativity and innovation.'' Although ized by a student's perception of truth. According
there has been clear evidence of support for educa- to Perry's model, students progress through several
tion reform to better prepare engineering students levels of intellectual development ranging from
for confronting sustainability issues, relatively blind acceptance to contextual relativism [9]. The
little has been done, due to the lack of incentive Perry model laid the groundwork for many other
within universities and the barriers of the status models of intellectual development [10±12]. These
quo that must be overcome. models generally follow Perry's, but they modify
Successful integration of sustainability prin- his model, illuminating differences in learning and
ciples and methods into engineering curricula behavior patterns between genders. Although men
requires a systemic change in our approach to and women may exhibit different learning patterns
education and societal values. Students not only in the early stages of intellectual development, the
need the knowledge base to make sound engineer- learning behavior of individuals at the highest
ing decisions, they need the intellectual develop- levels of intellectual development are the same
ment (e.g. higher-level cognitive and critical for both genders.
thinking skills) to supply effective solutions to In the first levels of intellectual development
complex technical problems. Wise et al. [6] students believe that all knowledge is certain and
conducted a four-year longitudinal study of intel- that their responsibility as students is to accept,
lectual development in engineering undergradu- without question, the answers given to them by
ates. Their results indicate that, without active- authorities [8, 9]. This dualistic approach to learn-
learning and team-based projects, students fail to ing assumes that scholastic and moral questions
progress adequately in terms of intellectual have only one correct answer. As students progress
growth. In turn, they often lack the critical think- in their intellectual growth, they recognize that not
ing skills, confidence, and creativity needed to all knowledge is certain and take increasing
successfully evaluate the impact of corporate deci- responsibility for constructing their own judg-
sions on the environment and society. ments. They become less reliant on authority for
Although there is great need for engineering support in their beliefs or personal feelings, and
education reform, social and economic factors eventually take full responsibility for their own
influence the motivation and ability of universities learning. At the highest stages for growth, students
to evolve beyond the status quo. Therefore, a recognize that all knowledge is contextual and
better understanding of the incentives and barriers individually constructed. Therefore, they use the
to change is needed. In this paper we review a best available information (e.g. intuition, objective
number of engineering curricular changes that analysis, their own thoughts, thoughts of others) to
selected universities have made, drawing compar- make judgments and decisions in the face of
isons with medical and other fields. For each ambiguity and uncertainty [8, 9]. As summarized
engineering program, we examined the level at by Felder and Brent [8], individuals at the highest
which sustainability concepts and active-learning level of intellectual development:
methods were integrated into the curricula. Based
on our analysis, factors that may promote success- 1. possess the skepticism and inclination to chal-
ful curricular development were identified. Of lenge what is currently known;
specific interest was the identification of character- 2. question the assumptions underlying all
istics that enable engineering curricula to be rede- accepted wisdom;
signed for sustainability. Because moving towards 3. are reluctant to accept the first reasonable
sustainability requires open-mindedness and colla- explanation;
boration with a broad range of stakeholders, 4. employ both logic and intuition; and
including industry, government, students, and 5. avoid transferring judgments made in one
educators, a top-down approach to reform may situation to another situation without critical
not work. Therefore, incorporating sustainability evaluation.
into higher education requires a new ``vision of The five attributes described above could be used
possibilities'' and an evolution in our way of to define an exceptional scientist or engineer. They
thinking. Part 2 of this series of papers [7] intro- also describe the skills needed by professionals to
duces one such visionÐa case study where both design for a more sustainable world. The most
220 D. Huntzinger et al.

