Course Description
This course provides students with realistic and contemporary perspectives on the practice of engineering. A key objective is to improve understanding and appreciation for the role of contextual factors in engineering practice, with emphasis on the interactions between technological, organizational and cultural aspects. Invited speakers from industry, community organizations and academic research present and discuss their perspectives on these contextual interactions and professional challenges. The course helps students prepare for their senior thesis by structuring the search for topics, which are of strong interest to the student and likely to provide real benefits to the client and other stakeholders. Finally, students may generate proposals leading to funded, multidisciplinary team capstone projects in their 4th year.
