August
2005
Copyright © 2005 World Expertise LLC – All rights
reserved
A periodic electronic newsletter for engineering education
leaders,
edited by Russel C. Jones, Ph.D., P.E., and Bethany S.
Oberst, Ph.D.
US visa applications from
Chinese on the increase
Indian universities chart a new
course
African universities need sweeping changes
The other MIT
A whole new school of
thought
Report recommends developing human capital in engineering and
science
US
enrollments in engineering, science, up in 2003
Engineering Research and
Bush
fuels debate on evolution
Energy
bill boosts research
Harvard
and associates agree to pay back misspent
US rules could muffle scientific voices
Business organizations aim at university-level engineering and science
New Deputy Director at NSF
New head for
Digital texts on sale at campus
bookstores
Bill Gates foresees the importance of tablet pcs in higher ed
A new lure to catch phishers
Research space, wireless connectivity on rise at US colleges
Engineers modify high-tech devices for the world’s poorest
NIST building and fire safety recommendations
Breeding evil?
Saudi faculty receive segregated development program at
No foreign exchange devalues US universities
Competition stiff for
internships in
College textbook prices surge
Online tutoring is a growing trend
5 – Employment
Same old song
Engineering vs the
nation?
Perspective on job offshoring
White House to push for revised immigration plan
US visa
applications from Chinese on the increase – The US State Department believes that the corner has been turned in
declining numbers of Chinese students wanting to study in the
Indian
universities chart a new course –
The Knowledge Commission created by Indian Prime Minister Mammohan Singh met for
the first time and heard the PM severely criticize his country’s higher
education system. Indian
universities have created too many unemployed graduates with their outmoded
curricula, while many sectors, including investment banking, tourism and
advertising, have trouble finding qualified employees. Mr.
Singh assembled this commission to study the situation, draft a plan for
improving mathematics, science and technology, and complete its work by October
2008, writes Shailaja Neelakantan in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
(See http://chronicle.com/daily/2005/08/2005080404n.htm)
African
universities need sweeping changes – Writing in the July 14th Guardian, Calestous Juma of
Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government put discussions at the G8 Summit in
context with respect to higher education in
India’s
engineering faculty flee to hot jobs – As
the demand for engineers grows in the Indian economy, many engineering faculty
members are fleeing their classrooms to take hot jobs, according to an article
by Nachammai Raman in the July 13th Christian Science Monitor. Experts
say that
The other MIT – Manipal
Institute of Technology, and other second-tier schools like it, are India’s
real tech secrets, according to an article by Josey Puliyenthuruthel in the
August 22/29 Business Week. For decades the famed campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology
were just about all the world knew of the country’s technological genius, but
lesser-known colleges such as MIT will be playing a key role as
A whole new
school of thought –
Report recommends developing human capital in
engineering and science –
US enrollments in
engineering, science, up in 2003 –
According to a report from the US National Science Foundation, graduate
enrollments in science and engineering were up 4.2% in 2003, reports Scott
Jaschik in Inside Higher Education.
The increases were greater for women than for men, with the gains coming
from foreign enrollments. The increases for all minority groups were greater
than for whites. The only discipline
to show a drop was computer science (-2.9%).
Increases in engineering disciplines ranged from 22.1% for biomedical
engineering to 6.4% for civil, 4.5% for electrical, down to 1.4% for chemical.
The full report, “Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and
Engineering: Fall 2003,” will be posted on the NSF website. ( www.nsf.gov
) (See http://insidehighereducation.com/news/2005/08/12/grad)
Engineering Research and
Bush fuels debate on evolution – A sharp
debate between scientists and religious conservatives escalated recently when
President Bush commented that the theory of “intelligent design” should be
taught alongside evolution in the nation’s public schools. According to an
article by Elizabeth Bumiller in the August 3rd New York Times, Mr.
Bush defended his view by saying that “… both sides ought to be properly
taught ... so people can understand what the debate is about”.
