Lack of Technological Innovators Threatens Michigan

A sharp decline in engineering-school enrollments in Michigan will have an adverse effect on the state's economy and also threatens the long-term recovery of the US domestic auto industry.

"In the past six years new engineering enrollments at Michigan universities have plummeted by more than 13 percent compared to a nine percent increase nationally," says Leo Hanifin, dean of the University of Detroit's College of Engineering and Science. "In Michigan, this precipitous drop is clearly linked to layoffs and poor performance within the domestic auto industry."

Hanifin says that the United States is facing a crisis in the development of engineering talent.

"Forty-five percent or more of all Chinese college students currently study engineering compared to just 4.5 percent in the United States," he says. "Nationally, low enrollments at engineering schools are tied to poor high-school preparation and low interest levels, especially among women and minorities."

Speaking at a major automotive conference in Traverse City on Monday, Aug. 11, Hanifin says that studies indicate that 80 percent or more of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) comes from the introduction of new technologies, adding that "engineers are essential for
technological innovation."

He says factors that will contribute to the nation's shrinking pool of engineering talent include:

-- Massive retirements among "baby boomer" engineers,
-- A general drop in the number of college-age students,
-- Fewer foreign engineering students studying in the United States,
-- Fewer foreign students choosing to remain here after graduation, and
-- Increased global competition for technical talent.

"More and better-educated engineers are needed if our nation and its auto industry are to thrive or even survive," he says. "The problem of low engineering enrollments can only be solved by decisive action that includes changes in public policy and national programs, as well as increased collaboration within the educational community, government and the private sector."

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Policy Organization Responds to National Demand for Science and Math Workforce

An organization that helps governors, legislators, state education officials and others identify,
develop and implement public policies to improve student learning has released tools for policymakers to advance science, math and technical education.

The first tool from the Education Commission of the States (ECS) focuses on increasing the workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The second responds to a projected, growing national demand for students with advanced skills in career and technical fields.

ECS is an interstate compact created by the states, territories and the U.S. Congress that helps governors, legislators, state education officials and others identify, develop and implement public policies to improve student learning at all levels. A nonpartisan organization, ECS was formed in 1965 and is located in Denver, Colo.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, America "continues to suffer from a shortage of qualified [information technology] workers with flexible and portable skills who can readily adapt and respond to ever-changing IT demands and processes."

"STEM and career and technical education (CTE) both address burning issues for policymakers today," says ECS Senior Policy Analyst Jennifer Dounay, manager of the organization's High School Policy Center. "STEM and CTE programs respond to the outcry for more highly-qualified workers to meet growing state and national technical workforce needs. At the same time, CTE and STEM courses answer many high school students' calls to bring relevance and real-world applications into the classroom."

Traditionally, technical careers have not been seen as academically rigorous, ECS says. However, to be successful today, these jobs require considerable knowledge in math and science -- most of these skills are on par with what are required for traditional four-year degrees, ECS adds. The new ECS resources put the right pieces in place for policymakers to ensure broad access and
maintain high-quality instruction and curriculum for STEM and CTE programs, the organization says.

One of the resources is a STEM database, providing 50-state information on 10 indicators related to quality of and access to high school-level STEM programs. The database also offers
information on state programs targeted at STEM achievement among female, low-income and minority students -- often underrepresented in STEM classrooms and state support for pre-Advanced Placement alignment programs.

Another tool for policymakers is the CTE database, which provides 50-state data on 13 state
policy indicators linked to program access and quality, including: the use of employability skill assessment tools, the inclusion of CTE courses in graduation requirements, and funding mechanisms, among others.

"STEM and CTE programs at the high school level are growing and evolving in response to public and policymaker demand," says Roger Sampson, ECS president. "These ECS databases provide policymakers with just the tools they need to make sure students, regardless of the communities in which they live, have access to these exciting programs and that the
instruction and curriculum are at a level to adequately prepare students for life after high school or college."

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Where Will We Find The Next Generation of Engineers?

A new study that examines the number of engineering graduates coming out of our nation’s engineering schools reveals a mixed picture of how prepared each state is for meeting the need for high-tech workers in the coming years.

Greg Schuckman, assistant vice president of university relations and director of federal relations and research advancement at the University of Central Florida, authored the study after revisiting data that he had analyzed in 1998 while working for the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) in Washington, DC. “Over the past 20 years, the number of students earning bachelors degrees in engineering has declined by almost 3 percent nationally,” says Schuckman. “While that statistic may not seem significant by itself, the decline comes at a time when the number of students receiving bachelors degrees overall in the United States has increased by more than 50 percent.”

John Brooks Slaughter, president and CEO
of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME) noted last year that, “Huge changes have occurred in our economy largely as a result of globalization and technological innovation. Manufacturing has declined while the information age requires more professional and high-tech skills from employees. It is estimated that more than a half million engineers will be needed over the next decade to replace those who retire and that at least that many new engineers will be needed to fill the demand that will exist at the end of that period. We find ourselves importing talent and exporting jobs, not just because it is less expensive to have the work performed by lower-wage skilled workers in developing countries but also because we do not produce enough native-born, well-qualified scientists and engineers in our nation’s colleges and universities.”

Overall, 20 states increased their production of engineering graduates while 30 states and the District of Columbia decreased between 1986 and 2006.

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New 'Connected Vehicle' Proving Center Opens in Ann Arbor

Michigan state government officials and executives from the transportation, manufacturing, automotive and telecommunications sectors were on hand for the dedication of the
Connected Vehicle Proving Center (CVPC) in Ann Arbor.

The CVPC, funded by the state of Michigan, has been created through a strategic alliance between the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and the Connected Vehicle Trade Association (CVTA). The CVPC will be a proving ground for testing, evaluating, and showcasing connected vehicle systems.

The center will integrate connected vehicles, smart roadway infrastructure and a broad range of telecommunication technologies. In addition, the CVPC will provide expertise in evaluation design, data storage and analysis, and information sharing.

Once fully operational, the CVPC will serve as an incubator that offers an advanced test and evaluation environment the can be accessed by original-equipment manufacturers, automotive suppliers, transportation agencies, and communications companies. Ultimately, the center will serve as a catalyst for growing the connected vehicle industry, thereby attracting related technical and engineering jobs to Michigan, the center says in a statement.

"Michigan's economic plan is all about building on our heritage to create cutting-edge jobs," says Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. "This project is an excellent example of how innovation can fuel economic growth in our state."

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Video: End Of Domestic Drudgery?

Israeli engineering students present robots that clean toilets and do windows. It's a taste of the future today and certainly the answer to many dreams. Yet will these machines catch on?

These robots are on the cutting edge of robot technology.

See how they work and if they would be right for you.

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