appropriate (e.g. the most sustainable) solution to sustainable thinking. By developing critical think-
a problem is not necessarily a technical improve- ing in engineering students, the next generation of
ment. Roy Sutherland [13] describes an apt sce- professionals may be more likely to give considera-
nario solidifying this point: tion to issues (e.g. the environment, social equity,
A number of complaints were lodged stating that the
biodiversity) that they otherwise would have
elevator in a multi-story building was too slow. The ignored.
manager solicited bids from engineering firms to
increase the elevator's speed. Most of the bids came Promoting intellectual development
in above $300,000, however one firm offered a $5,000 To promote intellectual development and cre-
solution. The engineers at this firm presented a creative ative thinking (prerequisites for sustainable think-
alternative to more costly technological upgrades. ing), instructors should employ pedagogy that
They proposed installing floor to ceiling mirrors, on encourages a deep approach to learning facilitated
each floor, outside of the elevator doors. With little to by a variety of learning tasks, clear communication
lose, the managers select the non-technical solution.
of expectations, constructive feedback, mutual
The complaints stopped. Preoccupied by grooming and
observing others, people were no longer bothered by respect, and a student-centered learning environ-
the time spent waiting for the elevator. ment [16]. One of the most defining characteristics
of intellectual growth is a decrease in reliance on
This example of creative innovation and simplicity instructors to provide the answers to questions. In
underscores the need for engineers to understand order to foster student independence and self-
the social (and other) dimensions of their work. reliance, instructional methods that encourage
However, the insight to move away from more self-directed learning are needed. Student-centered
traditional avenues of problem-solving are not a learning refers to removal of the instructor as the
trait of lower levels of intellectual development. primary source of information. Students are given
Understanding the different intellectual stages and the responsibility for their own learning and the
the ways to encourage progression between them is instructor takes on the role of a facilitator or guide
a prerequisite for helping students attain the crea- in that learning process. This is a significant
tivity they need to function effectively as engineer- departure from lecture-based instruction.
ing professionals [8] in the 21st century. However, Student-centered learning can be promoted using
many engineering courses tend to support a active, cooperative, and/or inductive learning. An
``dualistic'' mode of learning by emphasizing facts instructional method that incorporates all three of
and well-established principles and procedures these learning processes is problem-based learning
[14]. It is not until later in the senior or graduate (PBL). PBL is an approach to education in which
years that students become introduced to more students are presented with complex, ill-defined
complex, ambiguous problems through case problems in order to develop problem-solving
studies, research, and design experience. Thus, skills and stimulate learning [17]. The following
most students enter college operating at the dual- section provides a more detailed discussion of PBL
ism level and leave at a level far short of ``contex- and other methods for incorporating sustainability
tual knowing'' as described above [8]. concepts and promoting intellectual development
in engineering students.
Relation to sustainability
The successful application of sustainability prin-
ciples and ideas in the engineering profession ENHANCING LEARNING IN ENGINEERING
requires that engineers are capable (and willing) CURRICULA
to critically assess the implications of their profes-
sional actions. More importantly, it requires that Sterling's [18] discussion of the ways sustain-
engineers have the skills to supply creative solu- ability can be incorporated into higher education
tions to complex problems in the face of ambiguity mirrors the concept of intellectual development
and oftentimes conflicting goals. We cannot real- discussed above. An academic institution can
istically integrate sustainability into engineering respond to the call for sustainability on a number
education in the hopes of cultivating these prob- of levels, from superficial to systemic. A first-level
lem-solving skills without adequately addressing response is characterized by a lack of response and
the issue of intellectual development. Therefore, could be caused by ignorance or denial of the
the integration of sustainability concepts into en- current issue of sustainability. Accommodation
gineering curricula needs to occur with the con- within curriculum and minimal institutional
comitant facilitation of intellectual growth and change mark a second-level response. In this
development. case, sustainability concepts are ``bolted-on'' to
There is research to suggest a positive correla- the existing system. At the third level, the system
tion between intellectual development and other itself is reformed, sustainability becomes ``built-in''
growth aspects, such as multicultural awareness, to the system, and the dominant educational para-
moral reasoning, and acceptance of diversity [15]. digm is modified. Sterling identifies the fourth level
If fostering higher intellectual development can of response as ``a redesign on sustainability prin-
promote greater social and cultural awareness ciples, based on a realization of the need for
among individuals, it too may support more paradigm change. This type of response emphas-
 Enabling Sustainable Thinking in Undergraduate Engineering Education 221

Fig. 1. The degree of sustainability integration into curriculum and thought in higher education.

izes the process and the quality of learning, which courses, disciplines, and departments. Problem-
is seen as an essentially creative, reflexive and solving, communication, and self-expression are
participative process.'' This relationship between all tools used to promote learning.
the level of response pursued in higher education In learner-centered environments, the purpose
(i.e. none, bolted-on, built-in, redesign), and the of the relationships between students and instruc-
level of integration of sustainability into both tors is to promote deep learning in students. Power
thought and curriculum is summarized in Fig. 1. is shared in the classroom and the students are
actively involved in determining course content,
Learning environment assessment methods, and policies. An instructor
The educational paradigm that Sterling advo- might give students a choice between a selection of
cates is, essentially, learner-centered environments. assessment methods or work with students to
Learner-centered education seeks to improve the establish expectations for outcomes and behavior
quality of learning by promoting discovery and the in the course. Furthermore, personal relationships
construction of knowledge [19]. This requires a between students and faculty promote positive
redefinition of the learning environment, the expectations and participation [20±21].
roles of instructors, the roles of learners and of The primary contribution of the instructor is
the relationship among them. In the learner- ``creating and maintaining conditions that promote
centered environment, students and faculty jointly student growth and movement toward autonomy''
construct knowledge and collaboration between [22]. To this end, instructors should aim to develop
students and faculty is fostered within and across every student's competencies and talents using
222 D. Huntzinger et al.