The President’s science advisor, John Marburger, sought to play down
the president’s remarks as common sense and old news. Marburger said that
“evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology” and that “intelligent
design is not a scientific concept”. Intelligent design does not identify the
designer, but critics say the theory is a thinly disguised argument for God and
the divine creation of the universe. Invigorated by a recent push by
conservatives, the theory has been gaining support in school districts in 20
states, with
Energy bill boosts research – The US
Congress has passed a landmark energy bill, after a four-year effort, according
to an article in the August 5th Science by Eli Kintish. The
1724-page bill includes $14.6-billion in tax breaks to encourage domestic energy
production from conventional sources, new efficiency standards for appliances,
and renewed legal protections for nuclear power plant operators. It also
contains provisions to bolster federal spending on basic research, backs applied
research efforts aimed at burning fossil fuels more cleanly, and calls for
studies on combustion and carbon sequestration. But these commitments are only
targets, and are subject to further approval by spending committees. Critics of
the bill note that it lacks government mandates to boost energy production from
renewables, such as wind and solar power, and to raise fuel efficiency of
automobiles. Researchers praised the creation of a new Under Secretary of
Science position at the Department of Energy, which should give them more
influence in tough budget times. (See http://www.sciencemag.org)
Harvard and
associates agree to pay back misspent
US transportation
bill includes earmarks for colleges – “Pork barrel projects,” aka “earmarks,” were prominent in
the recently passed US federal transportation bill, reports Kelly Field –
aided by Anne K. Walters and Jamie Schuman – in The Chronicle of Higher
Education. Over $500 million
will be directed to 141 colleges and universities via this legislation, more
than three times the amount included in the last transportation bill passed in
1998. $160 million will go to ten
National University Transportation Centers, $14.5 million to the
Business
organizations aim at university-level engineering and science –
On the cover of its report entitled Tapping
America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative,
there appears a challenge: “Goal: Double the number of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics graduates by 2015.” Speaking for fifteen major
business organizations such as the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business
Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Semiconductor
Industry Association, the Business-Higher Education Forum, the Minority Business
Roundtable and the National Defense Industrial Association, the report states
that the United States must make a major effort to educate more scientists and
engineers or risk falling behind other nations which are making stronger efforts
to educate their people. The report
cites competition from
New Deputy
Director at NSF – The Senate
has approved the appointment of Kathie L. Olsen as Deputy Director of the US
National Science Foundation. Dr. Olsen earned her undergraduate degree in
biology and psychology, and her doctorate in neuroscience. Prior to this NSF
appointment, she served as Associate Director for Science for the Office of
Science and Technology Policy for the White House. Her previous positions
include that of Chief Scientist at NASA, and several positions at the National
Science Foundation.
Digital texts on
sale at campus bookstores –
This fall will see the first major attempt to sell digital textbooks through
university bookstores in the
Bill Gates
foresees the importance of tablet pcs in higher ed – Microsoft chairman Bill Gates recently gave an interview to The
Chronicle of Higher Education in the context of his company’s annual
Microsoft Research Faculty Summit. Chronicle reporter Andrea L. Foster writes that Gates believes that the tablet pc
will be the wave of the future for higher education. He regrets the decline in
federal investment in research and in computer science enrollments.
And Gates emphasized that despite often severe criticism from
universities, Microsoft is placing a priority on security in its widely used
programs. (See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v51/i48/48a00101.htm)
A new lure to
catch phishers – A piece of
good news for those interested in computer security has come out of Stanford
University (USA). Researchers have
designed a way to block interception of computer passwords by hackers through
the use of an encryption program run on Web browsers.
The program hinders such ploys as “phishing” by preventing hackers
from capitalizing on bogus look-alike websites that
capture victims’ passwords. The
new program would not solve all security problems but is easy to install and use
on major browsers. Test versions
can be downloaded from http://crypto.stanford.edu/PwdHash/.
(See http://chronicle.com/daily/2005/08/2005080201t.htm)
Research space,
wireless connectivity on rise at US colleges – The US National Science Foundation has released its biennial survey
of university research facilities, which this year included questions about
IT infrastructure. In 2003
there was an 11% increase in space allocated to research, the largest
since 1988. The report says
that 8% of doctoral institutions had gigabit-size Internet connections, while
only 1% of nondoctoral institutions had that capability.
In 2003 wireless connections were already available in 20% or more of the
buildings on one third of the surveyed institutions, but 70% of the respondents
planned to have that coverage by 2004, writes Vincent Kiernan in The
Chronicle of Higher Education. (See
http://chronicle.com/daily/2005/07/2005072802t.htm)
Engineers modify high-tech devices for the world’s
poorest – Some of the engineers who make products for the world’s
economic elite are also working on radically simplified versions for use by the
world’s very poorest, according to an article by Lee Gomes in the August 1st
Wall Street Journal Online. Their goal is to make technology a
cause, not a consequence, of economic development. Personal computer prices have
already fallen to levels where they are affordable in developing countries, but
they must also be adapted to work on uncertain power supplies and in harsh
environmental conditions. Ultrasimple computers with bare-bones wireless
networking systems have emerged in response. Other examples include an indoor
stove to efficiently burn whatever energy source is used by the local culture,
to reduce the health risk of indoor pollution; low cost super-simple cell
phones; and Velcro-closing sacks which can be filled with soil and stacked to
provide shelter in poor villages. (See http://online.wsj.com)
NIST building and fire safety recommendations – The
National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a draft of its
recommendations for improving the safety of buildings – particularly tall
buildings – in the wake of its exhaustive, three year study of the collapse of
the World Trade Center’s twin towers following the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001. A special report in the August 2005 Civil Engineering by
Laurie Shuster notes that the NIST recommendations include changes in the way
structures are designed, analyzed, constructed and protected from fires and
other disasters. If implemented, the recommendations could dramatically change
the way designers think about building security. The draft report of 10,000
pages is available at www.nist.gov. The
report states that “the standards for estimating the load effects of potential
hazards (for example, progressive collapse and wind) and the design of
structural systems to mitigate the effect of those hazards should be improved to
enhance structural integrity”. The report also suggests that engineers need to
consider designing stairwells that are large enough to accommodate not only
occupants on their way out but also rescue workers on their way in. (See http://www.pubs.asce.org)
Breeding evil? – A video gaming furor has
erupted, fueled by a popular and notoriously violent cops-and-robbers game,
“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas”, that has been found to contain hidden sex
scenes. An article in the August 6th The Economist explores
the question of whether such video games are bad for people, or indeed may be
positively good. Critics are concerned that video game playing is addictive, and
that the games encourage violence.
