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Building a Better Engineer: The Importance of Humanities in Engineering Curriculum

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Conference

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Atlanta, Georgia

Publication Date

June 23, 2013

Start Date

June 23, 2013

End Date

June 26, 2013

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Integrating Art, Humanities, and Engineering

Tagged Division

Multidisciplinary Engineering

Page Count

6

Page Numbers

23.256.1 - 23.256.6

DOI

10.18260/1-2--19270

Permanent URL

https://sftp.asee.org/19270

Download Count

2009

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Paper Authors

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Adeel Khalid Southern Polytechnic State University (ENG)

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Adeel Khalid, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Systems Engineering
Office: 678-915-7241
Fax: 678-915-5527
http://educate.spsu.edu/akhalid2

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Craig A Chin Southern Polytechnic State University

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Craig A. Chin received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Florida International University in 2006. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the electrical and computer engineering technology at Southern Polytechnic State University. His research interests include biomedical signal processing, pattern recognition, and active learning techniques applied to engineering education.

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Mir M. Atiqullah Southern Polytechnic State University

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Dr. Mir Atiqullah is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Southern Polytechnic State University, in Marietta, Georgia. He received his MS and PhD in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. He teaches mainly Materials Science, Machine Design, Capstone Design as well as various engineering mechanics courses and labs. He is also interested in the pedagogy of teaching and learning. He is a member of a campus group called Research Learning Community studying various opportunities and methodologies to engage students for improved learning. He is also the faculty advisor for the ASME student chapter.

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John F. Sweigart P.E. Southern Polytechnic State University

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John Sweigart is an Associate Professor in and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department at southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, GA. His teaching responsibilities are currently centered on Materials. Prior to his teaching career, John was in the aircraft and composite materials industries. He received his BS degree in ME from Missouri University and his MS in EM from what is now the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

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Beth Stutzmann Southern Polytechnic State University

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Dr. Beth Stutzmann, is the Director of Bands at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta,Georgia where she received the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2011. She is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory of Music (BMEd); earned a master's degree from Oklahoma City University in Horn performance and in 2010 was awarded her Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education degree from Shenandoah Conservatory, Winchester, VA.

Holding dual music educator certifications (PreK-12) in two states, Dr. Stutzmann is a member of the Research Learning Community (RLC) at her University and is actively involved in presenting and publishing multidisciplinary research studies.

In 2012, Dr. Stutzmann received the Governor's Teaching Fellowship award.

While attending The Boston Conservatory of Music, Beth Stutzmann studied horn with Jonathan Menkis, assistant principal hornist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In high school, she studied horn with Robert Ferrante, Brian Morrill, and James Mosher, also a hornist with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops. In graduate school, Beth studied horn under Martha McQuaid, a former student of Daniel Katzen, second hornist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her conducting studies were with Attilio Poto; Dr. Matthew Mailman; Dr. Scott Nelson. “Taking weekly lessons at Symphony Hall in Boston, where the greatest of musicians throughout time have stood, was awe-inspiring and magical.”

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Wei Zhou

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Abstract

Building a Better Engineer: The Importance of Humanities in Engineering CurriculumAbstract:Engineers are thought to be experts in their field of interest and that is often where theirexpertise ends. Engineers on one hand are good critical thinkers but on the other often lackin communication and interpersonal skills. This lack of interpersonal and communicationskills may be attributed to the lack of importance given to these disciplines during theirengineering education. In this paper, we analyze the importance of humanities inengineering curriculum. Emphasis on liberal arts and humanities can prepare engineers tofulfill their cultural and civic responsibilities. For an engineering educator, it is vital toinculcate in the engineering students, the importance of studying humanities that can openup their minds to the use of creative ideas from great minds outside of science. Humanistsclaim that the state-of-the-art scientific knowledge techniques that engineers learn in theircollege curriculum have a limited shelf life. If they master the humanities, it can providetools for extending that shelf life. One of the most important aspects of engineering iseffective communication, both verbal and written. Humanities study can strengthen theability of engineers to work and communicate with others.

Khalid, A., & Chin, C. A., & Atiqullah, M. M., & Sweigart, J. F., & Stutzmann, B., & Zhou, W. (2013, June), Building a Better Engineer: The Importance of Humanities in Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--19270

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