varied teaching approaches which address multiple this type of learning is not unique to medical
learning styles and aspects of intelligence [19]. education. Considering the problem-solving
Students accept responsibility for their learning, nature of the engineering profession and the
which has psychological importance because: (1) complex, ill-defined nature of many issues
learning is most effective when it is an intentional surrounding sustainability, PBL is a necessary
process of constructing meaning from information tool to prepare future engineers for the workplace.
and experience and (2) intrinsic motivation is In order to maximize PBL's potential, the
stimulated by new and difficult tasks that have a Southern Illinois School of Medicine Problem
relevance to personal interests [23]. As students Based Learning Initiative (PBLI), established the
connect new knowledge to old, applying and following essential elements for problem-based
organizing information in a way that is meaningful learning [28].
to them, they develop intellectually. ``This not only
1. Students must take responsibility for their own
results in a deeper understandingÐit creates
learning.
autonomous, independent learners'' [24]. Those
2. Problems should be ill-defined and allow for
that seek to develop solutions to sustainability
free inquiry by the student.
issues must have the capacity to collaborate with
3. Problems must be multidisciplinary.
people from all walks of life. They must possess the
4. Student collaboration should be encouraged in
ability to examine problems from a global perspec-
both group- and self-directed work.
tive with an understanding of the connectivity
5. Students must constantly re-analyze problems
between all things.
as individuals and as a group.
6. Students must reflect on what they have
Problem-based learning learned from the problem.
One of the most successful student-centered 7. Students must take part in self and peer assess-
learning tools is problem-based learning (PBL). ment.
PBL is the ``learning that results from the process 8. Problems must have value in the real world.
of working toward the understanding or resolution 9. Student assessments must evaluate problem-
of a problem'' [25]. The application of PBL in solving skills.
higher education (as we know it today) originated 10. PBL must be rooted in the curriculum, not
in the 1960s and 1970s as a means to rethink the episodic.
way we prepare future physicians for professional
practice [26]. The faculty members of McMaster Therefore, PBL is much more than students work-
University in Canada led the way in developing a ing through problems. A more accurate definition
problem-based curriculum as an alternative to the of PBL might be ``student-centered, problem-
traditional approaches used for teaching basic based, inquiry-based, integrated, collaborative,
science and clinical skills to medical students [27]. re-iterative learning'' [29]. In Table 1 we have
PBL was their attempt to improve the retention, outlined the PBL methods and approaches for
application skills, and overall learning of medical selected universities and programs within the
students. McMaster's successful implementation United States and Canada that are incorporating
of PBL ignited the acceptance and integration of PBL into some or all of their undergraduate
PBL into the curriculum at other medical institu- programs. The educational goals of the institutions
tions throughout Europe, Australia, and the vary, along with the level of PBL integration and
United States. Since its first applications, PBL the instructional or learning methods used. Spec-
has spread to auxiliary medical disciplines and ulation as to the reasoning behind these differences
other fields such as business, law, education, is presented later in this paper in the ``Incentives
police science, and engineering [28]. and Barriers to Change'' section.
Medical professionals are routinely confronted
with complex problems that require analytical and
clinical reasoning skills. In addition, medical INCORPORATING PROBLEM-BASED
professionals are constantly faced with new types LEARNING IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION
of problems, as well as new information about TO FOSTER SUSTAINABILITY
existing problems. There is an old educational
truism that states ``half of what the students Transformation of educational systems to
learn in medical school will be wrong or outdated support sustainable thought equates to a redesign
by the time they are in practice, and no one knows of engineering curricula. The question then
which half that is'' [29]. This means that medical becomes, not how can we improve the current
students must be comfortable taking ownership of education system, but how can we create a more
their education so that they can become effective effective and efficient educational system. We
and efficient life-long learners. The use of PBL in examined a number of accredited engineering
medical education uses ``real-world'' problems as programs to determine the level of PBL and
stimuli for learning. In addition, these problems sustainability integration within their curricula
help to integrate and organize learned information (Table 2). Sterling's [18] response levels of higher
in ways that will improve recollection and applica- education to sustainability and educationÐbolted-
tion of knowledge to future problems. The need for on, built-in, and redesignÐwere used. In this paper
 Enabling Sustainable Thinking in Undergraduate Engineering Education 223

