Imagine a world where engineers not only excel in technical prowess but also develop just and equitable solutions to engineering challenges. Our current engineering curriculum often overlooks the societal impacts of technological advances, inadvertently perpetuating inequities. But what if we could change that?
Today’s college generation, Gen Z, is incredibly diverse, socially-minded, and active. They are eager to make a difference and want their education to reflect their values. By integrating social justice and ARDEI (anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion) into engineering curricula, we not only meet their expectations but also enrich engineering design decisions with a deeper understanding of context—technical, economic, environmental, societal, and ethical. This holistic approach ensures that engineering solutions are robust, equitable, and sustainable.
Jennifer Cole,
Northwestern University
This talk will outline initiatives aimed at transforming engineering education. For undergraduates, we embed ARDEI contexts into homework problems. This scalable, low-barrier solution empowers faculty to seamlessly integrate these critical issues into their teaching, ensuring students engage frequently with the societal impacts of their work. For graduate students, we consider engagement with societal contexts an important part of research training and professional development. Social justice and anti-racism reflections and activities in the professional development seminar course fosters the sense that these contexts should be woven into the fabric of engineering research and development.
Jennifer Cole is an Associate Professor of Instruction in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University and the Director of Northwestern’s Center for Engineering Education Research. She earned her B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Louisville and her Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, followed by postdoctoral studies at Northwestern’s Center for Engineering Education Research.
Prof. Cole’s work focuses on developing strategies to create more inclusive learning environments, strengthen systemic support for engineering students, and integrate societal contexts into engineering practice. Her paper on contextualizing engineering research earned the Best DEI Paper Award from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in 2023. In recognition of her commitment to enhancing equity in engineering education, innovating teaching strategies, and mentoring students and faculty, Prof. Cole received the 2024 Service to Engineering Education Award from the Education Division of AIChE.