SHPE - Winter 2009 - (Page 60)

REGIONAL ROUNDUP Editor’s note: An IPC representative and member at large in Region VII shares his views on the characteristics that will define a successful 21st century engineer. Imagining the Engineer of the Future By Jaime Braverman, Kimberly-Clark Corporation In a world where old business formulas are no longer easily applied, the next generation of engineers must be equipped not only to survive, but also excel in a rapidly changing and increasingly global economy. With 17 years of corporate experience, including various international assignments, I have determined five factors that America’s future engineers must have in order to help the United States regain its competitive edge. Education. In engineering, a bachelor’s degree has become as elementary as a high school diploma. In order to have the necessary tools to be effective in industry, engineers will need to complete master’s and/or Ph.D. degrees. With many manufacturing jobs being outsourced, American engineers will have the role of developing new technologies and products and protecting these inventions by patenting the intellectual property to prevent the competition from selling a similar product in the market. In addition to understanding patents, trademarks and basic laws in different countries, engineers will need to define criteria as to what information can be shared with partners and what must be kept in house. That way, if the business partnership FACULTY POSITIONS in Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology The Department of Mechanical Engineering seeks outstanding candidates for tenure-track faculty positions in the following fields to begin July 1, 2009 or thereafter: • Dynamical Systems and Controls • Energy • Solid Mechanics • Broadly in Mechanical Engineering Applicants should hold an earned Ph.D. in mechanical engineering or a closely related field by the beginning of the appointment. Faculty duties include teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels, research, and supervision of student research. We seek candidates who will provide inspiration and leadership in research and actively contribute to core mechanical engineering undergraduate and graduate level teaching. New faculty hires are expected to have a research focus in one of the disciplinary fields listed above, or broadly in mechanical engineering. Applicants must have demonstrated: (1) outstanding research strength; (2) a strong disciplinary background; (3) strong experimental and/or theoretical skills; and (4) the potential ability to synthesize new devices and systems by working across disciplinary boundaries. Appointment would be at the assistant or untenured associate professor level. In exceptional cases, a senior faculty appointment may be possible. Applicants should send a curriculum vita, a research statement, a teaching statement, and copies of not more than three publications. They should also arrange for four individuals to submit letters of recommendation on their behalf. This information must be entered electronically at the following site: http://search-meche.mit.edu/. Submission of applications before January 31, 2009 is strongly encouraged; full consideration will be given to applications submitted by February 28, 2009. Please refer to the web address for detailed description of each position. MIT is an equal-opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women and underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged to apply. changes, the company would not have jeopardized its competitive positioning. Flexibility. Today, engineers may travel between 10 and 30 percent of the time; yet, in the future, as they develop and commercialize projects in different countries, that may be as high as 30 to 60 percent. The engineer of the future needs to have a stomach made of steel since he or she will taste different foods and change his eating routine frequently to avoid getting sick while traveling. The airplane might become his or her second office, and the laptop a constant companion. Even if the team meets virtually, this may require late night or early morning teleconferences. Cultural Memory. The engineer of the future will not only be required to remember details about the project that he or she is managing but also cultural differences that must be considered to achieve success within a multicultural environment. This can be as subtle as a extending a proper greeting, abiding by a dress code or formally addressing someone in conversation. This can also include schedules and habits. For example, in Mexico City people usually take a lunch from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., so finding people at their desks between those hours is uncommon. In any job, it is important to know the people with whom you work on both the professional and personal levels. Balance. What about family? Since the engineers of the future will be traveling more frequently and won’t have a standard 9-5 schedule, many may have the option of working from home some of the time. It’s very likely that they will be required to go to the corporate office for staff meetings, but most of his or her work will be done from a home office. When purchasing a future home, keep in mind that you might need space to have your home office. Since most communication will be done electronically, you may never see the people with whom you interact, but as a result of daily contact, you will know them very well. The engineers of the future will also need to make exercising, being outdoors and interacting with other people part of their daily routine. This will be critical to reducing the stress of constant travel and, at times, the secluded nature of their work. Competitive and Entrepreneurial. The engineers of the future will be competitive, top performers who consistently demonstrate the value that they bring to a corporation. Yet those who venture to launch their own companies will find that future business needs will expand the types of services and technologies they can innovate. These include increasingly portable and flexible devices for multimedia entertainment and communication. These are just some of my thoughts as to the engineer’s role in the future. Individually, we must each imagine the future so as to develop the skills that will make us effective and marketable. As an engineer who has been in the work force for nearly two decades, I’m excited at the prospects that the future holds for young engineers who are prepared to meet the challenge head on. ■ Spring 2009 Regional Roundup Deadlines Confirm space to editor January 15, 2009 Copy and photos due January 22, 2009 All confirmations, articles and photos should be e-mailed to shpemag@shpe.org. SHPE ❘ Winter 2009 60 http://search-meche.mit.edu/

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SHPE - Winter 2009

SHPE - Winter 2009 Contents President's Letter Browser Calendar Professional Chapter Leaders - Providing the Right Resources at the Right Time Closing the Expectation Gap - Summit Addresses ‘Diploma to Nowhere’ Conference 2008 A Career Building Diversity in Engineering Education Graduate STEM Degrees Extend Technical Reach Programs & Services Inner Circle Employer Profile Regional Roundup Annual Report Advertisers Index

SHPE - Winter 2009

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