Desired Attributes of a good engineer- japan accreditation board

This document details the attributes of a good engineer

1. ABET Engineering Criteria 2000
To maintain ABET accreditation, Engineering Departments must demonstrate
that all of their graduates have the following eleven general skills and abilities:
a.an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
b.an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and
interpret data
c.an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired
needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental,
social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and
sustainability
d.an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
e.an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
f.an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
g.an ability to communicate effectively
h.the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering
solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
i.a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
j.a knowledge of contemporary issues
k.an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
necessary for engineering practice.

2. Japan Accreditation Board for
Engineering Education
(a) An ability and intellectual foundation to consider issues from a global and
multilateral viewpoint.
(b) Understanding of the effects and impact of engineering on society and
nature, and of engineers’ social responsibility (engineering ethics).
(c) Knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences and information technology
and an ability to apply such knowledge.
(d) Specialized engineering knowledge in each applicable field, and an ability to
apply such knowledge to provide solutions to actual problems.
(e) Design abilities to organize comprehensive solutions to societal needs by
exploiting various disciplines of science, engineering and information.
(f) Japanese-language communication skills including methodical writing, verbal
presentation and debate abilities, as well as basic skills for international
communication.
(g) An ability to carry on learning on an independent and sustainable basis.
(h) An ability to implement and organize works systematically under given
constraints.
http://www.jabee.org/english/OpenHomePage/Criteria_Bachelor_2008_1020.pdf

3. Desired Attributes of a Global
Engineer*
•A good grasp of engineering science fundamentals, including:
–Mechanics and dynamics
–Mathematics (including statistics)
–Physical and life sciences
–Information science/technology
•A good understanding of the design and manufacturing process (i.e., understands engineering and industrial
perspective)
•A multidisciplinary, systems perspective, along with a product focus
•A basic understanding of the context in which engineering is practiced, including:
–Customer and societal needs and concerns
–Economics and finance
–The environment and its protection
–The history of technology and society
•An awareness of the boundaries of one’s knowledge, along with an appreciation for other areas of knowledge and
their interrelatedness with one’s own expertise
•An awareness of and strong appreciation for other cultures and their diversity, their distinctiveness, and their inherent
value
•A strong commitment to team work, including extensive experience with and understanding of team dynamics
•Good communication skills, including written, verbal, graphic, and listening
•High ethical standards (honesty, sense of personal and social responsibility, fairness, etc)
•An ability to think both critically and creatively, in both independent and cooperative modes
•Flexibility: the ability and willingness to adapt to rapid and/or major change
•Curiosity and the accompanying drive to learn continuously throughout one’s career
•An ability to impart knowledge to others
*A Manifesto for Global Engineering Education, Summary Report of the Engineering
Futures Conference, January 22-23, 1997. The Boeing Company & Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute.

5. History of the term “engineer”
The term engineer is derived from the
French term ingénieur. Vitruvius, author of
De Architecture, written in about 20 B.C.E.
wrote in the introduction that master builders
were ingenious, or possessed ingenium.
From the eleventh century, master builders
were called ingeniator (in Latin), which
through the French, ingénieur, became the
English engineer (Auyang, 2004).
Auyang, S.Y. 2004. Engineering – an endless frontier. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.

6. Engineering According to Engineers
A scientist discovers that which exists. An engineer
creates that which never was -- Theodore von Kármán
(1881-1963)
The engineering method is the use of heuristics to cause
the best change in a poorly understood situation within the
available resources – Billy Koen

7. Engineering According to
an NSF Committee
Design in a major sense is the essence of
engineering; it begins with the identification of a
need and ends with a product or system in the
hands of a user. It is primarily concerned with
synthesis rather than the analysis which is
central to engineering science. Design, above
all else, distinguishes engineering from science
(Hancock, 1986, National Science Foundation
Workshop).

8. EXCERPT FROM A RECENT JOB ADD FROM WASHINGTON POST:
Process Engineer
•Management of electrical and electronic aspects of all current machinery as well as
future engineering projects as it relates to design, automation, troubleshooting, and
enhancement.
•Review current PLC programming and modify as needed to ensure process continuity
and/or enhancements.
•Complete projects within scope and budget in agreed upon time frames.
  To include,
but not limited to, wiring schematics, specifications, and operator training.
•Assist production in troubleshooting and other process variances.
•Attend weekly management meetings and update members as to project status.
•Look for opportunities to minimize costs, improve safety, and streamline operation
wherever possible.
•Develop and train electrical technicians in the organization.
•Willing to work weekends or off-shifts as needed to resolve problems, projects, or
emergencies.
•Assist in preparation of the capital budget by recommending specific projects, preparing
appropriation requests, and obtaining competitive prices and/or bids.
•Assist in preparation of annual facility audit to assess the physical condition of buildings,
grounds, and equipment.
  Estimate expenditures involved, determine implementation
timeframe and set the priority of each project.