About The Engineering in Context Program
Philosophically Speaking
The way in which engineering is taught might well give you the impression that most of what you will need to do as a professional engineer is apply mathematical and scientific formulae. You might also be convinced by now that you will probably be required to work pretty much by yourself ('do your own work'), that little, if any, creativity is likely to be needed, and that most engineering problems are solved in isolation from complications, such as political, cultural, and even economic factors. Unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth!
Engineering is the dynamic application of human creativity combined with math and science, it is performed in teams offering diverse know-how and abilities, and the best engineering solutions are the ones whose connections with the cultural, environmental, and other dimensions of the original problem are preserved and integrated into the solution. While the ability to calculate risk and predict performance is critical, your probability of success is much more likely to depend on your ability to communicate your ideas effectively, organize and lead diverse project teams, manage the schedules and spending on complex projects, and apply creative problem solving in context.
The Engineering In Context Program puts you in the driver's seat. No one will tell you what problem to solve or what you need to know to solve it. We will help you develop the ability to identify and define the 'real' problem, and provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to explore and solve engineering problems in context. You will develop your entrepreneurial and leadership skills, and become more attractive to prospective employers. But perhaps most important, you will enhance your ability to develop holistic engineering solutions, which balance the interests of profit with the needs of human users, our society, and the environment.
Practically Speaking
The Engineering In Context Program is a multidisciplinary capstone engineering design experience, providing engineering students across all majors opportunities to work together in small teams to design, develop and test solutions to realistic problems. The problems are often ones proposed by students, or they may be identified through collaboration with industry or non-profit clients. Although project ideas arise from within engineering, EIC teams often include team members from commerce, architecture, nursing, etc. The EIC courses may, in many cases, be substituted for design or capstone courses required for your major. You should consult with your advisor to learn more about your department's policy regarding the EIC. The EIC project is also often used as the basis for the senior thesis, but there is no requirement to do this.