Table 1. Problem-based learning goals and approach for selected universities

School Goals Approach

McMaster For students to acquire and put into The central focus of program is the tutorial. In the tutorial
University; School of practice concepts and information sessions, small groups of students work together to solve
a
Medicine required to understand and manage health problems and to negotiate their approach to learning tasks. The
care problems. To promote critical faculty at McMaster pioneered the use of PBL in medical
thinking, clinical, and self-directed education. PBL is used throughout the three-year curriculum.
learning skills.
Southern Illinois Promote self-directed learning through Curriculum uses patient formats and standardized patients to
University; School of problem simulations that are ill-structured facilitate student inquiry and problem solving. Integrates
Medicine & and allow for free inquiry. Encourage learning with other disciplines to improve understanding and
Physicians Assistant collaboration, self and peer assessment, treatment of patient problems. Created the Problem Based
Programb and continual opportunities to learn. Learning Initiative (PBLI) which is a group of instructors and
researchers active in PBL research and faculty educational
development.
University of Enhance student's critical thinking, Student-centered, active learning techniques that focus on
Delaware; Biology, communication, research and life-long group-based projects. Use of peer tutors and a variety of
Biochemistry, learning skills. Promote intellectual, learning experiences. University has created the Institute for
Chemistry, Science, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual Transforming Undergraduate Education to promote reform of
Physics & Nutritionc development of students and teachers. undergraduate education through faculty development and
course design.
Ohio University; To develop communication, collaboration, Use of projects, involving macro-problems that require a
Business and teamwork skills. Program also strives holistic view of business. Access to information is based on the
Administrationd to develop personal characteristics such as ``just-in-time'' concept, where students are provided information
initiative, creativity, and personal at a time when it is the most useful. Most projects are in
responsibility. collaborative learning groups.
Smith College; To apply the current knowledge of Use of concept maps and reflective narratives, as well as hands-
Picker Engineering cognitive development to a learner- on, inquiry based, group based work or problems. Require a
Programe centered pedagogy that is present year-long capstone course where seniors collaborate in teams on
throughout the curriculum of the real-world projects sponsored by industry and government.
Engineering Department. New program. First engineering program at all female
university.
McMaster Develop student's lifetime learning skills Use of PBL in courses at the sophomore, junior and senior
University; School of so that they can more effectively and level. Require students to participate in a workshop on team
Engineering efficiently acquire knowledge in the future. building and teamwork before undergoing PBL exercises. Use
(Chemical Promote the development of process and of tutorless groups, facilitated by student and instructor
Engineering)f problem-solving skills. feedback. Developed the McMaster Problem Solving Program
that includes strategies, assessment, and guidance for faculty to
use PBL in courses.
Carnegie Mellon; To develop courses that promote a The use of concept maps and open-ended decision-making
School of smooth transition between the acquisition exercises where students are required to define the problem,
Engineeringg of factual knowledge and the application suggest alternatives, and make decisions. The course
of this knowledge to problems in a development at Carnegie Mellon was part of an NSF
decision-making framework. Foundation Course and Curriculum Development Grant.
Therefore, the actual integration of these courses into the
schools curriculum is uncertain.
Michigan To help students discover knowledge. To Students can earn credit by participating in the Enterprise
Technological encourage innovation, inquiry, and Program; a program which gives teams of students the
University; School of learning through the hands-on application opportunity to solve engineering, manufacturing, and design
Engineeringh of knowledge to solve problems significant problems supplied by industry partners. Teams include
to industry. To promote teamwork among freshman to senior level students. Purdue University has a
students and with faculty. similar program called EPICS.
a
Barrow (1966); McMaster School of Medicine website: <http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/mdprog/overview/overview.htm>
b
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and PBLI websites: <http://edaff.siumed.edu/> & <http://www.pbli.org/>
c
University of Delaware website: <http://www.udel.edu/pbl/>
d
Stinson and Milter (1996); Ohio University School of Business website: <http://www.cob.ohiou.edu/policies/missionstatement.asp>
e
Grasso et al. (2004); Smith College's Picker Engineering Program website: <http://www.smith.edu/engin-eep/homoepage.htm> &
<http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Engin/designclinic/>
f
Woods (1996); McMaster's Department of Chemical Engineering website: <http://www.chemeng.mcmaster.ca/innov1.htm> &
McMaster Problem Solving Program websites: <http:/www.chemeng.mcmaster.ca/MPS/default1.htm>
g
Nair et al. (2002) and Carnegie Mellon's Environmental Decision Making website: <http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/environ/m2/s3/
index.shtml>
h
Michigan Technological University's Enterprise Program website: <http://www.enterprise.mtu.edu/> & Purdue University's School
of Engineering website: <https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Sinature>

``bolted-on'' denotes that sustainability and/or adding an elective related to sustainable develop-
PBL are acknowledged in the goals of the ment. ``Built-in'' indicates that sustainability and/
program; however, there is limited integration in or PBL are stressed as an important goal of the
courses or the curriculum. For example, sustain- program and significant effort has been made to
ability could be ``bolted-on'' to a curriculum by integrate these concepts and methods into the
224 D. Huntzinger et al.

Table 2. Level of problem-based learning and sustainable thinking integration into the engineering programs at selected universities

