Moving Forward (1) J.W. Kamphuis 1 Moving Forward with (Coastal) Engineering Practice and Education J. W. Kamphuis Queen’s University Kingston, ON, Canada

Moving Forward (1) J.W. Kamphuis

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Moving Forward with (Coastal) Engineering Practice and

Education

J. W. Kamphuis

Queen’s University

Kingston, ON, Canada

K7L 3N6

[email protected]

CSCE St. John’s NL, May 2009


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Moving forward with (Coastal) Design and Management

J. W. Kamphuis

Queen’s University

Kingston, ON, Canada

K7L 3N6

[email protected]

Companion Paper

CSCE-ASCE-ICE Triennial Conference, St John’s , NL, June 2009


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1. What do (Coastal) Engineers do?


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We (should) design Systems (as opposed to Structures).

A Coastal System consists of: a Physico-Environmental Subsystem (PES),

which is the Structures+ the Environment in which they function,

a Socio-Economic Subsystem (SES), the people, governments, economy

Education


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And… The system is not just any combination of PES and SES, but SES must form the Base of Support for the PES

SES

PES

SES

PES


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Project Formulation

Coastal Engineers

Decision Makers

Project Design

Coastal Issue

Coastal Scientists

Implementation

Early Decision Making

(Used Ad hoc)


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Contemporary Decision Making

Coastal Issue

Judgment

Modelling (uncertainties)

Alternatives

Theoretical and Empirical

Relationships

Solution

ProblemFormulation

Physics

Chemistry

Biology

Geology

Coastal Scientists

OthersApprovals

Socio-EconomicInput from

Stakeholders

Coastal Managers

Decision Makers Coastal Engineers

Implementation

Monitoring

Interest Groups

Governments

Law

Government

Non-Gov’t Orgs

Citizens

Regulation

Public Input

Knowledge

Studies, Policy etc. OR Engineering


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• Contemporary: Based on Democratic Principles; relevant to countries with democratic governance, e.g. Canada, US, EU. There are still many jurisdictions with different (often simpler) rules and processes, based on their particular cultures.

•Decision Making: Can refer to projects that are basically non-engineering (e.g. studies, policy formulation, ICM strategies) or to engineering projects, involving design of works. Emphasis in this presentation will be on the more difficult and controversial engineering design projects.


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ApprovalApproval

Knowledge (Theory and Experience) and Prototype Data

Post-Implementation

Design

Desk Study

Modelling Design ImplementationPreliminary

Design

The Design Process

ModellingPreliminary

Design ModellingPreliminary

Design


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Resilience

DefinitionsRequirementsOpportunities

SystemDesign

PES Design

Resilient System

Concepts

Decision Makers (often Government)

Resilient System

Knowledge

-Pre-Design

SES

Public Government Stakeholders

Communication

Design

Contemporary Design Process


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Resilience (bounce-back from failure; involves PES and SES)

PES Design (structures + impacts)SES involvement (stakeholders, public, government,

regulations)Pre-Engineering (necessary preparatory work)Design tasks include (much) communication (≥1/2?)

Education

Contemporary Design Concepts

PES – Physico-Environmental System

SES – Socio-Economic System


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Note on Communication:

Engineering students (as well as practicing engineers) can not simply assume that their audience is in agreement, because their reasoning includes the best technical knowledge available. Engineers must learn to listen and then argue their case for various audiences (such as clients, government, stakeholders and courts of law) and make their presentations fitting and convincing.


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2. What are (Coastal) Engineers taught?

Education


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Research is emphasized because it: generates university income creates reputation.

Evaluation of Profs is essentially by number of papers.

To produce all those papers, Profs Focus on research to the exclusion of (almost) everything

else publish in little tidbits many authors per paper concentrate on quick research methods (e.g. computer

results, instead of field and laboratory work)

Education

At University,


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2

3

1 Broad

Narrower and Deeper

Narrower and Deeper

Generation Understanding

Engineering Research at University

Education

? ? ? ?


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Science type funding Antiquated belief in Scientific (Science)

MethodThis teaches Analysis (not Synthesis)

Education

Narrower and Deeper because:


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What about teaching ? In the past, teaching was mainly via

lectures, supported by tutorials Lectures and tutorials were based on

prof’s engineering experience Notes became handbooks - directly

applicable, practical (engineering)

Education


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Teaching now Still mostly lectures and tutorials.Lectures and tutorials often consist of

some general engineering stuff from textbooks + prof’s (research) experience

Profs’ experience, (mainly from research) is not a good base for a broad, general engineering education

Education


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That is not all:Everyone in class is enchanted by

Formulas, models (bling) “Engineering” solutions

Emphasis is on “Real Engineering”“Flaky stuff” (e.g. communication,

leadership, stakeholders) does not appeal and is not “core material”

Gross Mismatch with Contemporary Tasks

Education


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Resilience

DefinitionsRequirementsOpportunities

SystemDesign

PES Design

Resilient System

Concepts

Decision Makers (often Government)

Resilient System

Knowledge

-Pre-Design

SES

Public Government Stakeholders

Communication

Design



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Result:Students are taught (and want to focus on)

narrow, specific subjects; narrower and more specific as U/G →MSc→PhD.

