Keywords: sustainability, undergraduate
education, non-technical communication
Promoting engineering education to
non-technical audiences:
“Your water: where’s it come from, what’s
in it, and will it be here tomorrow?”
David Cwiertny
University of Iowa
Why?
• Problem being addressed:
– Solving most engineering challenges requires more
than engineers
– For example, achieving water sustainability will require
public awareness of the water crisis and acceptance of
new management paradigms
• Educational objectives:
– Produce a better-engaged citizenry empowered to be
active participants in their future water governance.
– Increase the number of highly qualified students from
diverse educational backgrounds pursuing careers
related to water resource policy, technology and
management.
When?
• “Your water: where it comes from, what’s in it, and
will it be here tomorrow?” is a multi-disciplinary
course exploring society’s fragile and complex
relationship with its freshwater resources.
• The initial course offering was in Fall 2012
• The current 2015 offering represents its fourth
iteration
• This year, the course structure was overhauled to
incorporate more current events (e.g., California
drought) and promote more interactive discussion
Where?
• The semester-long course is taught each Fall at the
University of Iowa and offered through the UI First Year
Seminar Series
• This program is also intended to promote skills for
undergraduate success at UI (e.g., communication,
working in teams, critical thinking)
• Enrollees (~20 first year UI students) participate in 1 h of
lecture per week over the 15 week semester
• In 2014, the course was integrated with Green
Adventures, the sustainability focused Living-Learning
Community at UI
• In 2015, the course has been offered through the UI
Honors Program
What?
• This course is unique because of its audience
(non-engineers/non-scientists) and instructional
materials (recent books and other popular/social
media about water resources).
• Lecture plans focus on non-technical
communication of engineering concepts related to
water resources
• Popular assignments include daily/virtual water use
calculations, comparing the price of water to other
liquids, and “where my water comes from”
• Popular activities including meeting authors of
course texts, treatment plant tours, and water taste
testing.
Prognosis?
• Assessment through course evaluations and
tracking of course alumni
• Plans for scale up include developing a general
education course at UI via the Sustainability
Certificate Program. Online offerings have also been
considered to broaden audience.
• Challenges include offer a transdisciplinary course in
a rigid, department-based academic structure
• Advice needed: How to enable scale up, including
venues or platforms to reach broader audience. Better
assessment tools for resource limited course.