Problem-based
University Sustainability1 learning1 Notes

Clarkson Bolted-on Bolted-on Clarkson is increasing the incorporation of environmental themes and issues
University; into their curriculum and has received funding for an REU in Environmental
Environmental Sciences and Engineering to foster undergraduate understanding of
Engineeringa sustainability issues. PBL is encouraged, but seems to be limited to senior
capstone projects (required), research (optional) and competitive design
projects (optional).
Colorado Bolted-on Bolted-on CSM has a core course titled ``Nature and Human Values'' (NHV) that is
School of required for all CSM freshman. It includes a week long introduction to
Mines; humanitarian engineering that includes discussion of the roles of engineers in
Engineeringb society and the developing world. CSM has plans to include 4 new courses in
sustainability that address ethics, community technology and culture. PBL is
mainly incorporated through an EPICS program which allows students to
work on open-ended problems in a team environment.
Lawrence Bolted-on Bolted-on Lawrence Tech. offers a curriculum in Alternative Energy that examines
Technological alternative and renewable energy. The program is open to all engineering
University; students can be coupled with a formal B.S. or M.S. in one of the traditional
Mechanical engineering disciplines. PBL learning is incorporated into the engineering
Engineeringc curriculum through senior design projects, however student-centered learning
is not commonly integrated into regular coursework.
Michigan Bolted-on Bolted on Limited efforts have been made to integrate PBL and sustainability concepts
Technological at the undergraduate level, other than the Enterprise and Senior design
University; programs. However, MTU has several graduate level programs that fully
Engineeringd integrate sustainability and problem-based learning. They offer a certificate in
sustainability, a master's option that includes two years of work with the
Peace Corps (creating/disseminating technology in developing countries), and
were recently awarded an Integrative Graduate Education and Research
Traineeship for Sustainable Futures.
University of Bolted-on Bolted-on University formed the Institute for Social, Economic and Ecological
Minnesota; Sustainability (ISEES) in 1996 to strengthen their commitment to
Engineeringe sustainability issues, however focus is mostly on the social and natural
sciences, with limited mention of engineering. Individuals within the school of
engineering (i.e. K.R. Smith) are doing research related to use of PBL in
engineering education, however PBL is not commonly integrated into the
undergraduate engineering curriculum. Like other universities, all engineering
students are requirede to participate in a capstone design course in their senior
year that introduces them to team work and ``real-world'' problems.
University of Bolted-on Bolted-on Through the Mascaro Initiative, undergraduates work with graduate students
Pittsburg; and faculty in inter-disciplinary teams in research projects to cultivate new
Engineeringf green construction and water-use technologies. However, student-centered
learning and sustainability are not commonly incorporated into coursework.
Purdue; Bolted-on Bolted-on At the undergraduate level, active learning has been incorporated through
Engineeringg senior level capstone projects and Engineering Projects in Community Service
(EPICS) program, which allows students to participate for up to four-years in
applying technical skills to a loosely structured project. Sophomore and junior
level students can also participate in ``cornerstone'' projects which are smaller
versions of the EPICS program. At the graduate level, eight interdisiplinary
engineering areas have been developed, several address issues pertaining to
sustainability.
Carnegie Bolted-on Built-in Carnegie Mellon received a NSF Course and Curriculum Development Grant
Mellon; School to increase environmental literacy at the undergraduate level. The goal of the
h
of Technology program is for students to understand the main principles of the
environmental sciences, as well appreciate the systemic nature of
environmental issues. PBL is built in to their environmental literacy program
and is integrated into their existing engineering curriculum.
Rowan Bolted-on Built-in Four-year sequence of courses, called Engineering Clinics, seeks to provide
University; students with a meaningful, leading-edge, team-based, multidisciplinary project
Engineeringi experience. however, PBL is not incorporated throughout the curriculum.
Sustainability concepts are introduced in some courses and through the
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Pollution Prevention and
Sustainability.
Stanford; Civil Built-in Bolted-on The department introduced a new Architectural Design program in 2004/2005
and that offers courses in architecture and building design, with emphasis on
Environmental sustainability, green design, life-cycle planning, and design/construction
Engineeringj integration. Stanford has also restructured their department to improve
sustainability of the built-environment by creating a new graduate program in
``Atmosphere & Energy'' and revamping their ``Construction Engineering &
Management'' and ``Environ. & Water Resources'' graduate programs to
include sustainability thrusts. In 1993, they launched a PBL Laboratory to
teach students how to work in teams with individuals from varying areas of
expertise.
 Enabling Sustainable Thinking in Undergraduate Engineering Education 225

Table 2 (cont.)

Problem-based
University Sustainability1 learning1 Notes

Smith College; Built-on Redesign Humanities are incorporated into a learner-centered engineering program
Picker which emphasizes social relevance, sustainability and improvement of the
Engineeringk human condition. PBL is integrated throughout the curriculum and a year-
long capstone course is required for seniors, in which they collaborate in teams
of real-world projects sponsored by industry and government.

1
Bolted-on: Acknowledged in goals or mission statement of the program, however there is limited integration in courses or the
curriculum, such as in one course or as a portion of a several courses at the junior or senior level (i.e. senior design).
Built-in: Stresses in the goals and mission statement of the program and significant effort has been made to integrate concepts and
methods into the existing curriculum at all levels (i.e. at freshman through senior level).
Redesigned: An essential element of the program goals and significant effort has been made to rethink and redesign and program to
completely integrate concept into the curriculum at all levels (i.e. at freshman through senior level).
a
Clarkson University webpage: <http://www.clarkson.edu/prospective/academic_majors/majors/engineering_studies.html> &
<http://www.clarkson.edu/cee/curriculum.html>
b
School of Mines website: <http://www.mines.edu/academic/epics/about/overvi.html> & <http://humanitarian.mines.edu/courses.htm>
c
Lawrence Technological University website: <http://www.ltu.edu/engineering/mechanical/alt_energy_curriculum.asp>
d
Michigan Technological University website: <http://www.me.mtu.edu/academics/undergrads/degree_req.html> &
<http://www.enterprise.mtu.edu/> & <http://www.sfi.mtu.edu/>
e
University of Minnesota website: <http://www.ce.umn.edu/~smith/links.html> & <http://www.uservices.umn.edu/sustainableU/
energy.html>
f
University of Pittsburg website: http://www.engr.pitt.edu/ & <http://www.engr.pitt.edu/freshman/policies/index.html>
g
Purdue University website: <https://engineering.purdue.edu/ABE/Undergrad/abe.whtml> & <https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/
Signature>
h
Nair et al. (2002); Carnegie Mellon School of Technology website: <http://www.cit.cmu.edu/ugweb/c_ugweb_objective.html>
i
Rowan University website: <http://www.rowan.edu/catalogs/ungrad/programs/> & <http://www.rowan.edu/colleges/engineering/
clinics/reu040>
j
Standord University website: <http:/cee.standord.edu/committee/CEE-Sus-Vision7-13-Final.pdf> & <http://pbl.stanford.edu/>
k
Smith University website: <http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Engin/education_centered.php> & <http://www.science.
smith.edu/departments/Engin/about_philosophy.php>

