The Engineer of 2020
MIT's Dean of Undergraduate Education leads this weekly seminar on whether the United States is falling behind in producing scientists and engineers. Readings draw on National Academy reports and other studies comparing U.S. rates of students entering and completing science and engineering degrees against other countries, alongside commentary from pundits on what the gap means for the economy. Discussion sessions work through the data together, weighing arguments for and against the claim that the U.S. is at educational or economic risk. The course, offered through MIT OpenCourseWare, includes the syllabus and readings list used in the seminar. It is aimed at students interested in engineering education policy and the debate over how institutions like MIT should be training the next generation of engineers.