Neither problem seems to be significant, according to research. And good games
can be good for players, rather than bad, when developed as educational tools
and simulations. The article concludes that the controversy over gaming is
mostly the consequence of a generational divide – disagreement between old and
young over new forms of media. (See http://www.economist.com)
Saudi faculty receive segregated development program
at
No foreign exchange devalues US universities – Writing
in the August 2nd Wall Street Journal, David Skorton and Robin
Davisson of the
Competition stiff
for internships in
College textbook prices surge – Prices of
textbooks for college students are rising at twice the inflation rate,
according to an article from the Associated Press printed in the August 16th
Wall Street Journal.
Once just a weighty tome, the college textbook has evolved into a package
including text, colorful supplements, and software. But these bells and whistles
– which critics and many students call unnecessary – are the main reasons
for price escalation, according to a new government report. According to the
report from the Government Accountability Office, the average college student
spends nearly $900 on textbooks and supplies, or 26% of the tuition fees per
year at typical public four-year colleges. The report finds that textbook prices
have increased 186% since 1986, or about 6% per year. By comparison, consumer
prices rose 72% over that period, and college tuition and fees have more than
tripled. Publishers contend that their new products aid learning, and help
overworked teachers instruct and evaluate. (See http://www.wsj.com)
Online tutoring is a growing trend – In a
growing trend, students are utilizing online tutors for one-on-one help in math,
writing, science and other topics, according to an article by Mark Chediak in
the August 16th Washington Post. Available 24 hours a day,
such services allow students and tutors to discuss assignments through online
chat sessions, using a virtual whiteboard that allows for use of charts, graphs
and diagrams. Those wanting help with a paper can submit a draft for feedback
within 24 hours. The commercial
services are typically contracted for by schools and colleges, which make them
available free to their students. The rise in demand for such services is
credited to an increase in the
number of non-traditional students who do not have time to seek on on-campus
resources, a more competitive educational landscape in which colleges and
schools are trying to attract students by providing additional services, and
student’s greater familiarity with the internet. (See http://www.washingtonpost.com)
5 – Employment
Same old song – A pair of articles
addresses once more the persistence of barriers to women’s full participation
in the world of work. The first,
written by Diane Lewis and published in the Boston
Globe on August 7, reports on a
study done at
Engineering vs
the nation? – Samuel Florman,
a thoughtful and articulate writer on the broad aspects of engineering, has
written about “a worrisome confrontation” in the Summer 2005 issue of The
Bent of Tau Beta Pi. He notes that the relationship between his profession
of engineering and the American society has generally been good over a long
time. But he expresses concern that globalization, with its related outsourcing
of technological work to countries where salaries are very low, has changed that
harmonious relationship. Now engineers and their professional societies are
concerned that globalization is jeopardizing the well-being of American
engineers, while business and government interests pursue its economic benefits.
Florman personally comes down on the side of legitimate political action by
engineering societies to protect their members from excessive foreign
competition. And he expresses concern that the loss of status of the American
engineer will diminish the appeal of this field to talented youngsters. (See http://www.tbp.org)
Perspective on
job offshoring – A new US
Commerce Department report shows that employment and capital spending by US
multinational companies have been declining domestically and rising abroad, as
feared by many workers. But, according to a report in the July 27th Wall
Street Journal by Jon Hilsenrath, the good news is that the changes have
been relatively small. From 2000 to 2003, offshore employment by US
multinationals rose 193,000, or 2.4%, to 8.4-million affiliates abroad. During
that period,
White House to
push for revised immigration plan – Responding to the interests of President Bush’s big business supporters
who believe that the economy needs more workers, the White House is planning a
new push to change US immigration laws. According to an article by John McKinnon
in the August 16th Wall Street Journal, the importance of such
a change is underscored by the recent announcement that the US is no longer
accepting applications for visas for high tech and skilled workers for 2006,
since the year’s quota of applications has already been reached – a month
earlier than last year. These H-1B visas are particularly important for
companies needing white-collar workers with specialized skills. For the years
2001-03, Congress tripled the number of visas allowed under that program, but
due to the contentiousness of immigration issues they have returned to the
established limit of 65,000 H-1B
permits annually. The issue of immigration is compounded by concern about
national security, where conservatives want to clamp down on illegal
immigration. (See http://www.wsj.com)
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