existing curriculum at all levels (i.e., freshman requirements, departmental vision and mission
through senior year). ``Redesign'' signifies that statements) to properly identify the level of incor-
sustainability and/or PBL is an essential element poration of sustainability and PBL into their
of the program goals and significant effort has programs were removed. In addition, engineering
been made to rethink and redesign the program to programs without documented efforts to include
completely integrate the concept into the curricu- PBL and sustainability were not examined. A web-
lum at all levels. It was found that a majority of based approach was selected because: it is possible
universities are doing so by simply inserting to complete with a limited budget; websites trans-
sustainability or problem-based learning courses mit the institution's values, image, and self-percep-
into their existing curricula. However, this assess- tion to the world; and websites are becoming an
ment was largely the subjective opinion of the important information source [30]. However, such
authors and not all undergraduate engineering an approach has limitations. Websites may not
programs within the United States were examined. contain information that is current, accurate, or
A more complete and objective methodology is completeÐthey may not accurately reflect the
needed, such as university surveys, student assess- institution's response level. In addition, the results
ment upon graduation, indicator development and may be biased toward institutions that can afford
application, content analysis of curricula and/or to establish a more elaborate site.
student work-product, etc. Perhaps, it would be We identified only one university, from those
most effective to assimilate such a measurement assessed, that has made a significant effort to
into the accreditation process. ``redesign'' its engineering curriculum in terms of
The findings presented in Table 2 and the both sustainability and pedagogy. A majority of
ensuing discussion is the result of a web-based the examined universities bolted-on or built-in
analysis of university response levels to sustain- various components of either sustainability or
ability and problem-based learning, primarily in PBL into their existing program(s), but few have
undergraduate engineering curricula. Universities made significant changes or efforts in both areas.
and colleges were selected through a review of Redesign of graduate level programs was noted at
sustainability in higher education literature and universities such as Michigan Technological
internet-search methods (e.g. Google), as well as University, Purdue, and Stanford (Table 2).
those known to have received funding to support However, the benefits of these reforms have not
education reform for sustainability from national yet reached the undergraduate level.
agencies, such as NSF. Of these academic institu- Of the universities examined, the Smith College
tions, those without adequate information avail- Picker Engineering Program stood out as a leader
able on their website (e.g. course syllabi, degree in engineering curriculum transformation (Table
226 D. Huntzinger et al.

2). In its philosophy statement, the program has response to the call for educational reform and
dedicated itself to ``redefining engineering educa- the development of sustainable thinking.
tion'' in order to produce engineers that ``appreci-
ate and understand the human condition'' [31]. University influences
They are accomplishing their goals by using PBL, The fundamental issue that must be addressed to
concept maps, and reflective narratives throughout achieve education reform and the effective incor-
their curriculum. These methods facilitate deep- poration of sustainability principles is overcoming
level understanding and help students visualize the people's basic resistance to change. Entire univer-
``big picture.'' The program also empowers its sities, academic departments, individual faculty
students and encourages them to take charge of members, and students are all plagued by a resis-
their own learning, by allowing them to direct tance to change. To reorient engineering curricula
learning experiences (e.g. homework, assessment) toward deep-level learning, particularly of sustain-
that best meet their needs. In addition, Smith ability concepts, requires a close examination of
College is putting engineering in a social context the incentives and barriers to change.
to produce a more diverse group of globally Within the university, effective organizational
oriented engineers [32±33]. Smith College uses its structures are necessary to permit and promote
strength in the liberal arts to incorporate social the development of effective instructional methods
relevance, sustainability, open-mindedness, and [34]. Fink generates a useful model of multidimen-
creativity into its engineering program. This sional institutional effectiveness which is helpful in
provides their graduates with an awareness that identifying areas for improvement (see Fig. 2). The
graduates from other institutions generally lack. model also indicates that these areas are interre-
The ability of Smith College's Picker Engineer- lated. For example, educational programs must be
ing Program to more fully integrate sustainability established that are capable of meeting educational
and social issues into their engineering curriculum goals and are adequately supported by organ-
most likely stems from two important factors: (1) it izational structure and university policies and
was able to start from a ``clean slate'' when it was procedures.
established in 1999, and (2) the timing of the To incorporate learner-centered educational
programs conception coincided with a prolifera- programs and sustainability into undergraduate
tion of knowledge on PBL, as well as an increasing engineering curricula, universities must have a set
global awareness of sustainability issues. They did of educational goals that reflect these priorities.
not have to overcome the barrier of reforming or Then, they must establish programs capable of
reorienting a current system. They had the freedom achieving these goals. This means that there must
to ``redress the problems entrenched within tradi- be multiple opportunities within the curricular
tional engineering curricula'' [32]. Starting from a structure to engage in problem-based learning
clean state also allowed them to select faculty who and apply sustainability concepts. The organ-
shared their vision of engineering education. It is izational structure of the university must also
interesting to note that Smith is a women's college. support its goals. Most universities are structured
Possibly, Smith's success in integrating humanitar- around discipline-based departments. In order to
ian and social concern into its engineering program promote the interdisciplinary learning necessary to
can be explained using Belenky's model [10] of address sustainability issues, other structures must
intellectual development, which suggests two sep- be developed.
arate patterns of procedural knowledge, separate
and connected. Women tend to posses more
connected learning patterns, which include empa-
thy, understanding, and caring [10, 8]. In other
words, consideration of the ``human condition''
may come more naturally to women than to
men. However, a more detailed study is needed
to establish a connection between gender and
sustainable thinking.

