The Daily Bulletin Archive

More than 350 middle and high school teachers from across the state participated in July and August in Buffalo State’s Engineers of the Future program, a $1.7 million teacher-training initiative funded by a grant from the New York State Education Department. The program was designed to provide teachers with knowledge and skills to help middle and high school students pass rigorous pre-engineering curriculum, ignite interest in engineering as a career path, and ultimately address a potential shortage of American engineers.

Steve Macho, assistant professor of technology education, was the principal investigator on the project; James Mayrose, assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology, was the co-principal. Clark Greene, technology education program coordinator, also played an integral role in the planning and success of the program.

“The purpose was to introduce middle and high school teachers to new ways of bringing engineering to life in their classrooms,” said Peter Pawlik, chair of the Technology Department.

Instruction included 20 separate 60-hour engineering-based courses over six weeks. Courses were offered on campus and at remote locations for the convenience of technology teachers across the state. Four critical demand areas were emphasized: design and innovation, engineering and prototyping, biotechnology and bioengineering, and digital electronics and control systems.

The program showed teachers how to use hands-on activities, problem solving, and small-group projects—all typical engineering activities—to stimulate interest among high school students. Participants learned how to connect the products students use every day—from cell phones to hockey sticks, iPods to guitars, ballet shoes to bike helmets—to the engineering behind them. They also learned how to use computer-aided design software, an indispensable tool for today’s engineers. The biotechnology courses featured activities such as cleaning up water contaminated with phosphates and making insulin.

“We are honored to be able to deliver this important training to the teachers of New York State,” said Greene. “Each of the focus areas has a distinct connection to the future economy and employment landscape of Western New York, as well as the entire state and nation.”

Industry experts have predicted a shortage of U.S.-trained engineers in the coming years. A 2005 report from the National Academies said the United States adds just 70,000 new engineers to the global workforce each year, compared with China’s 600,000 and India’s 350,000.