Graduates will feel most comfortable if they can find work within their “silo”

This is not good for innovation, lateral thinking, broad conceptual thinking Synthesis (design) Interaction with non-peers Project management

Education


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3. How can (must?) WE Move Foreward?

Moving Forward

This is where you come in


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1. Get those profs to do engineering. 1. Understand engineering problems2. Teach engineering3. Do engineering research

2. Get those students to understand engineering

3. Get those universities to understand engineering

4. Incorporate the latest (applied, applicable) research on the shop floor.

What? Moving Forward


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1. “Get those profs to do engineering” and “incorporate the latest applied and

applicable research on the shop floor” - Get those profs into industry more often; establish engineering chairs; encourage industry sabbaticals, etc.

2. Get those students to understand engineering. Get practicing engineers into university to teach, mentor and interact with students and get those students on the shop floor through co-op programs, practical years, etc.

How? Moving Forward


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3. Get those universities to understand engineering Get engineers and university administrators together to define contemporary engineering and to update engineering education.

4. Related topic: Get engineers, universities and funding agencies together to define engineering research better and to direct funding specifically to engineering research.

How? (4 Pts)

All within (global) market constraints(who pays?)

Moving Forward


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We must translate intrinsic values into $$ values Excellence of graduates translates into:

Enhanced reputation of university ($$) Better applicants, greater enrollments ($$) and better

standards Better potential employers and greater industry

support ($$?)

Better engineers translate into Enhanced reputation of firm → more work→greater

profits ($$) Fewer delays in obtaining approvals (big $$)

Basic Need:

Moving Forward


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Develop criteria for better engineering (university and industry work together)

Change evaluation Of Academics by no of papers, Of Universities by quality of research, Of Engineers by billable hours, Of Engineering contracts by lowest cost, Of Graduates by marks

Some Possible Plans:

Moving Forward


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Develop greater interaction between academia and engineering to increase mutual understanding

Professional internships and sabbaticals – academics (and students) into industry and engineers into universities.

Start making $$ value of such exchanges explicit

Moving Forward

More Possible Plans:


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Challenge Universities and Funding bodies to understand what engineering education and research is. They have both lost sight of, or are ignoring, what needs to be accomplished in these fields.

Encourage sabbaticals into industry (instead of research sabbaticals or even stay-at –home sabbaticals)

Establish Engineer in Residence programs

Some Bold Moves

Moving Forward


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(Re) develop the concept of Engineering Apprenticeships Graduates work as apprentices for a specified time. Apprenticeships are funded by a combination of salary and subsidy (see below) and are co-supervised by an engineer and a professor (much like an industrial masters degree)

Set up an Engineering Education Foundation to fund such new moves

……

More Bold Moves:

Moving Forward


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Some of this sounds like engineering education would be better given in the colleges, rather than in the universities. More teaching and more practical teaching. More directly applicable research, involving design (synthesis), less science-type research (analysis).

Not so – Engineers need a complete university education, including the arts, sciences, business, etc.

Moving Forward


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Engineering involves high level knowledge of applied maths and sciences

Engineers also need high level skills education (e.g. leadership, communication)

Leadership involves management, psychology, conflict resolution, design competence, etc.

Communication involves broad educational background, history, philosophy, confidence with design concepts, etc.

Moving Forward


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Engineering students need high level university education to develop their analytical and problem solving skills and more exposure to engineering practice.

Engineering Practice and the Universities, Engineers and Academics need to sit down together to map out strategies and plans and find funding for changes and improvements.

The Answer???

Moving Forward


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Good beginnings are: Co-op programs Practical year Summer jobs (unfortunately fewer!)

We need much more and new initiatives as discussed above

And we need the collective will to face this opportunity, to fund it and to work it.

The Answer?

Moving Forward


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Thank You

This and the companion presentations are be posted on:

www.civil.queensu.ca

Documents

Moving Forward (1) J.W. Kamphuis 1 Moving Forward with (Coastal) Engineering Practice and Education J. W. Kamphuis Queen’s University Kingston, ON, Canada