INCENTIVES AND BARRIERS TO CHANGE

For most universities, the question remains: why

is there reluctance to reform or redesign engineer-
ing education to embrace sustainability through
student-centered learning? The answer may lie in
the deep-rooted structure of current institutional
systems and the lack of incentive for change. In the Fig. 2. Organizational structures to support intellectual devel-
following section, we attempt to address some of opment and understanding of sustainability in undergraduate
the factors influencing a university's level of engineers (adapted from Fink 2003).
 Enabling Sustainable Thinking in Undergraduate Engineering Education 227

Recently, Purdue University [35] restructured its to promote better teaching [34]. Splitt [2] and
engineering graduate program by establishing eight Ashford [39] argue that change is unlikely to
multidisciplinary ``signature areas''. These areas are occur in most engineering programs without a
based in engineering but include faculty in related strong forcing function. The ``force'' applied by
fields. One area of particular interest is Global those with an interest in engineering education
Sustainable Industrial systems, which examines reform toward sustainability has been mixed. Insti-
the ecological, social, political, and economic tutions outside of the university, such as accred-
impacts of industrialization. Graduate students itation agencies, funding sources, industry, and
have the opportunity to work on multidimensional professional organizations, provide universities
problems with experts in a number of fields. with notable incentives and barriers to change.
Restructuring of this nature would be beneficial to Of these, the influence of accreditation agencies
undergraduate level engineering curricula, as well. and industry are the most significant.
Many university policies and procedures impact
the ability to attain the goals of deep learning and
integration of sustainability. However, one of the
greatest barriers to educational reform is the ACCREDITATION AGENCIES
policies related to faculty work [34]. Splitt identi-
fies this barrier as the academic version of ``the The Accreditation Board for Engineering and
innovator's dilemma'' [36]. In industry, the inno- Technology (ABET) is charged with the task of
vator's dilemma is that both success and failure are ``quality assurance in higher education'' for
determined by: (1) response to customers and (2) programs in applied science, computing, engineer-
aggressive investment in technology, products, and ing, and technology. Of particular interest are
manufacturing capabilities that satisfy customers' ABET's requirements for program outcomes and
needs [37]. Although adopting innovative ideas assessment, which identifies the knowledge, skills,
may result in success, shifting the focus from and behaviors students should have when they
perfecting the current product or process to a graduate from an engineering program [40].
new strategy, such as biomimicry, may be insur- These requirements include necessities such as
mountably disruptive and lead to failure unless the training in math, science, engineering principles,
benefits to such a shift are great. The current and problem-solving. However, ABET also stres-
dilemma within academia is that integrating ses that engineering students should possess the
concepts of sustainable development and business ability to: (1) function on multidisciplinary teams,
into engineering curricula does not complement (2) communicate effectively, and (3) understand
the current rewards and recognition systems in professional and ethical responsibility. In addition
place at most of our educational programs [36]. to the above requirements, ``sustainability'' is
Faculties acknowledge that creating significant included as a ``realistic constraint'' for considera-
learning experiences and integrating sustainability tion in design. Furthermore, sustainability
concepts are ``good ideas.'' Unfortunately, they do concepts are alluded to in the ABET requirement
not believe that their institutions typically provide that students attain ``the broad education neces-
incentives for improving their teachingÐthey only sary to understand the impact of engineering
recognize and reward faculty for publication and solutions in a global, economic, environmental,
for teaching courses [34]. In economic terms, the and societal context'' [40]. These requirements are
marginal costs of engaging in educational reform general guidelines that must be fulfilled by the
outweigh the marginal benefits. university for basic-level accreditation of the en-
In addition, assessment methods must be gineering program.
adopted that effectively measure the progress The ABET requirements discussed above are the
toward educational goals. Problem-based learning 2005±2006 criteria. It is important to note that
presents a unique challenge for assessment because these criteria are the most recent product of a
the focus is on students learning-to-learn and less lengthy evolutionary process toward incorporating
on the mastery of factual knowledge [16]. There- sustainability and deep learning. ``Sustainability''
fore, traditional assessment methods are not effec- and ``environment'' were added this year to the list
tive in measuring the skills and intellectual of reasonable design constraints and the list of
development that PBL promotes. Alternative systems impacted by engineering solutions, respec-
forms of assessment are needed to measure: (1) tively. Interestingly, ABET's list of realistic
creativity, (2) the willingness and ability to constraints also includes: social, ethical, and
continue learning, and (3) a personal initiative heath and safety. Although ABET has increased
and self-direction [38]. Portfolios, presentations, its efforts to reorient engineering curricula toward
journals, critical reflections, activity logs, and sustainability concepts, more direct emphasis on
essays may be more effective tools. the skills and knowledge necessary to support
sustainable development is needed. Furthermore,
Outside influences it may be more appropriate to list issues such as
Accrediting agencies, funding agencies, and sustainability and ethics as values or principles
disciplinary associations are in a position to engineers are responsible to abide by as opposed
provide considerable support in the overall effort to design constraints.
228 D. Huntzinger et al.

