Communicating sustainability: Sustainability and communication in the engineering, science, and technical communication classrooms

Abstract

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has implemented a variety of programs to promote sustainable practices on campus and sustainable engineering as part of the curriculum. Sustainability impacts both technical and professional skills, posing challenges for students both in the ways that they solve technical problems and in their conceptions of their professional identities and bodies of knowledge. This paper reviews principles defining sustainable engineering, defines criteria of "green" engineering in several disciplines, and analyzes student responses to both elective and required undergraduate courses with a central focus on sustainability.

Stimulating college students to consider sustainability issues through the peer review method

“…In addition to such training, learning the skills for sustainable communication is also important in higher education. A study suggests that technical classes to go with the communication classes may stress how to build systems that improve on sustainability awareness and compliance [7]. In the present study, we look into "logical thinking" skills, one of the factors necessary to maintain sustainable communication.…”

Analysis of the Sustainability Culture in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Programs

“…Engineering curriculum is packed with math, design, physics, and science classes to help students build skills in problem solving and design. Engineering students sometimes feel that working on soft skills such as communication, writing, and sustainability are not directly important to the tasks of their future 4 . However, the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) 5 , the organization that develops standards for college programs to meet, requires that sustainability is addressed in engineering curriculum.…”

“…Traditional teaching methods are used to teach sustainability and examples have included, problem solving, case studies, and thinking and reasoning challenges 6 . The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology implemented aspects of sustainable design into classes in which students had to pay attention to the sustainability aspects of designs as they created prototypes and computer models 4 . One program made a large commitment to sustainable design and offered a great time commitment to the lesson plan.…”