INDUSTRY mised'' [42]. However, a critical examination of

Ford's Health and Environmental Policy reveals a
Industry provides some support for sustainabil- slight contradiction. The policy states: ``Company
ity and education reform, but industry's efforts products, services, processes, and facilities are
must be enhanced. Their involvement in under- planned and operated to incorporate objectives
graduate engineering education represents both and targets that are periodically reviewed so as to
sides of the market. On one side, industry supports minimize, to the extent practical, the creation of
the production of engineers by supplying funding waste, pollution, and any adverse impact on health
to universities. On the other side, it consumes and the environment'' [43]. This seems to suggest
engineering graduates. They have a vested interest that, in some cases, practicality will trump sustain-
in the quality of education students receive and ability issues.
have lobbying power as an interest group.
In this case, industry faces an innovator's
dilemma in the conventional sense. Investing in a CONCLUSIONS
change in university pedagogy and curriculum that
includes problem-based learning and sustainability Successful integration of sustainability into en-
concepts may provide society with engineers gineering curricula requires a change in the
capable of addressing complex problems in a approach to education. Students need not only
sustainable way. However, this type of engineering the knowledge base to generate effective engineer-
education reform may ultimately cause traditional ing solutions; they need the intellectual develop-
industries to fail. Sustainable solutions to society's ment and awareness to understand the impact of
needs may mean the elimination of the role of their decisions. Learner-centered environments are
traditional industries within the market. A further a prerequisite to the redesign of engineering educa-
disincentive to promoting engineering educational tion for sustainability. We examined a number of
reform is the length of time between investment universities to determine their response to the call
and payoff. Investing in changes to engineering for inclusion of sustainability concepts into engin-
curricula may take 15 years to generate measurable eering curricula. A majority of the universities we
benefits [41]. examined ``bolted-on'' various components of
Industries do provide support for problem- sustainability or student-centered learning into
based learning through funding of capstone their existing programs. Only one university exam-
projects and involvement in enterprise programs ined has made significant efforts to redesign en-
such as that at Michigan Technological University. gineering education in terms of sustainability and
While these programs are an excellent opportunity pedagogy. There are a number of barriers that
for undergraduate engineering students to gain hinder the reorientation of engineering curricula
``real-world experience,'' they are lacking in several toward ``sustainable'' engineering; these barriers
areas. First, the capstone projects are generally include: (1) the culture and organization of univer-
limited to one year (usually the senior year) and sities, (2) ABET's program and reporting require-
emphasize traditional engineering. Enterprise ments, and (3) the nature of support provided by
programs are a step toward integration of PBL funding agencies and industry. Although this
in engineering curricula because students often paper provides a good initial investigation into
have the option to participate for up to three the integration of sustainability and learner-
years in various aspects of the project. Industry centered environments into engineering curricula,
perceives improved communication skills and busi- a more thorough objective analysis is needed.
ness knowledge gained by graduates as a benefit to AcknowledgementsÐThe authors gratefully acknowledge sup-
participation in such programs. Additionally, they port from Michigan Technological University's Sustainable
get a product or service in return. Futures Institute and the Sustainable Futures Integrative Grad-
A second concern is the actual level of commit- uate Education and Research Traineeship program funded by
ment to sustainability within industry. For ex- the National Science Foundation. The authors would also like
to thank Sharon Huntzinger, Greta Hutchins, Sylvia Matthews,
ample, Ford Motor Company indicates that it is James Mihelcic and Alexis Troschinetz for providing valuable
``a leader in environmental responsibility'' and discussion and suggestions during the development and editing
goes on to state that its ``integrity is never compro- of this manuscript.

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Deborah N. Huntzinger is a post-doctoral researcher in the department of Geological and

Mining Engineering and Sciences at Michigan Technological University. She received her
B.S. and Ph.D. in geological engineering from Michigan Tech and her M.S. in geological
engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Her research interest is in promoting
sustainabilityÐprimarily through carbon sequestration, water resource development in
Latin American countries, and the incorporation of sustainability into undergraduate and
graduate engineering education.

Margot Hutchins is pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a graduate certificate

in sustainability at Michigan Technological University (MTU). She is a Graduate Scholar in
the MTU Sustainable Futures Institute and a National Science Foundation Integrated
Graduate and Education Research (IGERT) Trainee. She received her BS in Mechanical
Engineering from MTU. Her research interests are in life cycle assessment, social impacts of
engineering design, and sustainability in engineering education.

John Gierke is an Associate Professor of Geological & Environmental Engineering in the

Department of Geological & Mining Engineering & Sciences at Michigan Technological
University. He and his students have conducted research in pollutant transport and
remediation in soils and groundwater for almost 20 years. Since 1991 he has been a
principal investigator on projects totaling more than $6,000,000 and published over 20
papers. He has taught classes in hydrogeology, groundwater engineering, environmental
engineering, and water chemistry. He is the advisor of Aqua Terra Tech Enterprise, which is
a university-recognized, multidisciplinary group of undergraduates working in water
resource supply and watershed protection.

Dr. John W. Sutherland is the Henes Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical
EngineeringÐEngineering Mechanics and Co-Director of the Sustainable Futures Institute
at Michigan Technological University. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined the faculty at Michigan Tech in 1991. His
research and teaching interests are focused on design and manufacturing for sustainability.
He has published over 200 papers in various journals and conference proceedings, and has
advised over 60 students to the completion of their graduate degrees. Dr. Sutherland is the
recipient of numerous awards for his education and research activities.